Obama's Soft Bigotry
Barack Obama on his invitation to Rick Warren to provide the invocation at his inaugural: What we have to do is create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable, and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans.
*
Rick Warren: But the issue to me is, I’m
not opposed to that as much as I’m opposed to the
redefinition of a 5,000-year definition of
marriage. I’m opposed to having a brother and
sister be together and call that marriage. I’m
opposed to an older guy marrying a child and
calling that a marriage. I’m opposed to one guy
having multiple wives and calling that marriage.
[Interviewer]: Do you think, though, that
they are equivalent to having gays getting married?
Rick Warren: Oh I
do…
*
Barack Obama asks that we avoid
disagreeability; however, he does not consider
Warren’s comparison of gays to pedophiles and
incestuous siblings to be “disagreeable”—just our
criticism of his decision.
Obama invited preacher/gospel singer and well-known
homophobe Donnie McClurkin to perform at one of his
campaign rallies during the Democratic
primaries. Obama defended that decision with
similar “big tent,” “reach across divides,” “I
support equality” language. He has repeatedly
stated his opposition to gay marriage.
At this point, I think it’s fair to say that Obama
suffers toward gays what a great many Americans
suffer towards blacks and women—a soft
bigotry. He believes in equality and may
vigorously advocate for it, but to him, we remain
just a little shy three-dimensionally human.
To him we are “issues” not people. For him,
that some believe we should not exist is a
sociopolitical disagreement—like taking exception
to where a dam should be built. It is not
disparaging one’s being, because, in his eyes,
there’s a little less human there to begin
with.
Obama would never employ similar tactics or
language with anyone who suggested that Israel was
a rogue nation or that African-Americans’ rights
should be “up to the states.” Obama’s support
for gay rights—and his lingering distaste for gay
lifestyle—simply puts him on a par with a majority
of Americans. It’s a political win-win for
him.
Like most who harbor soft bigotries, Obama probably
considers himself enlightened and free from
prejudice. He hires gays, he reaches out to
them, etc. But I’ve had several very liberal,
very educated, highly “enlightened” whites make
excruciatingly racist comments in my presence and
not realize what their comments betrayed until
confronted.
When you are taught from birth to revile a certain
minority group, smarts and doctorates do not dispel
that teaching. Smarts and doctorates suggest
that there is no rational reason for you to feel
that way, so you outwardly change your
behavior. But a voice deep down keeps
singing… “they’re less, they’re dirty.”
That’s when it becomes safe to turn an entire group
of people and their ability to live and love as
freely as their fellow citizens into an “issue,” as
opposed to a “right.”