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Cardinal defends his comparison of gay rights movement to KKK

 
 
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 11:53 am
Dec. 29, 2011
Cardinal defends his comparison of gay rights movement to KKK
Brian Slodysko | McClatchy-Tribune News Service

last updated: December 29, 2011 06:26:39 AM

CHICAGO — Setting off a new round in his dispute with gay right activists, Chicago's Cardinal Francis George has issued a statement defending his recent comparison of the gay rights movement to the Ku Klux Klan.

George's initial comments came in connection with a controversy over whether next summer's gay pride parade would interrupt morning services at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.

That dispute was resolved last week, but the cardinal's KKK comparison - and his new explanation of those comments - have kept the controversy boiling.

"Organizers (of the pride parade) invited an obvious comparison to other groups who have historically attempted to stifle the religious freedom of the Catholic Church," the cardinal said in a statement issued Tuesday. "One such organization is the Ku Klux Klan which, well into the 1940s, paraded through American cities not only to interfere with Catholic worship but also to demonstrate that Catholics stand outside of the American consensus. It is not a precedent anyone should want to emulate."

Gay rights advocates said Wednesday that George was expressing "bigotry" and should apologize and resign.

In October, the route and time of the pride parade were changed to accommodate larger crowds. The start was changed from noon to 10 a.m., and the new route went past Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Church officials later objected, arguing that it would interrupt morning services. On Dec. 21, an agreement was reached to move the start time back to noon.

Meanwhile, George was interviewed by Fox News Chicago. He said: "You know, you don't want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism. So I think if that's what's happening, and I don't know that it is, but I would respect the local pastor's, you know, position on that."

When excerpts from the interview were disclosed last week, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said people should view the entire interview, which aired on Fox on Christmas Day.

Gay rights groups on Wednesday said George needs to apologize - among them the Rainbow Sash Movement, an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics, which also called for George's resignation.

"Cardinal Francis George's recent statement comparing the gay community to the KKK is just another example of bigotry sidestepping what it means to be pro-life," the group said in a statement. "The cardinal promotes his brand of bigotry based on a case of selective Biblical literalism."

While the cardinal defended his Klan comparison, he also wrote Tuesday: "It is terribly wrong and sinful that gays and lesbians have been harassed and subjected to psychological and even physical harm."

Joe Murray, executive director for the Rainbow Sash Movement, said George's new statement is an attempt to have it both ways.

"It's schizoid," Murray said. "You can't say on one hand that you love people and on the other hand condemn them for who they are."

In an email, the archdiocese declined any further comment on George's new statement.

(Brian Slodysko reports for the Chicago Tribune)
 
joefromchicago
 
  2  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 12:04 pm
They changed the parade route? Why was I not consulted?
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 01:34 pm
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
A catholic cardinal maligning gays. I guess all those catholic clergymen only preyed/prayed [Smile] on young females.
0 Replies
 
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 01:36 pm
@joefromchicago,
It's obvious, Joe, the hat.
0 Replies
 
roger
 
  1  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 03:02 pm
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:

Dec. 29, 2011
Cardinal defends his comparison of gay rights movement to KKK
Brian Slodysko | McClatchy-Tribune News Service

(snip)

"Organizers (of the pride parade) invited an obvious comparison to other groups who have historically attempted to stifle the religious freedom of the Catholic Church," the cardinal said in a statement issued Tuesday.


Eeyup! Denying their right to tell others what to do, when to do it, and how to do it is a clear and obvious violation of religious freedom.
0 Replies
 
joefromchicago
 
  3  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 03:38 pm
The archdiocese has legitimate concerns: the parade is on a Sunday, and, as originally scheduled, it would have gone right past a rather large church during morning mass. Traffic problems alone should have been cause to reevaluate the original plans. The compromise that was reached sounds like it was satisfactory to all involved.

On the other hand, Cardinal George's comments were monumentally stupid. I can understand his concerns if it was a protest march against Catholics, but it's not. It's a gay pride parade. They have it every year. And they wouldn't be marching past the church because they wanted to disrupt services, they would be marching past it because the city changed the usual route.
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 04:04 pm
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
Is there a schedule on the Net describing the times and dates for Gay Rights' parades for US military bases?
0 Replies
 
jcboy
 
  2  
Reply Thu 29 Dec, 2011 04:37 pm
Is the sheet thing going to be mandatory?! I usually wear shorts, tank top, and flip-flops to Pride...this is going to screw with my gay motife!
joefromchicago
 
  2  
Reply Fri 30 Dec, 2011 09:41 am
@jcboy,
http://www.bilerico.com/images/gay-black-jewish-klan.jpeg
jcboy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 30 Dec, 2011 09:54 am
@joefromchicago,
LOL I don't see any upside down pink triangles Wink
0 Replies
 
JPB
 
  2  
Reply Fri 30 Dec, 2011 10:32 am
@joefromchicago,
Right, I'd normally be the last person to defend Cardinal George on anything but the reason the route was changed is because it's such a large event. The change wasn't made as a political opportunity to disrupt mass, it was made to give more time and space to a large celebration. Having it pass by a church (Catholic, or otherwise) during Sunday services was a bonehead move. Moving the starting time back to noon makes this a non-problem. George's KKK comments are ridiculous, as are most of his comments.
wandeljw
 
  2  
Reply Fri 30 Dec, 2011 10:37 am
@JPB,
I agree both with the need to change the route and that this archbishop sometimes makes idiotic public statements.

By the way, I am at work right now in a building only two blocks away from the archdiocese offices. I can print and deliver anyone's posts on this subject if you give me permission. Smile
0 Replies
 
OmSigDAVID
 
  1  
Reply Fri 30 Dec, 2011 11:28 am

Is this DISCRIMINATION??
The interview fails to show that anyone from the KKK
was invited to opine on the issue.





David
0 Replies
 
sgregorythegreat
 
  1  
Reply Sun 1 Jan, 2012 05:00 pm
@JPB,
The Cardinal's comment was spot on. The parade was intended to directly disrupt the Church and he correctly likened that to the KKK
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Sun 1 Jan, 2012 05:56 pm
@sgregorythegreat,
Has George got a secret account at A2K?
OmSigDAVID
 
  1  
Reply Sun 1 Jan, 2012 09:52 pm
@sgregorythegreat,
sgregorythegreat wrote:
The Cardinal's comment was spot on.
He had a spot on his vestments ?




sgregorythegreat wrote:
The parade was intended to directly disrupt the Church
and he correctly likened that to the KKK
What does the KKK have to say about that??





David
0 Replies
 
sgregorythegreat
 
  1  
Reply Mon 2 Jan, 2012 10:46 am
@JTT,
His analogy holds because the KKK viewed the Church as its enemy, as do most of the gay rights activists
0 Replies
 
 

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