OK, so President Obama went ahead and attended the annual National Prayer Breakfast yesterday morning organized by the Fellowship Foundation, a conservative Christian organization, known as “The Family.” How could he not? Every president in the event’s history has attended (more on that later.)
But Obama did take the opportunity to vigorously defend gay rights in front of some 3,500 guests gathered from more than 100 countries around the world, reports CNN. His comments were a direct response to brutal anti-homosexuality legislation being considered in Uganda, which imposes long jail terms on those engaging in same-sex sexual activity and even death for “serial offenders.” The bill was created by Ugandan lawmaker David Bahati, who is a member of the Fellowship Foundation.
In his address at the breakfast, Obama called the measure “odious,” saying it is “unconscionable to target gays or lesbians for who they are.”
The National Prayer Breakfast, which has a long tradition dating back to 1953 when it was called the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, has itself become the subject of controversy. Critics say that as a quasi-government event sponsored by a religious group, it violates the democratic principle of the separation of church and state. Groups like the American Atheists and Freedom From Religion Foundation are wary of any propangandist agendas behind the event, which despite its name, actually consists of a series of meetings, luncheons and dinners, kicked off by a breakfast in the Hilton’s International Ballroom with a guest speaker (this year it was the prime minister of Spain.)
However, in its defense, in mid-January the Fellowship Foundation revoked Bahati’s invitation to the breakfast, saying it does not support the anti-homosexuality measure.
“The National Prayer Breakfast is an organization that builds bridges of understanding between all peoples, religions and beliefs and has never advocated the sentiments expressed in Mr. Bahati’s legislation,” the Fellowship said in a statement.
J. Robert Hunter, a member of the Fellowship, also told the New York Times that about 30 American members of The Family who work with African countries conveyed their dismay at the proposed legislation to Ugandan politicians.
But the ethics group Citizens for the Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) was still hoping the president would boycott the breakfast altogether, so their members are not entirely happy. The group sent a letter to Obama on Monday urging him and other Congressional members not to attend it on the grounds that by virtue of Bahati’s membership in the Fellowship, the breakfast is linked to efforts to pass the anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda.
CREW executive director Melanie Sloane said she expected Obama to distinguish himself despite the event’s long history and not attend on the grounds that it is sponsored by a secretive group (the Fellowship does not even have a Web site) that does not support the human rights that are fundamental to Americans.
“He came in on a platform of change, which says you’re not going to do things the way other people do,” Sloane told Tonic, adding later, “I hope at least that American people will question whether their government officials should actually go.”
Photo courtesy of Pete Souza via Wikimedia Commons.
