Bishop Robinson Update

(H/T Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend)

You couldn't see Bishop Gene Robinson's prayer at the Lincoln Memorial on HBO's coverage (my earlier post is here), due to its exclusion from the broadcast. That was a decision made by the Obama team, not the cable network, btw (AfterElton):

Contacted Sunday night by AfterElton.com concerning the exclusion of Robinson's prayer, HBO said via email, "The producer of the concert has said that the Presidential Inaugural Committee made the decision to keep the invocation as part of the pre-show." Uncertain as to whether or not that meant that HBO was contractually prevented from airing the pre-show, we followed up, but none of the spokespeople available Sunday night could answer that question with absolute certainty. However, it does seem that the network's position is that they had nothing to do with the decision.

Sarah Pulliam of Christianity Today did shoot video and posted it:

I thought I'd run some reactions from the blogosphere...

Lisa Derrick of La Figa:

I got off of the plane from LA to DC, rushed to my friend's house, ordered Chinese take out, tuned to HBO--and WTF?! They edited out Bishop Robinson! No Bishop Robinson?! Why? We can speculate, they can prevaricate, but they did this, and it sucks, and if this is act symbolizes the opening of Obama's administration, as handled by corporate media, America, we are fucked.

Jim Burroway, Box Turtle Bulletin:

[B]y pointing out that Rev. Robinson's invocation would come at the start of the HBO-aired live concert in front of one of America's best-loved memorials, this high-profile announcement was portrayed as a separate-but-almost-equal bookend to Warren's invocation at the Capital steps.

Well, except it turned out not to be nearly so equal. In yet another deep insult to injury, HBO did not air Rev. Robinson's invocation. The salve to the gay community meant to calm the outrage over Warren's selection was for naught.

Mike Tidmus:

Could it be that the American media has finally decided these public events should be 100% secular? Don't count on it, friends, because you know as well as I do that pop-pastor Rick Warren will be front and center and at full volume to kick off President-Elect Obama's formal Inauguration on Tuesday.

Dan Savage::

When you're throwing folks a bone it's a good idea to make sure they can, you know, see the bone.

More at: Joe.My.God, Good As You, Queerty and many more.

BONUS! I just received another photo of the protesting homobigots; it's below the fold.

Pam Spaulding :: Video of Robinson invocation; Inauguration Committee nixed broadcast on HBO Another photo of the sad sack homophobic protestors at yesterday's concert at the Lincoln Memorial, courtesy of Lambda Rising:

The crowd that surrounded them -- which seemed to be mostly young straight guys -- delighted in chanting "Hate is not a family value" and "Homosex is in!" Some, noting the substantial girth of several of the protesters, chanted "Gluttony is a sin!" and others asked "Isn't that polyester you're wearing?"