Now, that's the headline I'd expect a President of firsts, a President who is all about inclusion to generate. After all, President-elect Barack Obama contacted America's first gay bishop three times before the election to talk about what it's like being first.
Instead of a gutsy move, instead of using a 70-80 percent approval rating to push for inclusion, to celebrate the diversity of the United States of America, to make up for not campaigning against Prop 8 in California, the President-elect is making a move of exclusion by choosing a man who supported Prop 8, a man who equates gay marriage to incest and pedophilia, a man who compares abortion to the Holocaust.
It's a shame that the message America and the world will see on January 20th is not one of inclusion but one of exclusion.
And, yes, I know that it is unrealistic that a man like Bishop Robinson would give the invocation at the inauguration of the President of the United States. And that says a lot about this country. But it also says a lot about this country that a Democratic president, elected by the minorities of this country is not willing to go out on a limb and show some respect and common decency to the LGBT community. After all Barack Obama would not be inaugurated on January 20th were it not for the women who want the freedom of choice, were it not for us gays.
It's a shame that a day of celebration for America and the world will now be one of disappointment and disrespect for some of us.