Responding to news that the naked chocolate Jesus that was to be displayed at the Roger Smith Hotel during Holy Week has been cancelled, is Catholic League president Bill Donohue:

“While we are delighted with the outcome, we are not pleased with the comments of the gallery’s creative director, Matt Semler.  For him to say that our objection to this outrageous display constitutes hate speech and is the equivalent of a fatwa shows how deliriously irresponsible this man is.

“Because we did not like the way the Roger Smith Hotel handled the decision to drop the display, we have no intention of contacting the 500 organizations that we alerted to this assault on Christian sensibilities to inform them that the exhibition has been cancelled.”

The Catholic League has learned that artist Cosimo Cavallaro has invited the public to show up at midnight on April 1 to take a bite of his 6-foot tall chocolate sculpture of a crucified Jesus with his genitals exposed; it is scheduled to be shown during Holy Week, from April 1 to April 7.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“The cowards at the Roger Smith Hotel, who were brazen enough to tease their trash to selected media sources over the past few days, have shut down and are refusing to talk to the press. But the artist has decided to go his own way. He is now inviting everyone to eat his chocolate Jesus.

“The Roger Smith Hotel is morally bankrupt. It is the goal of the Catholic League to make it financially bankrupt as well. Being mailed out today are hundreds of letters, complete with the news release I wrote a few hours ago, calling for a boycott of the hotel. These organizations represent millions of Americans across religious lines, as well as those who belong to non-sectarian groups. All of them can be counted on to never hold a conference at the hotel. And more—they will let all of their allies know about this incident.

“The Roger Smith Hotel will rue the day it sought to declare war on Christian sensibilities.”

From April 1 to April 7, the Roger Smith Lab Gallery at the Roger Smith Hotel in New York City will display a 6-foot tall anatomically correct sculpture of Jesus in milk chocolate; the figure is depicted as crucified.  Artist Cosimo Cavallaro titles his work “My Sweet Lord.”  A picture is available on the Internet.  (Click here.)

Catholic League president Bill Donohue outlined his game plan today:

“The Roger Smith Hotel is located in the heart of New York City, and it boasts on its website that its Lab Gallery ‘is a high traffic, fast paced’ venue. Indeed it is: the gallery is located on street level, easily accessible to the public. But it is sure bet that in the years to come there will be little in the way of high traffic coming from the Christian community.

“As I’ve said many times before, Lent is the season for non-believers to sow seeds of doubt about Jesus. What’s scheduled to go on at the Roger Smith Hotel, however, is of a different genre: this is hate speech. And choosing Holy Week—the display opens on Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday—makes it a direct in-your-face assault on Christians.

“All those involved are lucky that angry Christians don’t react the way extremist Muslims do when they’re offended—otherwise they may have more than their heads cut off. James Knowles, President and CEO of the Roger Smith Hotel (interestingly, he also calls himself Artist-in-Residence), should be especially grateful. And if he tries to spin this as reverential, then he should substitute Muhammad for Jesus and display him during Ramadan.

“I am contacting hundreds of organizations about this assault. Our allied list contains scores of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu organizations, as well as secular groups, that share our concerns about religious hate speech and the degradation of our culture. The only thing that those who operate the Roger Smith Hotel understand is when they get hit in the pocket book. So that’s exactly where we’ll hit them. The boycott is on.”

On March 27, an anonymous female journalism student at Ohio State University wrote a column in The Lantern, a student newspaper on the campus, titled “Going Down with the Catholics.” She mentions that one of her friends, Megan, is a Catholic who hasn’t had vaginal sex with her boyfriend John. But “he won’t break up with Megan because he said it’s the best head he’s ever had in his life.”

Penelope, the anonymous writer, wonders, “Catholics can’t do a lot of things: eat meat on Friday, listen to Marilyn Manson or vote Democrat, so pre-marital sex is just another item on the list. But when did God say it’s OK to give a blow job so long as that’s as far as you go?” She adds that “oral sex doesn’t get women pregnant, only penetration does. (Unless you’re Catholic, then Immaculate Conception does, too.)” She ends by saying, “Maybe God is looking down on the world smiling as He’s getting oral pleasure guilt free, no strings attached.”

Here’s how Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded:

“Though The Lantern does not receive any money from the university, it is afforded a place on the campus, and is therefore subsidized by the taxpayers of Ohio. We are contacting Dr. Karen Holbrook, president of Ohio State, asking her to treat this incident the way she addressed a comical, yet racist, matter last year. About a year ago, several students at a branch campus sent racist letters to some blacks on the Wooster campus. ‘If they were intended to be funny,’ said President Holbrook, ‘there was nothing funny about them.’ In another racist incident last year, the offending students were accused of violating the Student Code of Conduct, and were subject to dismissal.

