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Obama’s Inaugural Invocation Pick Breaks With 200+ Years of American Tradition

Jan. 8, 2013 12:35pm Billy Hallowell

President Barack Obama has selected Myrlie Evers-Williams to deliver the invocation at his public swearing-in on Jan. 21. Evers-Williams is the wife of Medgar Evers — a civil rights icon who was murdered in 1963. According to The Washington Post, it is apparently the first time that a woman has been selected to deliver the coveted prayer.

Additionally, it is also purportedly the first time that someone who is not an official clergy person has been chosen for the presidential invocation, which is slated to be delivered at the beginning of the event.

Obama Selects Myrlie Evers Williams Pastor Louie Giglio for Inauguration

Myrlie Evers-Williams (Photo Credit: AP)

Biography.com has more about Evers-Williams’ background:

After her husband’s murder, Evers-Williams fought hard to see his killer brought to justice. Although [his killer, a white supremacist named Byron De La Beckwith] was arrested and brought to trial on murder charges, two all-white juries could not reach a verdict in the case. It would take approximately 30 years for justice to be served, with Williams-Evers keeping the case alive and pushing for Beckwith to pay for his crime. Her efforts were not in vain. In the early 1990s, Beckwith was again arrested and later convicted by a multi-racial jury.

Besides her quest for justice, Evers-Williams rebuilt her life after her husband’s death. She moved with her children to California and emerged as a civil rights activist in her own right. Evers-Williams spoke on behalf of the NAACP and wrote For Us, the Living, which chronicled her late husband’s life and work in 1967. She also made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Congress in 1970.

President Barack Obama speaks during an event in the East Room of the White House January 7, 2013 in Washington, DC. Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

In addition to the aforementioned information about her life, Evers-Williams’ has led a successful career as a writer and activist, starting her own organization, the Medgar Evers Institute, and working diligently to keep her husband’s memory alive (read more about her here).

In an official statement put out by Obama’s Presidential Inaugural Committee, she expressed her excitement in being asked to be a part of the festivities. “It is indeed an exhilarating experience to have the distinct honor of representing” [the civil rights era at the event],” she is quoted as saying.

Pastor Louie Giglio (Photo Credit: 268Generation.com)

The activist will be joined at the public ceremony by conservative evangelical Louie Giglio, the founder of the popular Passion conferences and the pastor at Atlanta’s Passion City Church. While it may seem odd that Obama has selected someone who is described as right-of-center, theologically-speaking, the Post has more about the reasons for the faith leader’s inclusion:

An inaugural official said Giglio was picked for the benediction in part because of his work raising awareness about modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Those were core issues at his most recent conference, Passion 2013, attended by more than 60,000 mostly young evangelicals in Atlanta.

“During these days it is essential for our nation to stand together as one,” Giglio said in a statement. “And, as always, it is the right time to humble ourselves before our Maker.”

In 2008, Obama selected Rick Warren, the popular pastor who penned, “The Purpose-Driven Life,” to deliver the invocation. This, too, struck some as an odd choice, particularly considering that Warren opposes gay marriage. His inclusion was seen as an affront to gay activists and progressives at the time.

The move to include both Evers-Williams and Giglio this year is seen by some as an effort to bridge divides. Considering the administration’s continued battle with conservative religious groups over the contraceptive mandate, among other policy stances, it’s quite possible that the selection was made in an effort to bring all parties to the table.

(H/T: Washington Post)

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Comments (336)

Mountaineer12
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:42pm
I used to love watching the inaugural, but not this time. I have to agree with Glen, I don’t want to see him or here his voice. I know what he’s going to say and i know he’s a progressive/socialist/communist. It will be along the lines of everyone do their fair share, sustainable growth, government and I, I, I, , Me , Me, Me. I’m tuning him out, don’t give a flying crap what communist speaks at his inaugural.

