Governor Paterson Messes Up Again
NY Governor David Paterson seems intent on further lowering the public's opinion of him. This time he made some muddle-headed, inaccurate, and offensive comments about Catholics and other religious people who, on moral grounds, oppose homosexual marriage.
At a homosexual pride rally he said religious leaders opposing homosexual marriage were "motivated by a five letter word: guilt."
Huh?
The Governor, who has proposed legalizing homosexual marriage in New York - no surprise - asked, "Where were these leaders of faith when college students of gay and lesbian orientation were beaten and often brutalized for expressing their feelings for each other?"
He contended that since "most of the religious leaders that I hear speaking out now did not do it at the time. Had they done so I think they would have better moral standing to speak at this moment on this legislation even though I disagree with them."
The Church has consistently spoken out for the poor, the disadvantaged, those subject to discrimination - so much so that they were criticized for saying too much. They were at the forefront of responding to needs, protesting injustices, and promoting respect for people. Just look at the Catholic Worker Houses, the health centers, the outreach programs, the homeless shelters, the post-prison halfway houses, the hospices, the refugee resettlement programs, the food pantries, and so much more that Catholics have created over the years.
He also went after religious leaders for not speaking up when homosexuals were being blamed for the AIDs crisis in the 80s.
Talk about ignoring the facts!
The Church was among the first agencies to react to the crisis, creating clinics and care facilities for people people infected with HIV. Priest, sisters, lay people, even some bishops volunteered in those clinics. Civic leaders praised the Church for the things it was doing.
I think he'd better get back to trying to fix the state budget rather than go after religious people. But then, given his track record, maybe the state will be better off financially if he doesn't try to fix the budget!
posted by A Secular Franciscan | 8:02 AM
7 Comments:
There is no accounting for a person's "blind eye" is there? Cathy
Ouch.
Grandma!!!
Funny.
Anyway, these people are amazing. The Clinton years are starting to look like Shangri-la compared to the shenanigans we are experiencing. Governor Paterson is a disaster. The battle is really heating up.
i have been kicked off every conservative religous site on the internet. not because i support homosexuality, but because i have consistently challenged conservative biblical points.
all conservative internet sites, including catholic, moderate all email. all liberal sites welcome all emails. so what does that mean that the majority of christendom choses to be locked into understandings and refuses to be confronted by any challenges. without a doubt this is one of the church's darkest hours.
"Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says, `God send me no need of thee!' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is not need." - Mercutio, Act III Scene 1, "Romeo and Juliet."
So feetxxl, now that you've clapped your sword, what do you have to say about the topic?
To misquote the late Johnny Cochrane, "if the shoe don't fit, then you must acquit." If, as it appears, your gov. was not speaking of the Bishops (though they have at times acted like complete bozos on this issue... no one forces a religion to recognize any marriage outside their own definition of the institution now), then stop complaining.
The crack about your governor's physical disability is inexcusable, and illustrative of the cruelty exhibited by "people of faith" when they disagree with another person.
Dick, Given recent discussions of the issue, I think he was referring to the Bishops.
But I do agree the disability comment was unkind. I looking back I should have said more than "Ouch."
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