http://www.bloggernews.net/119081 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:42:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://www.bloggernews.net/119081#comment-834395 Herb Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:45:41 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119081#comment-834395 After the initial anger and intolerance, there may be some rethinking setting in. At least, Andrew Sullivan's article, "Taking Yes for an Answer," at theatlantic.com would suggest so. Our next president is to be commended for providing both the gay left and the evangelical right with an opportunity for dialogue. Obviously, most of both camp cannot abide the other or see this opportunity as anything but threat. It is interesting to note how the right demonizes Warren as much as the left attacks Obama for inciting this Invocation Crisis. That being the case, nothing has been lost. What might be gained is an opportunity to expand the middle, if only a little, so that a few on each side of the gay-evangelical cultural cleavage can see the opportunity both Obama and Warren are providing them. What is hopeful in all of this is that we are going to have a president who is willing to take some risks to reduce the dominance of ideology in our current public discourse—who genuinely seeks to govern from the center and work through differences. Those who think Obama has "pivoted right" in picking Warren for the minor honor of giving the invocation at his inauguration have missed the whole point of the invitation. He is trying to tell us something about how he's going to govern and what kind of an America he is governing toward. IF he is able to move us in that direction, America will be a better nation for the gay community, for evangelicals, and for the rest of us. After the initial anger and intolerance, there may be some rethinking setting in. At least, Andrew Sullivan’s article, “Taking Yes for an Answer,” at theatlantic.com would suggest so. Our next president is to be commended for providing both the gay left and the evangelical right with an opportunity for dialogue. Obviously, most of both camp cannot abide the other or see this opportunity as anything but threat. It is interesting to note how the right demonizes Warren as much as the left attacks Obama for inciting this Invocation Crisis. That being the case, nothing has been lost. What might be gained is an opportunity to expand the middle, if only a little, so that a few on each side of the gay-evangelical cultural cleavage can see the opportunity both Obama and Warren are providing them.
What is hopeful in all of this is that we are going to have a president who is willing to take some risks to reduce the dominance of ideology in our current public discourse—who genuinely seeks to govern from the center and work through differences.
Those who think Obama has “pivoted right” in picking Warren for the minor honor of giving the invocation at his inauguration have missed the whole point of the invitation. He is trying to tell us something about how he’s going to govern and what kind of an America he is governing toward. IF he is able to move us in that direction, America will be a better nation for the gay community, for evangelicals, and for the rest of us.

]]> http://www.bloggernews.net/119081#comment-834273 BB Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:13:23 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119081#comment-834273 Far better would have been for for Obama to make a real statement for change and eliminate the whole ooga-booga need for imaginary godly invocation and sanction. How about a truly secular inauguration? wouldn't that be a great way to honor our Constitution?! Far better would have been for for Obama to make a real statement for change and eliminate the whole ooga-booga need for imaginary godly invocation and sanction. How about a truly secular inauguration? wouldn’t that be a great way to honor our Constitution?!

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