Justin Lippi, program director of LBGTSA, said Warren’s presence at the inauguration is a step in the wrong direction.

“Rick Warren is anti-gay rights,” said Lippi, a psychology and philosophy senior.

“He came out against same-sex marriage. He sees sexual orientation as a choice. I see (that view) as pretty offensive.”

Warren’s views are not what Obama’s campaign was based on, said Uri Donnett, chairman of LBGTSA. The ban was a setback, but this is just offensive, he added.

“Just the fact that Rick Warren’s message that he had strong political statements he made that actually counter the president-elect’s and that he’s still been invited to speak when it alienates a large group of people — it’s upsetting,” said Donnett, an animal science senior.

The beliefs held by Warren and Obama might differ, but Allen Eyler said Obama’s choice incorporates the beliefs of others.

“I think that Obama thought he was making a political decision by appealing to ?the conservatives,” the ?mechanical engineering ?senior said.

Activists and people upset with the choice can voice their opinions, just like people who don’t share their values can, Eyler said.

In fact, the choice shows people with different sets of values can come together, said Kartya Thomas, a food industry management senior.

“People can be angry,” Thomas said. “He could have put somebody in there that is against anything and something he wasn’t for, but to each his own, basically. No one is going to be satisfied with everything.”

Across the nation, some have decided protesting will get Obama’s attention. Donnett said he supports nonviolent protests because they are an effective way to inform people about issues.

“I think that there has to be a loud message sent to President Obama that he’s disappointed the community, and there are expectations that are falling short from the people who elected him,” Donnett said. “Letter-writing campaigns are only effective if the person you’re writing them to is willing to listen.

“The thing with protest is that we can gain national news attention. You can really let other people know about the issue and let other people know the person they elected isn’t necessarily standing up for things they said they believe in. It opens the issues to people who don’t ?necessarily know about it in the first place.”