Saturday, December 20, 2008

Why LGBT people are pissed about Rick Warren


Four men beat and raped a woman and left her naked on a central Richmond street last weekend, punctuating their 45-minute attack with comments that made clear why they chose her as their victim — she is a lesbian, police said. ...

"I've lost sleep over this. I am sickened," said police Chief Chris Magnus. "While every sexual assault is a terrible crime, this particular case is especially horrific because multiple individuals acted together in the commission of this assault, and because of the hate-crime aspect." ...

Throughout the attack the men, all strangers to the victim, made comments about her sexual orientation, police said. They also took her wallet and keys, which they used to open her car.

Contra Costa Times
December 19, 2008

Oh I know, "Pastor" Rick doesn't encourage this sort of thing. But he teaches his sheep that gays are "unnatural", "immature", perhaps pedophiles.

All the sheep (or their male offspring) have to be is dumb and testosterone-poisoned and this is what you get.

A President of all the people doesn't condone the vilification and objectification of anyone. He just doesn't. There's not any wiggle room there. Inviting Rick Warren to pray at the inauguration amounts to condoning hate.
***
I cross posted this at Daily Kos. Obviously it is not as nuanced as some of my posts. Dkos is not a nuanced environment and, mostly, I don't attempt to participate there. But this is a time when jumping into the mosh pit feels worth it.

Obama's Warren invitation is painful -- yet presents an opportunity to pound into a broader circle of liberal allies how mere "symbolism" can be deadly to LGBT people.

As an adherent of a very different sort of faithful Christianity, I am the more pained that Warren misrepresents God as a sort of demon who obsesses over a little list of who is naughty and nice. But my outrage about that is just wallowing in self-pity. God can take care of Herself; Warren's shallow theology is not my problem.

On the other hand, Warren's political influence is my fight.

2 comments:

Kay Dennison said...

This is incredibly horrible!!!!
I hope these men are caught and punished to the fullest extent.

Like you, I practice practice a different Christianity -- kind that believes in equality and respect and doesn't preach hate.

I wonder what Obama was thinking when he chose Rick Warren.

Paul said...

Jane R pointed me here. Horrendous story (as all such stories are). Your comments are right on target. His theology is sad but Godde can indeed take care of Herself. The politics and their civil (and incivil) consequences, however, are very much a matter we must deal with, forcefully, with determination, and with truth to counter every falsehood.

Thanks!