The Oracle: Obama and the National Prayer Breakfast
This morning, the National Prayer Breakfast was held in Washington, D.C and was attended by some of the most powerful politicians in America, including the President. The event has become an obligatory nod to the Christian establishment in America and has been attended by every President in recent years. The breakfast usually comes and goes relatively unnoticed. Of course, this is 2010 and we are talking about President Obama, so nothing is politics as ususal.
The National Prayer Breakfast has come under fire, this year in particular, because of its association with the conservative extreme of the Christian Right. Or, should I say, the “lunatic fringe?” These Christians have been involved in hate toward LGBT Americans forever. Now they are moving their hate internationally. The sponsor of the National Prayer Breakfast, The Fellowship, has been involved in pushing a law in Uganda that would make homosexuality a crime punishable by death. So, many were concerned with the President legitimizing this group with his attendance. They were wrong.
President Obama reminded me of why I believed in him, when the majority of LGBT Americans were behind other candidates. Obama speaks “his” truth regardless of the audience. Today, he said before many extreme right Christians, “We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are — whether it’s here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.” Wow!
I wish one of the TV channels would have panned the audience for reaction. I am sure the right wing bigots were squirming in their seats, thinking ‘we have to invite him for two more years?’ Yes, that’s right, Obama will be talking about LGBT equality for two more years at your breakfast. Of course, they could always not invite the President next year. That would be perfect, because it would create a controversy that would galvanize progressives and independents across the country. In fact, we can only hope that the carping starts today and continues until the mid-term elections.
There is value in having a President talk about LGBT issues before hostile audiences. If the Christian Right chooses to challenge the President’s comments, it exposes them for who they are: bigoted, homophobes. Last year, Obama challenged the African-American community about LGBT equality at his MLK Day speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church and now he does the same at the National Prayer Breakfast.
It’s historic, I am ecstatic and you should be too.
“Or, should I say, the “lunatic fringe?” These Christians have been involved in hate toward LGBT Americans forever.”
This is the type of Hate language that should be prosecuted.
You should be ashamed for spread such ‘hate’. When someone disagrees with the GLT viewpoint, some of the GLT start shouting ‘Hate’.
Shame! Shame! Shame!