“It is important to note that The Lantern is guilty of rank hypocrisy. Two months ago it chided another school newspaper, The Daily Princetonian, for publishing a satirical piece on Asians in its annual joke issue. Looks like when it comes to Catholics, the same rule doesn’t apply.”

Contact the president at holbrook.79@osu.edu

Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded today to remarks made by “Lost Tomb of Jesus” filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici in the March 26 edition of TelevisionWeek:

Jacobovici: “The fact that nobody has been able to punch a hole in our reporting is a testament to how well we’ve done our homework. Even if it’s only a 50-50 chance [of being Jesus’ tomb], it’s still the biggest story on the planet.”

Donohue: “The big story is the avalanche of scholarly criticism that the ‘Titanic Fraud’ has triggered. From the Biblical Archaeology Society to esteemed professors in Israel, experts have torn this fable to shreds. For a quick sample, click here. Nice to know, however, that Simcha is not as cock-sure as James Cameron is. Cameron wrote in the Foreword to the book, The Jesus Family Tomb, that their work proves ‘beyond any reasonable doubt’ that they’ve found the Jesus family tomb. Now if that were the case, the book would be replete with evidence. In fact, there is not one endnote or footnote in the book. It doesn’t even have an index.”

Jacobovici: “In France, they were remarkably open to the whole idea—even though it’s a Catholic country.”

Donohue: “Historian Alain Besançon estimates that there are more Muslims than practicing Catholics in France. And that was seven years ago. So why wouldn’t secular France be open to these dumb ideas?”

Jacobovici: “Our little reenactments, I’d put them up against [the work of] Mel Gibson and [Martin] Scorsese….I’ve seen any number of crucifixion stories that have potatoes and corn in the marketplace.”

 Donohue: “This is what happens when you eat too many potatoes and corn. Time to clear the mind and down a few brews, guys.”

On Ash Wednesday, February 21, a Catholic female student at White County High School in Cleveland, Georgia had her ashes wiped off her forehead by a substitute teacher in her Honors Trigonometry class. When the girl’s classmates protested, the teacher laced into the girl making patently untrue and derisive statements about Catholicism.

On March 5, Catholic League president Bill Donohue wrote to Paul Shaw, superintendent of the White County Board of Education, wanting to know what disciplinary measures would be taken against the teacher. In his letter of March 21, Shaw said, “I am aware of the incident and believe the principal resolved the matter in an appropriate manner. He has met with [the girl] and her father to hear concerns. The employee made an honest error in judgment and has been appropriately counseled and cautioned and I believe a similar incident will not be repeated.”

Bill Donohue issued the following remarks today:

“I am now contacting Kathy Cox, Georgia’s State Superintendent of Schools, asking her to investigate this matter. Under Georgia’s Code of Ethics for Educators (505-6-.01), it has a section on ‘Abuse of Students’ in Part (3b). The fourth example under ‘Standards’ says that unethical conduct includes ‘engaging in harassing behavior on the basis of race, gender, sex, national origin, religion or disability.’ Case closed.

“The offending teacher has since been dismissed from White County High School, but for reasons wholly unrelated to this incident. No matter, the real issue here is not the teacher, rather it is Dr. Shaw. For him to say that a teacher in his employ made ‘an honest error in judgment’ by wiping ashes off the forehead of a Catholic student on Ash Wednesday—and then berated her in front of her classmates—is beyond lame. It’s morally reprehensible.”

ADDENDUM, 3-29-07:  Dana Tofig, director of communications for the Georgia Department of Education, phoned the Catholic League today.  Tofig reported that under state law, Superintendent Kathy Cox does not have the power to launch an investigation into the actions of a county superintendent.  Tofig added that the correct department is the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

William Rearick, Schools Superintendent of the Tiverton Public Schools in Rhode Island, has banned the Easter Bunny from appearing at a fundraising event tomorrow at the Tiverton Middle School. He has also banned the word “Easter” from all school events. He told the Providence Journal that during the last year and a half, he has become “more aware of folks who don’t have a Christian background.” Taking the place of the Easter Bunny will be Peter Rabbit; children will be able to get their picture taken with him.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented on this today:

“I am astonished that Schools Superintendent Rearick only recently discovered Jews and Muslims. But better late than never. However, it was not a Jew or a Muslim who complained about the Easter Bunny—it was an ex-Catholic, Michael Burk; he is vice chairman of the school committee. No matter, I have news for Superintendent Rearick: he has not resolved the problem.

“It is unconscionable that in this day and age Superintendent Rearick would choose to honor a thief. As every schoolchild knows, Peter Rabbit stole from Mr. McGregor’s garden. To now hold him up as a role model to impressionable youngsters sends the wrong signal. At the very least, grief counselors should be dispatched to tomorrow’s event.

