Rev. Robinson’s Prayer Hits the Fan
19 January 2009 12:11 pm by Taylor Marsh
The bald eagles didn’t bitch.
Seriously, one of the most moving moments of the event was the moment Challenger, then Mr. Lincoln, both majestic bald eagles, were brought on stage, preceded by military representatives, before Obama made his speech. No one said a word when HBO cut that moment out of the rebroadcast. The bald eagle, symbolism of our beautiful country, the importance of protecting it, as well as the grandeur beyond what is human.
I am evidently one of the very few unmoved that Rev. Robinson’s prayer was also not part of the HBO rebroadcast of Obama’s concert on the mall. …and I’m an Episcopalian.
HBO says it was Obama’s people. But they say no, to the contrary.
“We had always intended and planned for Rt. Rev. Robinson’s invocation to be included in the televised portion of yesterday’s program. We regret the error in executing this plan – but are gratified that hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the mall heard his eloquent prayer for our nation that was a fitting start to our event.” — PIC communications director Josh Earnest
It was a musical extravaganza. The only prayer required should have been one in honor of the power of the arts. Hoping that they may once again be a larger part of our national identity and spirit. Not just to educate and inspire young and old, but as a reminder of our common creative nature, as well as the redemptive power of music and song.
Instead, the prayer by Rev. Robinson took us into the spiral of bless us with tears… with anger.. etc. as so many prayers do, choosing to remind us all of the hardships of living on the mortal plane. With one exception, that like everyone else, protecting President Obama comes off my lips at my every daily meditation. But for me, Robinson’s prayer was organized religion at its worst. With all the talk about how dire things are today, which no one will doubt, the preacher ignored the lofty purposes of song and jubilation, while forgetting the event his prayer was to kick off. Tone deaf religious importance in the place of exalting the human spirit we were to celebrate through song.
It just proves that gay or straight, organized religious leaders have forgotten the place music plays in the divine, beyond a preachers’s reminder of our daily drudgery. A prayer before a festival of music should set a much different tone. But that’s how far the arts have fallen in America.
Where’s Dr. Wayne Dyer when you need him?
Another point is that we are in the throes of allowing the remarkable ordinariness of the transfer of power in this country to be catapulted into something it should never be. The deification of the presidency itself, the office, but especially the current occupant about to take the oath. Barack Obama is just a man to whom our hopes are pinned, but in whom expectations are now set far too high.
America is “we the people.” Thomas Jefferson would gag.
Why am I coming over all queasy this week? Oh, yes, it must be coronation—sorry, inauguration—week in the federation of the United States. So this is why you booted us out a couple of centuries ago. You simply replaced the pomp and ceremony of hereditary monarchy and with the pomp and ceremony of elected monarchy. [...]
Thank goodness for the day of service.
Robinson was nothing more than tokenism meant to mollify us gay activists. I sincerely doubt with such a capable media team working on behalf of the President Elect they they could not get this one small symbolic gesture right. They seem to have a stellar record when it comes to everything but gays or gay issues. Deciphering intent or reason of why Obama does he does when it comes to gays is becoming more work than it’s worth. I never expected much but come on can you be any more clueless?
I think the caterwauling about Robinson being excluded from the HBO rebroadcast is ridiculous.
Wasn’t included in the first broadcast Taylor which might be why some are upset.
I still think it’s ridiculous.
Taylor
I 100% agree with you. As I posted earlier, Bishop Robinson’s prayer was not appropriate with the spirit of the day.
Also, I listened to him on MSNBC earlier and he has NO problem with Obama. So all this anger is just silly and an easy target and outlet for folks who just want to be upset.
I think the caterwauling about Robinson being excluded from the HBO rebroadcast is ridiculous.
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 3:15 pm | #
agreed. I’ve been following comments on other sites and it is so over the top it’s beyond ridiculous. Clamoring for a Religious guy to be given the first 5 minutes of a music program? I would have been pissed if they had put him on.
GeoT | 01.19.2009 – 4:10 pm | #
Its really bizarre. One of my favorite progressive blogs, has started to sound like NoQuarter in the comments section. Its started with the Warren pick, and this thing was just like catnip to the commentors. Its fine to disagree with the pick, but some of the stuff I read was really nasty.
From Politico:
Inaugural Committee will rebroadcast Robinson on Mall
Citizens turned out on the Mall to watch the event on giant screens tomorrow will have a second chance to see the invocation by Gene Robinson, the gay Episcopal bishop, a source at the Presidential Inauguration Committee said.
