The Inauguration is Next Week- Time to Get our PRIDE ON!

Our friend Allan posted a great diary at DailyKos a few weeks back suggesting a wonderful and potentially very effective protest in response to Obama’s selection of Saddleback pastor and homophobe Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration. Since a lot has happened since then and all of us are always busy, I just wanted to put this issue up front again.

Now, as I have often said, I have been an Obama supporter from the start, and still am, but Barack, you stepped in deep caca on this one. I see what you were trying to do, the inclusiveness bit, the reaching across the aisle, yada, yada, but I don’t think you got the hurt that this selection of Rick Warren caused, not just to the LGBT community, but to all of us who care about the humanity of our brothers and sisters. I mean, Rick Warren compared gays and lesbians in committed relationships wanting the right to marry to pedophiles or incestuous relationships for crying out loud. He has also compared women who exercise their right to choose abortion to Nazis. So inclusiveness is not too high on this guy’s agenda, Barack.

Anyway, Allan has a great idea for a non-confrontational but very effective protest:

When Rick Warren is introduced to give his invocation, hold aloft a rainbow flag and turn your back to the podium until he is finished.

I am not asking you to disrupt the proceedings. I just want there to be a clear VISUAL signal to the people on the podium that there are Americans who disagree with Rick Warren about LGBT issues and don’t appreciate giving him a platform at this event.

It will be cold and everyone will be bundled up, and it’s not the kind of event where T-Shirts with messages, etc. will have much impact because everyone will be crowded so close together. Signs, especially with sticks, will probably be banned from the mall.

But the sight of rainbow flags held aloft in unison as far as the eye can see will make a simple, potent statement that will be witnessed by Obama and Biden and everyone on the dais, as well as by the TV cameras.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a member of the LGBT community or not, your gesture will send a message. Those of us for whom this has been a personal, hard-fought, lifelong cause thank you for joining us in this simple gesture.

If you are lucky enough to be attending the inauguration, please consider joining in this simple protest. If you can’t go, but know people who are, please consider passing this along to them.

Note the point that sticks will probably be confiscated so if you are going, and you will join in this effort, be sure to remove the flag from its stick if it has one. The flags can be folded up into a pocket or pinned to the back of your jacket or to a purse or backpack. I have heard others suggest facing Warren instead of turning your backs. This seems like a totally personal decision. The effect of potentially thousands of rainbow flags raised in wordless but eloquent protest against Warren’s kind of hate-think will register fully either way.

So Rumpeteers, friends and family members: if you’re going to D.C. let’s get out there and get our PRIDE ON!!

P.S. Yeah, I saw this too. Putting it in the “too little, too late” category myself.

Posted by marindenver on 01/14/09 at 01:00 PM • Permalink

Categories: Messylaneous • Politics • Election '08 • Barack Obama • Nutters • Relijun •

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Since I will be watching in the snuggly confines of my home, I suspect I’ll be raising a couple things myself when Warren gets up there.

Comment by Kerry Reid on 01/14/09 at 01:46 PM

FYI, I think I saw that Gene Robinson is going to be on Maddow tonight.

And, damn, we were going to go to the inauguration but we had to cancel because of our recently-diagnosed diabetic cat. We have to give her shots two times/day and she’s too ornery around strangers to have our friends do it. I guess down the road we can leave her at a clinic or something, but we thought it would be too traumatic to hit her up with that right after a terrifying overnight stay at the vets. They said it took three people to get her into the kitty-carryall before we went to pick her up. The technician was too afraid to take her out to teach us how to give the shots, so we practiced the procedure on my Carhartt jacket.

So, long and short, Allan, sorry, bro. Two less flags unfurled in DC on Tuesday.

Comment by Kevin K. on 01/14/09 at 01:50 PM

Great idea, but given the amount of security they’re putting in place (even on the Mall) I doubt you’d be able to smuggle in anything larger than a cup of coffee, and even that will probably have to be dumped out.

Comment by Tom65 on 01/14/09 at 02:04 PM

Great idea, but given the amount of security they’re putting in place (even on the Mall) I doubt you’d be able to smuggle in anything larger than a cup of coffee, and even that will probably have to be dumped out.

