Warren protest planned at King church

(Atlanta, Georgia) A coalition of activists is planning to protest The King Center’s choice of the Rev. Rick Warren as keynote speaker on the federal observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

The Jan. 19 event in Georgia is the day before the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, who …

Gay man to be named to top White House post

The days leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama have brought a virtual cascade of LGBT-related political developments: nine new appointments were revealed to be in the works, a gesture was made, and an unexpected skeleton emerged from a completely overlooked archival closet.

Most significant by far, in terms of political importance, are the new appointments, albeit in various stages of being vetted, finalized, and announced.

Openly gay National Zoo Director John Berry is being named to head the Office of Personnel Management. It’s a tad short of the secretary of interior position gay leaders had hoped for but it’s the highest-ranking position ever for an openly gay appointee. The Office of Personnel Management, with more than 5,000 employees and an annual budget of about $1.5 billion, is the hiring agency of the federal government’s 3 million-strong civilian workforce.

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Bay Area Reporter, CA

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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/01/gay-man-to-be…

Gay bishop to kick off Inauguration events

(Washington) Gene Robinson, the Episcopal church’s first gay bishop, will deliver the invocation at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, January 18 – the formal kickoff leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Obama.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the service, including the President-elect.

“It will be an enormous honor to …

Calif. Gay rights leader rejects inauguration invite

(San Francisco, California) The head of California’s largest gay civil rights organization has declined an invitation to attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama because Rev. Rick Warren will deliver the invocation.

“It is extremely disappointing and hurtful that President-elect Obama has chosen California Rev. Rick Warren, who actively supported Prop …

Calif. Gay rights leader rejects inauguration invite

“It is extremely disappointing and hurtful that President-elect Obama has chosen California Rev. Rick Warren, who actively supported Prop …

Equality California Denounces Selection of Rick Warren to Give Invocation at Presidential Inauguration

Executive Director Calls President-elect’s choice “appalling”, Asks Members to Take Action
SAN FRANCISCO – In response to the invitation of Rev. Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, EQCA Executive Director released the following statement:
“It is appalling that President-elect Barack Obama would invite California Pastor Rev. Rick Warren, an ardent supporter of Prop 8 and someone who is opposed to the equality of LGBT Americans, to give the invocation at his inauguration. It is a slap in the face to the millions of LGBT Americans who supported his historic candidacy. Would President-Elect Obama invite someone to give the invocation who supported eliminating the civil rights of a minority other than the LGBT community? Of course he wouldn’t!
“President-elect Obama should immediately rescind this invitation. It would be impossible for any self-respecting LGBT person to be expected to participate in the inauguration where a vocal opponent of our equality is given such a prominent role.”
EQCA is asking its members to sign the following petition to President-elect Barack Obama at www.eqca.org/takeaction:
Dear President-Elect Obama:
We the undersigned demand that you revoke the invitation of California Pastor Rev. Rick Warren due to his opposition to equality for LGBT Americans and his active support of Proposition 8 which eliminated the right of same-sex couples to civil marriage in California and put discrimination into the California Constitution.
EQCA works to achieve equality and secure legal protections for LGBT people. To improve the lives of LGBT Californians, EQCA sponsors legislation and coordinates efforts to ensure its passage, lobbies legislators and other policy makers, builds coalitions, develops community strength and empowers individuals and other organizations to engage in the political process. www.eqca.org