I have to say, I get really tired of religion. It exhausts me to see how worked up people get when declaring what is “right” and “wrong” for the rest of the world. And I really can’t take it when religious leaders let their ego’s take over. So, it is no surprise that I was disgruntled when Pastor Rick Warren was chosen to lead the world in prayer at Obama’s inauguration. In addition to his progressive work with HIV/AIDS and third-world poverty, Pastor Rick takes a strong stance against abortion, same-sex marriage (comparing homosexuality to incest, pedophilia and polygamy - and btw, what is wrong with polygamy?) and I think he said that the President of Iran should be killed. But I’ll skip over that, as well as a few other things that got my panties in a bundle (including another blatant lack of separation between church and state). Plenty of people have already spoken up in opposition over the past month and there is no need to beat a dead horse.

Where I’ll pick up is at the We Are One concert from this past Sunday. In an attempt to smooth the ruffled feathers of gay advocates, the Obama Administration asked openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson (also seen in the great documentary “For The Bible Tells Me So”) to begin the star-studded event with an invocation. The celebration was televised on HBO, millions of enthused Americans watched. Unfortunately, Bishop Gene was not aired. (Whaaaat?) He delivered a beautiful and unifying prayer - it definitely tugged on the heartstrings more than Pastor Rick’s attempt two days later (I know I’m biased). And not only did the home viewers miss out, but complications in the sound system left the tens of thousands of people crowded around the Reflecting Pool in the dark, too. Don’t worry though - it was fixed by the time Beyonce was scheduled to jiggle for our amusement. And The Boss was epic. As always.

Obama claims it was a mistake - “an oversight” - and has taken the blame. HBO already said they would include the bishop’s prayer as the concert is re-aired throughout the week. But … really? I’m not sure if I buy it. In all of the arrangements that were scrutinized by a hundred pairs of eyes, someone overlooked this significant detail? I feel a little gypped. True, if this was any other religious zealot, I might brush it off. (Though, I would call the bishop’s words more spiritual than religious anyway.) But Bishop Gene was representing the LGBTQ community and he was practically pushed to the side. Are we being silenced? Appointing Pastor Rick felt like a slap in the face, and then “accidentally” leaving out Bishop Gene from the inauguration celebration? The make-up sex is even worse than the fight was to begin with!

Now … I think forgiveness is essential - whether forgiving their electronic inadequacy or evolutionary ignorance. It really is too bad that Bishop Gene was bumped. He offered a message of peace (see below) … and we can always use a message of peace. So I figure that’s where we come in. As with all of my expectations of Obama, I know that I am just as responsible (if not more) for bringing our dreams to full fruition. If they booted Bishop Gene, I’ll take his place! We won’t be silenced! We are just as able to share the message of peace, love and unity with the world. (People don’t even need HBO to tune into my message of peace and love!) If we want the world to see that being gay, bi, trans, queer - anything! - doesn’t make us any different, we need to be the ones to show it. The battle between “us” and “them” must come to an end, and we have the power to change it. By looking at Rick Warren, George Bush … or situationally HBO and Obama … as the enemy, we are pushing ourselves into a corner. If we want them to love us, we have to love them first. So I accept Obama’s apology, and understand that there is a deeper truth beyond this surface drama. I choose to live the truth, fuck the drama.

ps - HBO aired “Big Love” after the premiere of We Are One … so I guess polygamy is cool, just not homosexuality? … too bad it wasn’t airing on Showtime, Bishop Gene would have been a sure thing.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will bless us with tears, tears for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women in many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless this nation with anger, anger at discrimination at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort, at the easy, simplistic answers we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth about ourselves and our world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be fixed any time soon and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility, open to understanding that our own needs as a nation must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance, replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences.

And bless us with compassion and generosity, remembering that every religion’s god judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States. Give him wisdom beyond his years. Inspire him with President Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for all people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our ship of state needs a steady, calm captain.

Give him stirring words. We will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him colorblind, reminding him of his own words, that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him strength to find family time and privacy. And help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we are asking far too much of this one. We implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand, that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

Sara G is a Brooklyn newcomer. She spends her time gathering inspiration from the world around her, and hopes to combine all she learns into an explosive expression of art one day.
She currently works as a receptionist.