“Yesterday’s program will be shown on the jumbo screens on the Mall to entertain the assembled crowd. Tomorrow’s version will include Robinson’s prayer,” the source said.
A spokesman for the Inaugural Committee, Josh Earnest, also said that HBO’s rights to yesterday’s event are limited: the committee owns the copyright to the event, but HBO has a license to broadcast it for six months. That makes it less likely that the concert will be kept out of the historical record of, for instance, documentaries of the event.
One of my favorite progressive blogs, has started to sound like NoQuarter
Audiegrl | 01.19.2009 – 4:26 pm | #
it’s crazy to watch. They seem to be convinced Obama is hates gays, they think he’s doing all of this on purpose.
Audiegrl | 01.19.2009 – 4:31 pm | #
do you have the link AG? I want to put that on HuffPo
GeoT | 01.19.2009 – 4:38 pm | #
Its surreal. Those commentors cannot be the same people who supported him during the general election.
here’s the link:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0109/Inaugural_Committee_will_rebroadcast_Robinson_on_Mall.html
I empathize with the GLBTQ community about this one. It’s not right to put Robinson in the mix in order to placate, then not show it on national tv as Warren will get high exposure tomorrow. This was a high profile concert. But that’s not what bothers me, it’s the tude of the Obama team that they have the left and therefore can afford to offend them. Reality or not, not a great attitude to have.
That said, I don’t like having prayers at public events because I believe in the separation of church and state.
Benny | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 4:52 pm | #
there are wingnuts on the left and right I’m beginning to see that.
GeoT | 01.19.2009 – 4:59 pm | #
I’m beginning to see that too.
How was the invocation inappropriate? The theme was “We Are One.” Much more so than many of the performance vignettes, I thought the Robinson invocation perfectly captured the oneness theme. I didn’t even know about the invocation (or the resulting brouhaha) until I came across it on the web. But I thought it was very moving, and highly relevant. In my opinion, it should have been broadcast. And folks are right to howl about its exclusion.
And folks are right to howl about its exclusion.
ogenec | 01.19.2009 – 5:14 pm | #
but Obama did it on purpose to piss off the gay community and he and his staff are homophobes… or at least that’s what I’m reading.
ogenec | 01.19.2009 – 5:14 pm | #
If you want to see what GeoT and I are talking about. Check out some of the comments at
http://www.americablog.com/2009/01/obama-wed-always-intended-for-hbo-to.html#disqus_thread
This is the howling we are talking about.
I also don’t get the argument about overdoing it on inauguration. First, we imbue the inaguration with all kinds of significance and pageantry precisely because we are a secular republic: the Constitution is our Bible, the White House is our Vatican, and the President is our Pope. And just as millions watch and cheer whenever the black smoke rises to mark the selection of the next pope, we celebrate the selection of a new President.
Second, we are celebrating because Bush ands Cheney gone. That point requires no explanation.
Third, and most important, we are celebrating because of the particular person who is about to become our President. The world joins in our celebration — as Katty noted yesterday, BBC is broadcasting five hours of inaugural activities tomorrow — because they recognize Obama as someone whose life and experience are both uniquely American and uniquely global. They know that the man whose middle name is Hussein brings with him an empathy and understanding of different cultures that past Presidents (especially the immediate past President) cannot hope to have. And they also know that, precisely because things are so FUBAR as a result of the past eight years, Obama’s background and persona offer hope that this country can once again heed its higher angels.
As Obama noted in his speech on race, “I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible. It’s a story that hasn’t made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts – that out of many, we are truly one.” I mean no disrespect to anyone else, but who else could have made this claim? Electing Obama sent a message to the world — AMERICA IS BACK!!
That’s why the festivities are not over the top. But TM’s point about not deifying Obama is a fair one. And, to come full circle on this, guess who recently addressed it? Yep, Robinson: “Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed†anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.”
Now excuse me while I go put some more champagne on ice
WOW… Sorry we Gays are ruining your wonderful, glorious inauguration. Sorry that,after all the support Obama received from the GLBT community and all the soul searching those that supported Hillary did to come to support Obama, are ruining the party.
Sorry about calling foul when all the misogyny was being thrown around, only to have it be called “caterwauling” when we called foul for ourselves.
Sorry about speaking up about all the other injustices, while “waiting our turn” to be recognized as contributing, law abiding citizens.
