PRESS CONFERENCE:
RALLY OVER KHALIL GIBRAN SCHOOL

Purpose:  To raise serious questions regarding the propriety of
opening Khalil Gibran International Academy

Participants: Coalition of New Yorkers across faith communities

When:  12:15 p.m., September 4, 2007

Where:  Steps of New York City Hall

Catholic League president Bill Donohue explains why he is joining the rally:

“There are several reasons why the Catholic League is concerned about the founding of Khalil Gibran International Academy. They include:

· The pedagogical necessity of establishing this school.

· The stonewalling by the New York City Department of Education whenever we have sought information about the curriculum, textbooks, school’s advisors, etc.

· The paucity of information about the Association of Muslim American Lawyers, a group that is slated to play an integral role.

· The incredible disparity in the way the New York City Department of Education treats Muslims and Catholics: Arab Muslims not only have a taxpayer-funded school, but the Islamic religious symbol, namely the crescent and star, is permitted in all New York City public schools. However, the Department of Education bars the display of nativity scenes.

· The entire pro-terrorist T-shirt controversy and the initial selection of Debbie Almontaser as the school’s principal.

“The Catholic League is not making accusations, but it is raising serious questions. We will continue to do so until our concerns have been alleviated.”

At least two dozen newspapers refused to run a cartoon last Sunday (the first of a two-part series) because it might offend Muslims; more newspapers are expected to censor the September 2 installment. The cartoon strip that was slated to run on August 26, Berkeley Breathed’s “Opus,” contained a sexually suggestive panel and poked fun at radical Islam. “Opus” is syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group, which is led by Alan Shearer

Shearer explained that “Whenever something lands close to the edge, we give editors enough notice” in case they choose to run something else. He checked with Islamic experts to see if the “Opus” strips might be a problem, and even though they said they weren’t, they were nixed anyway. Muslim staffers at the Washington Post were also asked for their input. 

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows: 

“The Washington Post, and all the other newspapers which refuse to print these cartoons, are simultaneously sporting their cowardice and bigotry.  In 2006, this same newspaper portrayed the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the symbol of the Democratic Party, and it depicted the disgraced Congressman Mark Foley as a candidate for the priesthood at ‘Saint Paedophilia’s.’ In 2004, it displayed a bishop monitoring Catholics in a voting booth, and it showed a habit-wearing nun brandishing a ruler while ‘little Mel Gibson gets beaten to a bloody pulp by Sister Dolores Excruciata of the Little Sisters of the Holy Agony.’ In 2002, it depicted a bishop and two priests as the ‘Axis of Evil,’ and in 2001 it twice mocked the Eucharist. 

“Did the Washington Post Writers Group ever give editors notice about the inflammatory nature of these cartoons so that they might run a substitute? Did they access Catholic experts to advise them about the propriety of running such cartoons? Did they ask Catholics on staff what they thought? No, and that’s because angry Catholics—like Jews—never decide to man the planes. This is what the cultural elites mean by diversity.” 

Write to Alan Shearer at shearera@washpost.com

A television ad produced by the Louisiana Democratic Party accuses Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bobby Jindal of smearing Protestants; Jindal is Catholic. The ad says Jindal “insulted thousands of Louisiana Protestants. He has referred to Protestant religions as scandalous, depraved, selfish and heretical.”

To drive the point home, the ad flashes the following words across the screen: “scandalous,” “utterly depraved,” “selfish desires” and “leads to heresy.” On the screen, the ad cites the December 1996 edition of the New Oxford Review as the source of Jindal’s remarks.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue blasted the ad today:

“This is one of the most scurrilous smear jobs we’ve ever seen. When Jindal dropped the term ‘scandalous’ in his article, he was referring to the sad historical chapter that witnessed a division within the Christian house. To be exact, he made reference to the ‘scandalous series of divisions and new denominations’ that marked the post-Reformation period. Regarding the terms ‘utterly depraved,’ ‘selfish desires’ and ‘heresy,’ Jindal was citing Calvin. It was Calvin who warned against random interpretations of the Bible. As individuals, Calvin instructed, Christians were burdened with ‘utterly depraved’ minds and ‘selfish desires.’ According to Jindal, what concerned Calvin was a ‘subjective interpretation which leads to anarchy and heresy.’

“This is a fairly unremarkable exegesis. But to the twisted folks who lead the Louisiana Democratic Party, this is proof of bigotry.

“The ad should be withdrawn immediately. If it isn’t, Jindal should use it in his own ads to educate the public about the truly depraved conduct of his competitors. Maybe if the Democrats had a credible candidate (they still don’t have one), they wouldn’t have to get into the gutter.”

To protest this ad, contact chris@whittingtonlawfirm.com. Whittington is chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party.