“There is also a more serious matter going on. The event smacks of sexism: Peter Rabbit had three sisters—Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail—and there is no historical record of them ever having committed a crime. So why were they passed over? Looks like the glass ceiling is still in place.

“We urge everyone to register their outrage by contacting Superintendent Rearick at wrearick@tivertonschools.org. Tell him to bring the Easter Bunny back as only ex-Catholics are likely to be offended.”

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented today on Senator Hillary Clinton’s decision not to march in New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday:

“Senator Clinton marched in New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2000 when she was first running for the U.S. Senate. Because she was criticized by gays for doing so, she took a pass in 2001. [Note: gays have never been banned from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York—they just can’t march under their own banner, anymore than pro-life Catholics can.] She marched in 2002 but did not march again until last year.  Now that she’s running for president, and wants to court the vote of homosexuals from across the nation, she’s decided against marching in 2007.

“Kiera McCaffrey, the Catholic League’s director of communications, called her office today and spoke to Alex in the scheduling department who said that she will not be marching in the parade because ‘she will be traveling this weekend.’ This sounded so Clintonian to me that I asked Kiera to call back asking for the details. Alex transferred her to a man named Sam in the press office who said that Senator Clinton’s weekend plans had not yet been made. When asked specifically if she was going to march, he said he did not think so.

“It would be so refreshing if Senator Clinton would just tell the truth and say she doesn’t mind offending Irish Catholics, but does mind offending gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, et al. She marched last June in the Salute to Israel Parade, the Puerto Rican Day Parade and the Gay Pride Parade, and she marched in September in the West Indian Day Parade. But she’ll be traveling this weekend, though no one knows where’s she going.”

The Connecticut legislature is considering a bill by Representative Deborah Heinrich that would force Catholic hospitals to violate the teachings of the Catholic Church by providing emergency contraception to all rape victims, independent of whether ovulation has begun.

The following letter was sent by league president Bill Donohue today to all members of the Human Services Committee:

As president of the nation’s largest Catholic civil rights organization, I urge you to veto any legislation that would compromise the right of Catholic hospitals to refrain from providing abortion services. To be explicit, the emergency contraception pill may act as an abortifacient—not a contraceptive—depending on whether the woman has begun ovulation. In those instances, it would be totally immoral for Catholic hospitals to cooperate in the termination of innocent human life. If it has been determined that ovulation has not taken place, then Catholic hospitals are free to prescribe Plan B.

It would be one thing if Catholic hospitals were deliberately seeking a confrontation over this issue. But, on the contrary, doctors at Catholic hospitals currently provide rape victims with a list of places where they can receive Plan B, and even provide free transportation. Therefore, it is not Catholic hospitals which are remaining obstinate—it is those lawmakers who seek to impose their will on these institutions.

I respectfully urge you not to jeopardize the religious-liberty prerogatives of Catholic hospitals.

Sincerely,

William A. Donohue, Ph.D.

President

                                            Contact committee members by clicking here.

 Share this Article

 Printer Friendly

“Stairway to Hell” is a death metal musical being performed on Tuesday evenings at Snitch, a New York City bar. According to TicketWeb, a band called Warthog “is tragically killed during their botched attempt to break the world record for onstage pyrotechnics. Somehow on the journey to the afterlife, they accidentally end up in heaven. Faced with the horror of an eternity in Heaven, our band of hard rockers petition the Devil for one last concert here on earth to prove to him they belong in Hell. This final concert is STAIRWAY TO HELL.”

New York magazine says that “Band sluts, backstage blow jobs, lines of coke, and fake-orgasm contests keep the show raunchy….” TicketWeb adds that “Along for the ride are half naked go-go dancers, S&M midgets and the HOG’s faithful groupies.”

According to an eyewitness account, at one point during the show, band members are told they won’t be sent to Hell because one of them is too pure. At this point, a rosary is pulled out of the anus of one band member. During another part of the show a character simulates sex with his grandmother. A Jesus-character then tells him to stop. The band members then beat up Jesus and Satan starts hitting Jesus with a large fake penis. Jesus’ spinal cord is also yanked out of him.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented on this today:

“Men and women are dying everyday in Iraq to keep America free. It is sickening to note that some young Americans think freedom means the right to insult, degrade and abuse the sensibilities of Christians. The man behind this barbaric assault is Randy Weiner. In a sane society, he would be run out of town. Unfortunately, there are elements in our society that see him as a champion of liberty.

“A short video of this vile musical is available on the Internet, and by clicking here. On the bar’s website it is billed as ‘VH1’s Stairway to Hell.’ We contacted VH1 and learned that it had absolutely nothing to do with this musical. That is why VH1’s legal department is now involved. Hope they nail them.”

Contact info@snitchbar.com

ADDENDUM: Subsequent to our news release on this subject, Snitch altered its website to remove its claim of VH1’s involvement with the show.