Sorry. Just sorry…
Sorry. Just sorry…
TheRealist1 | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 5:46 pm | #
you’re not ruining my celebration in the least.
I doubt Obama himself directed that the Robinson speech be excluded. I also rather doubt that HBO did. That leaves two options: ineptitude, or some low level Obama staffer. Given the way the Obama troops pay attention to the smallest detail, I don’t think ineptitude explains it.
That leaves Obama staffer. The site you guys referred me to mentions a Josh DuBois, whom I’d never heard of before today. If he or a similar staffer is responsible, they should be fired. Because it’s really a travesty to promote a “We Are One” concert and then exclude “the gay.”
you’re not ruining my celebration in the least.
GeoT | 01.19.2009 – 5:52 pm | #
Then stop your “caterwauling”.
some sanity amongst the hysteria:
It is also about LEGAL protection; Obama is a Con Law scholar; he knows what the rest of us in the legal profession do; including Gay lawyers. We will have to change the legfal definition of “immutable” to include homosexulaity as a protected class. That will have to be accomplished through the legilsative process and hearings just as the civil rights act was done. Evidence and testimony as to the need for protection will be heard and laws changed. Give the process a chance. Now that the Dems have some control ove the lawmaking and we have an executive that won’t veto; all we have to worry about is the Roberts court.
that was from “formerprosecutor”
on HuffPo
you’re not ruining my celebration in the least.
GeoT | 01.19.2009 – 5:52 pm | #
Then stop your “caterwauling”.
TheRealist1 | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 5:55 pm | #
I’m almost positive I was not caterwauling although I’ll have to look it up :=)
Sources: Obama may use executive order reverse abortion policy
Source said Obama may use the occasion to reverse the “Mexico City policy” reinstated in 2001 by Bush
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/19/sources-obama-may-use-executive-order-reverse-abortion-policy/
Why is anyone surprised that the GLBT community won’t just turn the other cheek (again)? In just the last few months we have had seen Prop 8 pass in California, Initiative Act 1 pass in Arkansas, the choice of an outspokenly anti-gay pastor to the most prominent religious position in Obama’s inauguration, and now the TOKEN selection of Robinson isn’t even being included in the rebroadcast of the day’s events? Of course I don’t think the Robinson-exclusion is any wrongdoing on Obama’s part, but I think that it’s just getting RIDICULOUS that the GLBT community continues to be kicked around as overwhelmingly unimportant.
If JFK had a black preacher give the opening prayer for the inaugural celebration and then in the re-hash of the events everyone acted like the prayer never happened, the black community would have been outraged. (Of course, to make this metaphor fitting, he would have chosen an outspoken KKK member to give the invocation to his inauguration).
It’s just getting REALLY old that nobody gives a damn except for the individuals who are themselves persecuted. The Robinson issue is just one more reason for the GLBT community to finally start speaking out.
But heck. I wouldn’t want to ruin this picture perfect moment for anyone..
we’ll just shut up and take our seat in the back of the bus.
GeoT | 01.19.2009 – 6:03 pm | #
GeoT, formerprosecutor is absolutely right. I’ve been saying the same thing.
Taylor, it’s the idea that a bigot like Rick Warren will get full media attention on Tuesday for his message, yet a true man of the cloth, Gene Robinson, was left out in the cold.
And there is another way to look at this. What did many of us complain about during the primary season — sexism. Homophobia couldn’t exist without sexism — so as feminists we are linked to this issue.
Obama won because African Americans, women and the lesbian and gay community overwhelmingly supported him.
Tomorrow will be a glorious day, in spite of Rick Warren, as it will be the end of GWB.
BAC
Tomorrow will be a glorious day, in spite of Rick Warren, as it will be the end of GWB.
BAC
BAC | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 8:25 pm | #
amen
Yes – certainly a “glorious” day – but a total regime change in the face of disaster after disaster would always be “glorious”.
And while the drawings of MLK and Obama are really cool – I’d be really curious what people nationwide think is the most important thing about Obama. I seriously doubt if “being Black” would rate very high – except of course amongst Black people themselves.
“He is NOT GWB” would probably get the biggest vote. In fact, the list of Democrats who could have won this election is many pages long (with Barack and Hillary at the top) – especially after McCain drifted even closer to Bush’s policies in the last couple of months. Adding Trailer-trash Palin to his ticket made it even easier.