You could get a small flag in. All you’d have to do it wear it under your clothes.

Comment by Kevin K. on 01/14/09 at 02:09 PM

I think you could tie it to the strap of a backpack or purse or pin it to your jacket too. Or use it as a scarf. I just think they will be looking for anything that could be used against someone or thrown.

Comment by marindenver on 01/14/09 at 02:22 PM

Kevin, luckily, your Carhartt is much tougher than Hubcap’s hide. If you’re still practicing, an orange or even a clementine might be a better vict-er, guinea pig.

One smooth motion should slide the needle right in up to the hilt, push the plunger, and rub the spot with your other hand as you take the needle out. This both dissipates any ouch and tells you that the all the insulin went in correctly, because then the fur will be dry.

Don’t be shy about pushing that thing in; it doesn’t hurt more if you do it firmly, it hurts less or not at all. Our cat barely wakes up during her injection.

Our vet has us sticking Krugman (aka Jennie, long story) in the tummy fat, as opposed to the neck. Sorry about the inauguration—Mr. P and I have missed a load of things because our friends are needle-phobic. There are cat-sitters who’ll come in and stick Hubcap for an extra fee; I’m looking around for a decent one and if I find one I’ll let you know.

Cats always highjack threads! Bad kitty!

Comment by Mrs. Polly on 01/14/09 at 02:29 PM

Yeah, sorry, didn’t mean to hijack the thread with kitty-based self-pity. ;) But, Polly, Chris has been a wonderful doctor when it comes to the shots. I’m just responsible for basically having a lap for Hubcap to sit on.

Comment by Kevin K. on 01/14/09 at 03:05 PM

I hear ya, Kevin. It’s a godsend I work out of the house to schedule shots and food for our dog.

Comment by justlen on 01/14/09 at 05:48 PM

Thanks again for the plug, marindenver!

I am sending six 2x3 nylon flags with my friends who are making the trip, some of whom have actual tickets to the event.

Be warm, be safe, and show the colors!

And I’m very proud that Gene Robinson has been given a role, less prominent though it may be. How scarcer than a hen’s tooth is a Christian worthy of honor.

Comment by Allan on 01/14/09 at 06:26 PM

Unfortunately, I’m not going, but know someone who is. This link has been forwarded.

Comment by gimmeabreak on 01/14/09 at 07:21 PM

Kevin, be sure to visit http://www.felinediabetes.com and join the message board. They saved my diabetic cat’s life (and what few shreds remained of my sanity) with useful, kind, and excellent input. Good luck, and keep in mind that cats can go into remission from diabetes. A pure protein diet (chicken) and vitamin B have kept my beloved cat going for years! Good luck.

Heard the NPR interview with Bishop Robinson last night, and it was almost enough to make me rethink my atheism.

Comment by Skepticat on 01/14/09 at 08:14 PM

OK, I love the kittehs as much as anyone (I have 3) but now the Weblog awards has led kc to discover “I can has cheezburger” and she’s e-mailing me links all day so can we please keep the kits off my (like, really serious) blog?
Thx,
Yrs Vr Trly
mdenver

P.S. I am actually very sorry you can’t go to the inauguration, Kevin. That definitely sucks but when you got sick kitteh what are you going to do?

Comment by marindenver on 01/15/09 at 12:40 AM

Sorry Mar. If only I could undo the spell of the felines. Sometimes I fear I have cat hair on my soul.

To drag us away from the inexhaustible kitty talk, there is a good article on the even more badness of Rick Warren than the badness we knew:http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/19616

This involves Warren’s main man in Uganda, a not too tightly wrapped second-rate Savanarola named Martin Ssempa.

And I have a portrait of Pastor Warren, which I would tell you was on my blog if I weren’t deeply repulsed by blog harlotry. Thank goodness my poor old mother can’t see me. Oh, dear.

Comment by Mrs. Polly on 01/15/09 at 01:47 AM

Very, very interesting Mrs. Polly. I have to finish a project this morning but will follow-up on this information later today. Please blog whore here as often as possible - your posts are great! (I lie to my mother about everything I do too.)