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  Extremism Is Always Unattractive, Wright?

  Posted Friday, December 19, 2008 11:13 AM | By Rachael Larimore

  E.J.,

  Let me start by saying that there is probably very little outside of abortion that the Rev. Rick Warren and I agree on. My righty-ness has more to do with political and economic conservatism than social issues. I am a staunch supporter of gay rights and gay marriage, and I think the best marriages are equal partnerships, not employer-employee relationships. I don't know what the afterlife will bring, but I doubt it's a Christians-only country club.

  So I respect and share your concerns about the message President-elect Obama is sending by inviting Warren to do the inaugural invocation. But isn't there an interesting parallel here? Obama attended Trinity United and listened to its pastor, the infamous Rev. Jeremiah Wright, for 20 years. Jeremiah Wright, who is on tape saying, "God Damn America," who has claimed that the government created AIDS for the purpose of "genocide against people of color," and who just a few weeks ago marked the occasion of Pearl Harbor Day by calling it the anniversary of the United States dropping the bomb on Hiroshima.

  Yet complaining about Obama's association with Wright was verboten during the election. Conservatives who raised the issue were viewed as intolerant, racist, or muckraking. It was a silly issue blown out of proportion and gave no indication of what kind of president Obama would be, we were told.

  Personally, I'm no fan of extremism of any stripe. So I hope that everyone who is so up in arms about Warren right now can at least take a second and reconsider whether we righties were so wrong to complain about Wright.

  Filed under: Barack Obama, inauguration, Rick Warren, Rev. Jeremiah Wright

About Rachael Larimore

• Rachael Larimore is Slate's copy chief.

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