One thing the present attitude seems to prove: GWB kept his promise to be a “uniter”. Sending him and TheDick home has united this country more than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime – including the day of JFK’s inauguration.
Sidenote to Olbermann? It’s a frikkin’ RUG, Keith. Get over it.
The “being black” is a bit of a straw man, since I don’t know that anyone has suggested that that is the main reason for his popularity. The enthusiasm extends far beyond race. And that is setting aside the fact that he’s not just black — he’s biracial. And at least tri-cultural
Any generic D candidate probably would have won. But I am not sure another candidate could have won in quite the same way. The breadth and sweep of his victory was and is awe-inspiring. There is much more to Obama’s appeal than simply that he is not Bush.
Time | 01.19.2009 – 8:04 pm | #
So let me get this straight. It’s less about the actual prayer, but more important that Robinson be on camera? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Ridiculous.
BAC | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 8:25 pm | #
Look, I’ve made my opinion about Warren speaking clear, though for more reasons than his homophobia, which is just the opener. But Robinson has not accumulated the megachurch and megamovement that stands behind Warren. This is not up for debate. Warren is a economic behemoth, reaching millions. Let’s keep the comparisons equal.
Look, I’ve made my opinion about Warren speaking clear, though for more reasons than his
homophobia, which is just the opener. But Robinson has not accumulated the megachurch and
megamovement that stands behind Warren. This is not up for debate. Warren is a economic
behemoth, reaching millions. Let’s keep the comparisons equal.
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.19.2009 – 11:20 pm | #
What’s your point, Taylor? That Warren deserves a more prominent place in line because he reaches more people, even though his message is of hate? Bishop Gene Robinson gets the leftovers, even though his story IS the struggle for equal rights for all people, with a message of love and inclusion, that needs to be heard. A message that needs to be heard, especially after the last eight years.
Is this your point, Taylor?
As far as the content of Robinson’s prayer, I thought it was incredibly fitting.
We are celebrating as though the mere election of a black president solves all of our problems. I promise you that Obama will be the first to tell us (tomorrow at noon) that his election in itself solves nothing. It is certainly the realization of a dream, but there is a LOT of work ahead. There are a LOT of problems to address. That’s what Robinson’s prayer was about. This election better not be a giant pat on the back that lulls us into complacency, it better be something that fills us with a righteous anger and an enthusiasm to MAKE change happen in more places than simply the voting booth. I, for one, was very impressed with Robinson’s prayer.
Taylor, it may seem as if I’m trying to be argumentative, but I can assure you I’m not. I just honestly don’t understand why having a mega church, populated by lemmings, is justification for giving Warren a more prominent role in the inauguration than Robinson?
As you acknowledge, there are a myriad of reasons why it was a mistake for Obama to invite Warren.
I’ve met Gene Robinson, and I can attest he is a wonderful and thoughtful person — much more in keeping with what I hope our new president wants for us.
BAC
And one more thing, if we have learned nothing from history we should have learned that trying to appease the right wing doesn’t work. Bill Clinton signed a welfare reform bill (that he had vetoed twice) and the right STILL impeached him. Rick Warren’s followers are not going to support Barack Obama now, or in 2012 — they will more than likely support someone like Sarah Palin!
BAC
in 2012 — they will more than likely support someone like Sarah
Palin!
BAC
BAC | Homepage | 01.20.2009 – 01:01 am | #
good! then they’ll lose 2 in a row.
We are celebrating as though the mere election of a black president solves all of our
problems.
Time | 01.19.2009 – 11:59 pm | #
I haven’t met or heard one person who thinks that. In fact the opposite is true: people seem to realize that this is a step on a journey that will take hard work and perseverance. What I see in this Rev. Robinson flap is people that need instant gratification and are whining when they don’t get what they want, when they want it.
BAC | Homepage | 01.20.2009 – 00:56 am | #
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think it justifies it. I’m just saying that’s why it’s happening.
Rick Warren’s prayer was pretty awful. It was terribly christiancentric, with multiple overt references to Christianity, the use of the phrase “OUR God” (emphasis not mine), etc. It was completely out of place with the spirit of unity and purpose and importance that is the atmosphere of this inauguration. It sounded more like an evangelism tool than an invocation.
Let it also be noted that VERY few people clapped for him in the crowd.
The benediction was, without a doubt, the best prayer of the weekend. The use of the negro spiritual at the beginning, the playful poem at the end, the repitition of the “amen” to incorporate the crowd. Brilliant.