As I am sure many of us are now aware, Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, will deliver a prayer at Obama’s inauguration. This has understandably angered many in the LGBT community due to his role in garnering support for Proposition 8 in California.

Melissa Etheridge, who is performing at the Inauguration, had this to say about meeting Rick Warren.

For the very first time, there will be a group representing the interests of LGBT Americans participating in the Inaugural Parade.

The Inauguration will also involve Reverend Joseph Lowery, who will be delivering the official benediction at the Inauguration. Reverend Lowery is a giant of the civil rights movement who boasts a proudly progressive record on LGBT issues. He has been a leader in the struggle for civil rights for all Americans, gay or straight.

I went through a few mental states regarding this decision. First, I felt betrayed. How could a man that I worked so hard for even consider Warren for this task.  Then, I started going back to speeches that Obama made…particularly ones that included calls for unity.Suddenly, it clicked for me. His entire campaign revolved around getting your hands dirty, leaving comfort zones and working hard for what you believe in and the end result WILL lead to justice.

Looking back now, it rings more true for me than ever. During the campaign, canvassing door to door (which is difficult for me), showing up for parades, rallies, phone banking.  All things I would have never considered doing had I not been surrounded by such a richly diverse group of volunteers; white, black, rich, poor, men, women, gay, striaght. I had never seen so many walks of life coming together for a common goal, let alone in Charleston, West Virginia.

In six months of volunteering, I met at least a couple of Obama supporters who made comments about gay people, not realizing they were sweating in the August heat right next to one or that there were at least 3 to 4 others in that group working just as hard as they were. That day, they got an education that our cause is just and we’re willing to work for it; that we deserve respect because we work just as hard as they do, in all aspects of life.

Over the course of six months, we DID change minds. People who were evangelicals did come around to the fact that we at the very least deserve respect even if they did disagree with us. For me, was the beauty of the Obama election campaign.  I was consistently forced to respect other opinions because we were all in it together.

I realize this all may sound corny and you may think I’m sitting around with bongos around a campfire but it’s true. This is the United States of America. We are a melting pot and its what I love most about this country.

Absolutism does no one any good… we’ve had that for eight years. What drew me, and keeps me, so close to Obama is the prospect that shades of grey are more important than the individual battles. By coming together in some fashion..the end result will always lead to justice.