For the next three nights, CNN will air a six-hour documentary on religious fundamentalism in Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“Unlike most of the other network and cable stations, CNN takes religion seriously. They have in their employ Delia Gallagher, an astute and fair-minded religion correspondent. And now they are about to deliver a documentary that contrasts this nation’s three major world religions on the delicate subject of religious militancy.

“The principal, but by no means exclusive, issue for the Catholic League is how Catholicism is covered vis-à-vis other religions. It is our understanding that the segment on Christianity deals mostly with evangelicals and their political involvement, thus making our central concerns moot.

“It is heartening to know that Mark Nelson, the senior executive producer, has said, ‘In no way, manner, shape or form are we equating what is happening in the Christian right here with what’s happening in Iraq or what’s happening in Pakistan.’ It is also reassuring to learn that Christiane Amanpour, the correspondent behind the documentary, believes that though there are three different religions, ‘The extremes in each three do very different things.’

“This last point cannot be exaggerated. Verne Gay, for instance, writing in Newsday, takes a crack at the ‘Christian Warriors’ segment when he says, ‘The title itself is a silly stretch, too, placing under one all-encompassing catchphrase the kids at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University with the kids at some madrassa in Pakistan learning how to lock and load AK-47s.’ Similarly, Neil Genzlinger in the New York Times notes that the ‘Christian Warriors’ part on evangelical politics is ‘positively quaint next to the agendas of the people in Parts 1 [Jews] and 2 [Muslims].’

“Hopefully, this series will encourage all religious leaders to condemn without qualification every instance of wanton violence committed by the fanatics in their own ranks.”

Florida attorney Loring Spolter has formally petitioned the U.S. District Court seeking the recusal of U.S. District Judge William Zloch on the grounds that the judge exercises religious bias.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue took Zloch’s side today:

“If anyone wants to see anti-Catholicism in action, keep an eye on Loring Spolter—the man is still at large. Ironically, Spolter’s affidavit not only fails to detail a single instance of religious bias on the part of Judge Zloch, it offers concrete proof of his own bigotry.

“Spolter is angry that Zloch has a close association with Ave Maria Law School, a Catholic law school in Michigan (it will move to Florida in 2009). Specifically, he is upset that two of the judge’s three clerks are Ave Maria graduates and that Zloch contributes to the law school.

“Spolter thinks he has a slam dunk case by citing the following—to him indictable—information: Ave Maria adheres to Pope John Paul II’s encyclical letter ‘Fides et Ratio’ (Faith and Reason), and it promises a ‘distinctive legal education’ that is ‘characterized by the harmony of faith and reason.’ Worse, Spolter argues, Ave Maria addresses ‘moral truths’ and even has the audacity to emphasize ‘the inherent dignity of every human being stemming from our creation in the image and likeness of God and raised to a new level of our redemption in Jesus Christ.’

“When Joe McCarthy played his infamous guilt-by-association card, he at least got it right when he identified communist cells as evil. By contrast, Spolter’s attempt to demonize Ave Maria—and by extension Judge Zloch—is laughable. In any event, it would be instructive to know if Spolter, who unlike McCarthy is Jewish, thinks it’s kosher for Jewish judges to hire clerks from Yeshiva University and to make contributions to the school.

“Spolter needs to take a more sober approach to his work and go back to doing what he does best—defending drunken drivers from their accusers.”

There is a billboard on Manhattan’s West Side Highway, at 44th Street and 12th Avenue, that shows a large wire hanger with the inscription, “Your closet space is shrinking as fast as her right to choose.” The ad was placed by Manhattan Mini Storage, owned by Edison Properties.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue spoke to this issue today:

“New Yorkers are accustomed to Manhattan Mini Storage posting billboards that bash the Bush Administration, but when it makes the leap from partisan politics to crude cultural commentary, it is stepping on dangerous turf. Why a storage company finds the need to advertise its support for abortion is a story all of its own, but when it seeks to depict the pro-life community—which is primarily Catholic and Protestant—as oppressive, then a line has been crossed.

“Those who like this billboard would no doubt be aghast at the sight of a billboard that featured a bloody baby who survived a botched abortion. They would be even more incensed if the picture were accompanied by the remark, ‘This is what happens when abortion fails.’

“Manhattan Mini Storage is not only guilty of crudeness, but of cowardice. To wit: Why didn’t it have the guts to identify the object of her ‘shrinking’ choice?”

Contact the general manager of Manhattan Mini Storage by sending an email to tellus@manhattanministorage.com

Tomorrow in Mexico City, Amnesty International is expected to approve an abortion-rights policy at its biennial conference; the policy was adopted this past spring.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“Responding to criticism from the Vatican, as well as from American bishops, Amnesty issued a news release on June 14 saying that it does not promote abortion as a ‘universal right’ and ‘remains silent on the rights and wrongs of abortion.’ More recently, Kate Gilmore, Amnesty’s deputy secretary-general, has criticized the Catholic Church’s opposition, holding that ‘our purpose invokes the law and the state, not God.’

