Civil Rights Leader to Give Benediction at Obama Inaugural

by Rhonda J Mangus | December 24, 2008 at 06:35 pm

3577 views | 54 Recommendations | 14 comments

The selection of Pastor Rick Warren spurred outrage in the GLBT Community, while other major liberal groups decided to refrain from criticizing the president-elect's decision to ask a pastor who opposes abortion and has compared homosexual activity to incest and pedophilia.

The Reverend Joseph E. Lowery, selected by President-elect Obama to give the Benediction at the 2009 Inauguration appears to represent the opposite of the President-elect's choice of anti-gay Pastor and Prop 8 supporter Rick Warren of Saddleback Church who was chosen by Obama to give the Invocation at the January 2009 Inaugural, in that he is, among other things, gay-friendly.

Lowery, retired pastor of Atlanta’s Cascade United Methodist Church, said Obama called him a few weeks ago and said he wanted him to take part in the Jan. 20 ceremony but hadn’t decided exactly what role he would play. Obama said he’d get back to Lowery.

“I guess this is his way of getting back to me,” Lowery said Wednesday afternoon as he fielded dozens of reporters’ calls at his southwest Atlanta home. “I’m grateful to the president-elect for picking a small-town preacher like me to be on the program of such a historic inauguration. I’m humbled.”

The civil rights leader will join other celebrities of the entertainment and religious communities. They include singer Aretha Franklin, Rick Warren, the evangelical minister of the Saddleback Church in California, and Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet Elizabeth Alexander.

“I am very pleased that a minister like Rev. Joseph Lowery will play a powerful role in this inauguration,” U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) said through a spokeswoman.

Lowery, an 87-year-old native of Hunstville, Ala., campaigned tirelessly for Obama in Mississippi, Iowa, Alabama and other states and served as chief of Obama’s voting rights committee. After the inauguration, Lowery plans no official role in the Obama White House.

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Sanjay Jha

at 21:54 on December 24th, 2008

Very good Post. Obama's decision clearly signal his stand on all these contentious issues.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 03:42 on December 25th, 2008

Sanjay, I agree that "Obama's decision clearly signal his stand on all these contentious issues." Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation!

Uwe Paschen

at 21:58 on December 24th, 2008

Very symbolic and in that inauguration there are almost way to many symbols included to the point that it should be worry some. Even though the Symbols may be positive.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 03:43 on December 25th, 2008

Symbolic indeed, Paschen. Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation!

Albert Milliron

at 00:19 on December 25th, 2008

Thanks for a good story

Rhonda J Mangus

at 03:43 on December 25th, 2008

You are very welcome, politisite! Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation.

A. Tran

at 06:45 on December 26th, 2008

Nice story. I think only people and groups who try to pigeonhole Mr. Obama are (or will be) surprised, but it's consistent with Mr. Obama's messages in that there is no "blue state, red state, but that there is a United States of America."

158

at 09:27 on December 26th, 2008

I think president Obama will surprise many people, supporters and opponents.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 18:47 on December 26th, 2008

Thank you Pythiian1 and 158 for reading this story, commenting, and for the recommendations!

harringtola

at 07:25 on December 30th, 2008

Such diversity and promotion of openness to other points of view is what this country needs. I hope to be pleasantly surprised over and over as this new administration unfolds.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 14:27 on December 30th, 2008

harringtola, thank you very much for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation. I agree that diversity and promotion of openness is what the United States needs. Let's hope everyone in general is pleasantly surprised over and over...".

coy allen (not verified)

at 11:22 on January 20th, 2009

I would certainly like to see the mauscript of Pastor Lowery's In

oneheart (not verified)

at 10:15 on January 21st, 2009

These two were very different but I have to say one was a prayer (Warren's), the other was political garbage. It is clear to me that we must draw the lines as far as tolerance and yes, love the sinner but I am in no way called to tolerate the sin. There are no gray areas for God's standards, maybe for man's standards, but our standards fall short of a perfect God. I also don't like one bit how Lowery goes on to say, "...we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow,when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right." They are all positive except the whites. I am white and I have long embraced what is right. I think people often forget that racism doesn't only go in one direction and I think that was a very racist remark.

mike k (not verified)

at 16:32 on January 21st, 2009

The misunderstanding of racism is shown by the idea that blacks can be racist. Blacks have no power nor control systems which reinforce their hate. Blacks are bigots but not racist. Without systems it's person on person.