Should inauguration attendees turn their backs when Rick Warren speaks at the inauguration?

I figure Rick Warren will only REALLY be praying for the percentage of the population
he considers wholly human... Males, non-gays

would be counterproductive. It would make Pastor Warren look like a victim of crass rudeness. It would make the progressive opponents of Pastor Warren look shrill and unreasonable. After all, the attendees of the Inauguration are guest, just as Rick Warren is a guest. It is simply bad form and will be seen by the vast majority of Americans as bad form for one group of guest to treat a guest invited to deliver a prayer rudely, however reprehensible the views of that invited guest might be. Such an action would only weaken the hands of the progressive opponents of Pastor Warren's views.

As much as I loathe the things Rick Warren stands for, I understand the motivation of President-Elect Obama. The President-Elect understands the huge gulf that exist between social conservatives and social liberals in America. I am certain President-Elect Obama hopes that some of this ill will can be eased a bit through some inclusion and dialog.

Personally I think the choice of Rick Warren to deliver the opening prayer was not a good choice. But time will tell if this extension of a hand of good will from the Obama Administration to social conservatives will bare positive results or not. I don't know if it will. But it might. An action like the one described in the OP will certainly insure that nothing positive will come out of this attempt at easing divisions and facilitating understanding.

It will make things worse. It will alienate allies and friends and needlessly antagonize both friends and foes. It will be counterproductive for progressives and basically spoil a wonderful, wonderful day in American history.

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I find your logic to be impeccable and totally agree with you. That said, I care not one wit at to who does the prayer or prayers at this event and frankly who remembers who gave the invocations at previous inaugurations? Who remembers what bands were in the parades or played? This guy is not my choice, but Obama wasn't my first choice and this isn't my inauguration, it's his. Me, thinks this is much ado about noting.

Their positions are based on faith and blind adherence to mythology. The majority are not open to reason nor to appeals to reality. Any attempts to include them in dialog will only give them a forum from which to proselytize other similarly weak minded people.

... like this will do more harm than good.

stand up to the agents of intolerance. Maybe if we go along with them and don't challenge them, people will like us.

As a woman, I am absolutely offended by the choice of Preacher 'Swinging Dick' Warren, and will not go along to get along.

idea of fighting the right-wing effectively.

The freepers and the hardline religious right are as furious about Rick Warren accepting the invite as anyone here is about the Inauguration Committee making the invitation. To whatever minimal extent his invitation from President-Elect Obama confers legitimacy on Rick Warren, Rick Warren's acceptance of President-Elect Obama's invitation is equally a slap in the face to much of the religious right. Although, I don't recall anyone in past inaugurations even noticing who gave the invocations. This is the first time I recall it ever being mentioned in any serious way.

However awful Rick Warren might be. He is there as the invited guest of the President-Elect. The vast majority of Americans will be repulsed and outraged by such behavior on anyones part toward an invited guest of the President-elect, especially when it involves delivering a two minute prayer for the nation and guidance for the new President.

People who feel strongly about this always have the more sensible option of writing the President-Elect and expressing their disappointment that he invited Rick Warren to deliver the opening prayer. That would be proper form.

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'Swinging Dick' Warren an abomination.

Thank God my aunts did not consider how it would look when they were marching for the right to vote.

Rick Warren was bad choice, out of all the other ministers in this country Obama had to choose Warren? The inauguration wont be as good now because of that asshat Warren.

Warren is too divisive a character for such a coronation ceremony. Obama would be better off copying FDR and tone down such ceremonies. The only difference is FDR did it because of the Great Depression.

With complaints. Everyone should do it. And I doubt Chef Boy Ardee will be showing up at this inauguration unlike for FDR.

Billy Graham also believed in the subservience of women and gawd knows what else. Time to
stop elevating these men to positions of prominence.

non violent civil disobedience is a good thing.
if it was the Grand Wizard of the KKK standing up there doing the invocation, people would turn their backs.
its the same thing.
evidently homophobia is still accepted by many, and not considered 'important enough' to many on the left.

Apparently "inclusiveness" demands that others be excluded and berated for protesting injustice in the guise of religion.

In fact, it'll be even more powerful when the audience turns to the stage again at the next event.