“This is simply dishonest. While it is true that Amnesty has thus far withheld support for abortion as a universal right, the very fact that it has—for the first time—engaged this issue (on the pro-abortion side) means that it has broken its silence. Regarding Gilmore’s remark, it is disingenuous to pretend that abortion is a religious matter: it is a human rights issue.

“In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3 of which says, ‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.’ Article 25, section 2, reads, ‘Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.’ In 1959, the same body issued the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and in the Preamble of Resolution 1386, it explicitly says, ‘Whereas the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth….’ (Our emphasis.) And in 1989, the same entity proclaimed the Convention on the Rights of the Child, stating in Part I, Article 6, that ‘States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.’

“In short, Amnesty International has betrayed its mission by violating the most fundamental right of all—the right to be born. Practicing Catholics should withdraw their support of this phony organization.”

CNN did a report today on the unofficial opening of “Gay Street” in Rome; this is a section frequented by homosexuals. The network’s Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, concluded his report by saying the following:

“In a country where practically everyone is Catholic, the words of the pope still carry some weight. And although the Vatican did not comment on the opening of Gay Street, the pope’s position is well-known: on numerous occasions, he reaffirmed that gays in the Catholic Church are not welcome.”

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“It’s nice to know that the pope still carries ‘some weight’ in a nation where nearly everyone was baptized in his church. What comes as a real surprise, however, is the revelation that the pope has a ‘position’ on homosexuality: all along I thought the pontiff merely accepted what the Catholic Church has always taught about the subject. And, of course, what the Church teaches is that homosexuals are, in fact, welcome. What is not welcome is homosexuality. Neither, for that matter, is adultery, though that hasn’t stopped the Church from welcoming heterosexuals.

“All of this may be confusing to the average reporter, but we have higher expectations for CNN’s Rome bureau chief. Surely there must be some Catholics there he can repair to for advice.”

George Heartwell, mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has sent a postcard to Catholic voters that shows a picture of a local Catholic church on the front and the names of seven local Catholic leaders on the back. The mayor is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and an abortion-rights advocate. One of his challengers, city commissioner Rick Tormala, is a Catholic pro-life advocate; he labels the Heartwell tactic “insulting and deceptive.”

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“I have never met either Heartwell or Tormala, but it is clear that in this instance Tormala’s complaint is valid. Even if Heartwell were Catholic and pro-life, it would smack of demagoguery for him to sell himself to Catholics in such a crass manner. But the fact that he is the darling of the pro-abortion community makes his ploy all the more despicable.

“The fact that Heartwell has enlisted a small band of ‘social justice’ Catholics—men and women whose interest in soup kitchens always trumps their interest in crisis pregnancy centers—means nothing. At the end of the day, religious profiling is unacceptable. Heartwell has crossed the line and should end his pandering immediately.”

“The Ten” is billed as an irreverent comedy (rated “R” for crudeness) that ridicules the Ten Commandments; it opens on August 3 in select theaters. Here is what film critics are saying about it:

· “Only Christians with a very liberal sense of humor are likely to enjoy ‘The Ten.’ Even lay viewers will need to be tolerant of gags as envelope-pushing as anything in ‘Borat.’” [Variety]
· “[Gretchen] Mol stars as a 35-year-old virgin who gets deflowered—in lusty romance novel fashion on a trip to Mexico. Her hunky lover boy’s name? Jesus Christ.” [philly.com]
· “The Ten is, I guess, sacrilegious in the strictest sense of the term….” [slantmagazine.com]
· “The Ten is cohesive in the irreverence of its scenarios (in my favorite, Jesus Christ—Justin Theroux as a disheveled, overly hirsute carpenter….)” [notcoming.com]
· “Mol plays a mousy librarian…who travels alone to Mexico and has a wildly sexual fling with a local handyman named Jesus H. Christ (Justin Theroux in long hair and beard).” [AP]
· “They’re almost gleeful in their crudity; grinning ever-wider as they seem to ask the audience just who this bit of blasphemy is hurting.” [eflimcritic.com]
· “Comprised of ten blasphemous vignettes, each inspired by one of the Biblical Commandments, [it] goes out of its way to be irreverent and hilarious….” [emanuellevy.com]
· “The Ten is as sacrilegious as 1979’s The Life of Brian….” [filmstew.com]
· “‘The Ten’ is comprised of 10 blasphemous and hysterical stories that put the insanity back in Christianity.” [Roger Ebert]
· “(By the way, I did mention that conservative Christians may find this film offensive?)” [independentcritics.com]

Catholic League president Bill Donohue had this to say: “If Hollywood were to substitute Muhammad for Jesus, it is a sure bet that many of these same critics wouldn’t find the humor in it. Moreover, we’d all be watching the fallout that such a movie would engender on the evening news.”