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iamnotu
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:41pm
Really, and why would we be suprised? He has not done anything but break tradition, laws, constitutional and criminal, oh yea, and moral. He is an activist down to his soal. He has spent his whole life around and with activists.
He is a deciever and liar! There has not been one word of truth that has ever come out of his mouth.
Only 3.9 more years left under this black paria unless someone rids us of him first, one can only hope!

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- Small World
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 7:51pm
  2 Chronicles 7:14. Pray America.
  
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drs1969
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:31pm
I’m guessing the blind sheikh is too busy, planning his return to Egypt, for this gig.

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ElmerLiberty
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:31pm
If anyone doubts that the GOP base is racist and completely unhinged from reality, just check out the comments on Fox Nation, Yahoo News, or The Blaze.

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- iamnotu
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Go play with yourself! Quit using my money to promote your liberal agena and sickness
  
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welovetheUSA
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:28pm
I wonder who will watch anyway………not us.

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J3player
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:18pm
Can we fast forward to 2017?

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cantstandlibs
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:11pm
I’m curious how a person can be tried 3 times for the same crime. Seems like a violation of the “double jeopardy” prohibition.

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- iamnotu
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 3:23pm
  Can be tried a 100 times if your aquited. Can only be tried once if your found to be innocent. But if your guilty, you can be tried as many times as they will hear your appeal. Gotta love our judicial system!
  
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Tickdog
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:10pm
you couldnt pay me to watch that idiot on TV.

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zoro51
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:07pm
its not time to humble our selves before our maker.. REALLY KENYAN BORN MUSLUM AMERICAN HATER SOCIALIST WANNA BEA DICTATOR… really??.. IMPEACH OBAMA NOW END THE RIEGN OF THE SOCIALIST RAPIST OF AMERICA

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- Small World
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 7:54pm
  I’ll second that.
  
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salvawhoray
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:06pm
Isn’t Air force one due for a crash?

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beps
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:06pm
“Break with tradition”, meaning having “non-clergy” pray in public? Who does she think she’s ‘praying’ TO?!? Redefining prayer! It’s just more Oblahblah, talk, talk, talk! Lying Liar who lies!? @~#¢£$/%+&*×π÷¥\£√¶…?

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ocrick
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:04pm
Yawn… Cost of Bush 05 Inag… $150 Million.

More Phony Christian GOPinhead Outrage.

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- iamnotu
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 3:28pm
  Yawn is right, your blame bush diatribe is as old as you probably are. You should go to a library because whatever you learned in public school has warped your sense of reality.
  
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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 8:57pm
  OPrick – At least Bush wasn’t condemning other rich people for how they spend their money the way that Obama has. No wonder you’re not smart enough to tell the difference.
  
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Trueblaze
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:04pm
Darn, I’ll miss it. I’ll be at the gun range practicing.

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TMOverbeck
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 2:02pm
Wow, and here I’m thinking Obama selected a Muslim cleric to lead the prayer or something. Way to inflate there. :P

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right field
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:48pm
What inaugural? Not interested – will not watch – do not care –
I am working on ways to take back our country from the criminals who control the MSM and entertainment / media and sell their lies as truth.
WE must work to change the narrative and reach young people who are completely brainwashed.
Let’s get busy and get organized – we have no time for Marxist clowns & their band of useful idiots.
It is the MSM that is most critical to stop – stop the lies – get out the truth – change the narrative.

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toledofan
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:48pm
No big surprise here; traditions don’t matter and haven’t for the past four years. It’s really sad to see the dumbing down of the Presidency and our country by this inexperienced arrogant man who has no regard for our history, sacrifices or our Constitution. He’s like a man full filling his dream on everyone elses money. And the media continues to cover up the ineptness and the damage that is occuring.

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- revelation2012
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:06pm
  “We the People” should concider FILING CHARGES against MSM!
  
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mcsledge
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:42pm
To most, an invocation means prayer. The invocation need not be performed by a clergy, but a godless prayer will rise no higher than the ceiling.

As Obama is proving to be more godless with each passing day, I wouldn’t expect the blessings of heaven to be called down by this choice; however, I hope that I am wrong.

