For months leading up to the 2008 presidential election, America was engulfed by an ideology of change. You don't have to be a political expert to understand where this immense passion for change came from. For those of you too busy spying on Russia from Alaska to understand how the confident ineptitude of the last eight years spawned this call for change, then this article may not be for you.
On Nov. 4, Americans decided a man by the name of Barack Hussein Obama should be the one to usher in this wave of change. The election marked a change from the partisanship that has crippled the efficiency of our legislative process, a change away from leaders that make promises they don't fulfill and a change from the isolation and suppression of differing ideals. These are the changes we have asked Barack Obama to make. So, starting Jan. 21, Americans will be ready for those words and promises to be put into action ... right?
Well, not so much. For the inauguration on Jan. 20, President Obama selected Evangelical Rev.Rick Warren to deliver the invocation speech. That decision has spawned an immense controversy on both sides of the pendulum, particularly from Obama constituents. Rick Warren is reverend of a megachurch in Orange Country, and he has been one of the most prominent evangelical leaders in calling for Christians to confront poverty, AIDS and genocide. Seems like a great choice so far - one might even wonder why Warren wasn't Obama's choice for vice president.
Here's the part where America's short-term memory kicks in. Warren is also strongly against homosexuals, and voted for Proposition 8 in California. Warren is also a vehement pro-life supporter. Angry and disappointed, some Americans felt betrayed by Obama for allowing someone so different to speak at the Inauguration. Unfortunately, Democrats and liberals who think it is an inauguration just for them have missed the point completely, and worse still, they have forgotten why they voted for Obama in the first place.
First of all, by allowing Warren to speak at the conception of this new presidency founded upon the idea of change, Obama took initiative to put his words into action even before he was officially sworn in. I'm sorry, but when a liberal, Democratic president-elect asks an evangelical, pro-life reverend to speak at his inauguration, how is that not the manifestation of change Americans have been calling for? Obama could have done what former-President George W. Bush did by choosing people with the same ideals to speak at the Inauguration. But then Obama wouldn't be living up to the change he promised. Promising something and then delivering on it: If that is not change from the last eight years, I don't know what is.
There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President ... [but] I will listen to you, especially when we disagree,"" Obama said after his victory.
With the inclusion of Reverend Warren, Obama is taking the steps to change from the Bush Administration that isolated and ignored differences in perspective. Obama is trying to bring the country together. Ideological differences cannot continue to divide America, especially with the foreign and domestic challenges that lie ahead. Obama, answering the call of the American voter, has begun to cement a new American identity from the inception of his first day as president. An identity believing that, in his words, ""out of many, we are one.""
With the act of inclusion rather than exclusion of a different perspective, Obama is living up to his word, claiming, ""while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress."" When people talk about there being two Americas, or blue versus red states, it is almost funny. From what I understand, we are all on the same side and we are all Americans. Even more depressingly comical is the claim from the Human Rights Campaign, who said that ""by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian and bisexuals have a place at your table."" Let's be serious, people: Obama is not going to abandon his beliefs on gay rights and abortion. What he's doing is uniting differences under a common goal, American progress and prosperity.
For critics on both sides of the controversy, I leave you with a warning from Obama on the night the calls for change were thought to be realized. ""Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long."" Well America, you got the change you asked for, but I guess we prefer words more than action.
Brian Bienenfeld is a junior majoring in history and communication arts. We welcome your feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
