The Catholic League, represented by The Thomas More Law Center from Ann Arbor, Michigan, will file an amicus curiae brief in the United States Supreme Court in the Pledge of Allegiance case. The high court is expected to rule on this issue next spring. The brief will seek to overturn the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision Newdow v. United States Congress,... [Read more...]
DEBUNKING THE DA VINCI CODE
In mid-October, ABC invited the Catholic League to view a rough cut of an upcoming ABC News special, “Jesus, Mary, and Da Vinci,” which dealt with some of the theories underlying Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code. Given the offensive nature of some of the novel’s claims, it would be difficult to believe that the invitation... [Read more...]
COLUMBIA REDUX
Last year there was an ugly incident during the half-time festivities at the Fordham-Columbia football game. One of the students from Columbia’s band took the microphone and made some obscene comments about Catholic priests. It led to a meeting between William Donohue and Columbia University president Lee Bollinger. Donohue believed that such... [Read more...]
JUSTICE IN NEW YORK
On August 15, 2002, a Virginia woman, Loretta Harper, had sex in St. Patrick’s Cathedral with her pal, Brian Florence, in front of men, women and children, while a detailed report of their activity was broadcast on the WNEW radio show “Opie and Anthony.” Subsequently, the Catholic League got Opie and Anthony fired, and the station... [Read more...]
DON’T FORGET THE WITCHES
It is not every day that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) celebrate religious liberty, and that is why November 14 was so special: that was the day they celebrated their victory for witches’ rights. On November 14, a federal court ruled that a Wiccan member of a county board... [Read more...]
THE ADL’S DEFINITION OF AN ANTI-SEMITETHE ADL’S DEFINITION OF AN ANTI-SEMITE
If someone makes an anti-Semitic statement, does that mean he’s an anti-Semite? It depends. Consider the way the ADL judges anti-Semitism these days. ADL chief Abraham Foxman initially said that while he had a problem with “The Passion of Christ,” he did not think Mel Gibson was an anti-Semite. He quickly changed his mind and branded... [Read more...]
DOES THE PUBLIC OBJECT TO SEXUAL ABUSE?
It is becoming ever so clear that what matters most regarding sexual abuse in the U.S. today is the profile of the abuser, not the abuse itself. For instance, if the abuser is a priest, John Q. Public calls for his head. If he’s a celebrity, he wants his autograph. Larry Flynt is one of the nation’s richest pornographers. He is also a man... [Read more...]
THE VOTE ON PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION
The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act passed 64-34 in the Senate on October 21, 2003. Voting “yes” in favor of the bill were 17 Democrats and 47 Republicans. Voting “no” against the bill were 30 Democrats, 3 Republicans and 1 Independent. Not voting were 1 Democrat and 1 Republican. Catholic Senators who voted “no”: Senators... [Read more...]
ETHICS CHECK NEEDED
On the morning of October 23, we read an incredible headline in the New York Timesregarding the decision by Florida Governor Jeb Bush ordering the resumption of the feeding tube for Terry Schiavo. It read, “Brain-Dead Woman Receives Feeding Tube.” Brain-Dead? If that were the case, nothing could save her—she’d be dead. Curiously,... [Read more...]