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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:40pm
Not surprising that these moves are made to put people on edge, I look at it like this, the founding fathers created civil rights so that we could unite. When you start saying the rich are not paying their fair share, what are you doing, but creating a new form of racism where the color of your skin is green, as in money?

Where is the unification in that? When we turn into angry mobs at the behest of labor unions, or any other “right to assemble organization” who are we to suggest that fair share begins with our lack of restraint, lack of respect, dominated by the fear that what we think happiness is not only not achievable, but denied because of someone you don’t know and has no direct impact on your life?

Don’t you think these things need more thought?

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coyote1hell
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:40pm
Just another Buh’rack style, shake-down artist…that’s all………

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THX-1138
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:39pm
He *does* love to stick his middle finger up and shake it at the Christian Community.

Classy POS.

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iac
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:35pm
Good, If you’re ‘So willing to pay’ I’ll send you MY tax bill.
As for this being the SECOND time your proud of your country, due to Oblamer; You’re not learning from your mistakes, are you ?

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BikerMickAG
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:25pm
I wonder if Byron De La Beckwith & the members of the two all-white juries were Democrats? Just wondering?

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- Timmy_NorthWest
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:30pm
  De La Beckwith was.
  
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RaydocX
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:23pm
Myrlie’s story is tragic and the fight she kept up laudable, and something to emulate.
That said, having her provide the Invocation over any clergy… ANY clergy is a day One demonstration that no matter what he has said, our President is NOT a religious man, or at least not a man of a faith he is willing to share with the rest of us… he cares NOTHING for the benefits faith confer upon those who believe, benefits that carry over to a community and a nation.

the separation of church clause was meant to prevent a SINGLE religion from being declared a state sponsored religion, and from attempting to force all to practice it…. it was not intended to eliminate religion or religious thinking, or to deny recognition of a religion.

If he is willing to make this statement to ALL FAITHS at his inauguration, in light of what he has said before, including most recently invoking His name in his words about Sandy Hook, no one can be surprised when what he pursues in this second ‘lame duck’ term will again and again contradict what he has said to the sheeple in order to steal their votes… immigration, taxation, enviornment, firearms… the list is daunting and unless our Republican leaders grow a spine and start arguing with facts, it will happen either over their weak arguments or over their ouster with a Democratic Congress blithely accepting His Majesty Obama’s edicts.

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- Timmy_NorthWest
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:26pm
  I like how his synchophants have complaining about hte tax increase seen on their paystubs lol.
  
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- airborneoathkeeper
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:59pm
  One thing sir, this is not a “lame Duck” administration. The fact is that he has absolutly no intention of leaving the White House after this term is over. His plans include a complete revamping of the Constitution with the provisions of extending his reign, abdolition of the 2nd amendment, states rights and there will be no-body to oppose him, not the courts, not congress, and especially the states.
  Don’t expect ANY help from the GOP. I believe that the 2014 mid-terms are going to be massacre if trends continue…..i.e how did dozens upon dozens of voting precincts not have one Romney vote???? That is mathimaticly improbable if not impossible and who is going to investigate for fraud, Eric Holder???
  Here is a guy who couldn’t fill the seats in Charlotte, whose donations all but dried up, whose poll numbers were supposedly down and yet, he crushed Romney. Now with that said, Romney wasn’t a very good canidate, actually he was a horrible canidate but he had one thing that the other more “conservative” guys didn’t have…….the full backing of the GOP insiders, contributers and the elites.
  My biggest fear is that as time flies forward, the possibility of a political solution to save the Republic is diminishing and that the only chioce we will have before us is: civil war. I don’t want that to happen at all. It would distroy this country and it would be very messey..
  
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Timmy_NorthWest
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:22pm
Barry the demi-god, would have us believe he wants to bring us together. Ha! More smoke and mirrors.

You do not have the right to infringe my rights.

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hauschild
Posted on January 8, 2013 at 1:17pm
What can a reasonable mind expect from a P.O.S. Marxist hell-bent on re-shaping traditional America into a cesspool of worthless slugs.

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