Reverend Warren's Olive Branch
By Tucker Goncalo - 1/20/09When Barack Obama chose Reverend Rick Warren from the California Saddleback Church to give the invocation speech at his inauguration, the country stirred. That is because in the past Warren had made many comments regarding same-sex marriage, equating the union to a sister and brother marrying. This did not sit well within the LGBT community.
Followers of Barack Obama and LGBT Americans alike could not understand the President-Elect's seemingly blatantly insulting choice. But at the Inauguration, Reverend Warren extended an olive branch and gave a more neutral and inspiring invocation.
President Obama is the first President to acknowledge openly support the gay community. Although Warren never mentioned the LGBT community, his views seemed to have come full circle. Warren referred to God and said, "You are loving to everyone you have made." He also referenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. saying, "We know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven."
Lastly if Reverend Warren had felt he had not stressed his neutral position enough, Warren added, "Help us, Oh God, to remember that we are Americans, not united by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom, and justice for all."
Reverend Rick Warren joined with the country in the celebration of the inauguration of President Obama and made many Americans question their sometimes quick-to-judge ways.