Bill Donohue comments on the decision by U.S. News & World Report to defend the article by Jamie Stiehm, “The Catholic Church’s War on Women,” as acceptable journalism:

Brian Kelly, Editor and Chief Content Officer of U.S. News & World Report, is defending Jamie Stiehm’s bigoted assault on Catholics as being “within the bounds of fair commentary.” In her article [click here], Stiehm indicted all Catholic members of the Supreme Court, especially Sonia Sotomayor: they are guilty of imposing their religious views on the masses.

“More than WASPS, Methodists, Jews, Quakers or Baptists,” she said, “Catholics often try to impose their beliefs on you, me, public discourse and institutions.” Catholic elites are the worst offenders. “Catholics in high places of power have the most trouble, I’ve noticed, practicing separation of church and state.” They are led by “meddlesome” bishops.

Virtually everyone who has contacted us understands Stiehm’s piece to be vintage anti-Catholicism. Rick Newcombe of Creators Syndicate, which carries Stiehm’s work (but had nothing to do with this article), said he would not have published it. Kelly, by contrast, sees her article as mere opinion. He compared her contribution to bigotry to “pieces from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Archdiocese of New York and Concerned Women for America.”

I have no way of knowing if Kelly is a bigot. I do know he is incompetent. Any man who equates a reasonable defense of Catholicism, written by those in the employ of the Catholic Church, with Jamie Stiehm’s anti-Catholic screed, lacks the faculty of discernment, and thus has no legitimate role to play in journalism. He couldn’t defend this in public; I challenge him to do so.

Contact Kelly: bkelly@usnews.com

Bill Donohue offers an update on the Catholic League’s response to Jamie Stiehm’s article, “The Catholic Supreme Court’s War on Women,” published by U.S. News & World Report:

I had a very frank and fruitful exchange today with Rick Newcombe, Creators Syndicate’s CEO, the company that distributes much of Stiehm’s work, but had nothing to do with the anti-Catholic piece in question. I am convinced that Creators would never have published this article. But I am not done with Stiehm. I am giving her screed free publicity.

Because Stiehm’s article is such a classic example of anti-Catholicism, it really needs to be discussed in the classroom. That is why it has been widely distributed to the top schools of journalism, as well as to journalist societies and associations. Multicultural/Diversity institutes have also been blanketed; we hope her contribution to bigotry is used to educate young people about anti-Catholicism in 2014.

Stiehm spoke about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor with derision, and that is why we scoured the Internet in search of every Hispanic media outlet, and Hispanic civil rights organizations; they need to know how a proud member of their community is being trashed by a so-called feminist. The competitors of Creators Syndicate also received her article. We made certain that the Federalist Society, and its chapters, received it. All total, it was sent to 754 people.

I will continue to discuss it in many media forums, and in speaking engagements. All our members will read about it in Catalyst, our monthly journal; it is distributed to all the bishops, and to many in the media, and other professions. Hollie McKay’s Fox News article on this subject is particularly helpful (click here).

We have heard from many Catholics, and those who are not Catholic, about this issue. We have heard from those who are regular supporters of our work, and from those who are not (click here to read one by Christine Flowers of the Philly’s Daily News). The result is the same: Stiehm crossed the line big time.

Bill Donohue comments on the response he received from David Yontz, managing editor at Creators Syndicate, about yesterday’s news release on Jamie Stiehm (to read the initial one, click here):

David Yontz takes absolutely no responsibility for the vile bigotry of Jamie Stiehm’s column, “The Catholic Supreme Court’s War on Women,” even though she is a weekly columnist for Creators Syndicate. The article appeared on the website of U.S. News & World Report, as I indicated in my statement, but because Creators did not disseminate it, Yontz says it is not an issue. It is, and that is because Stiehm’s primary position is with Creators.

Yontz says that Brent Bozell, Linda Chavez, and Lawrence Kudlow are also syndicated by Creators, noting, “I’m sure you will not accuse the company of being anti-Catholic.” This dodges the issue: I never accused the company of being bigoted, but I did say, correctly, that it disseminates the work of a bigot, and that it should cease.

Yontz also compares Bozell to Stiehm, saying that Creators Syndicate continues to carry him even though “his critics have demanded that we cancel his column.” So is Bozell a bigot? That is the issue. Bozell is controversial—most pundits and activists are—but that hardly makes him a bigot. To conflate controversy with bigotry is not simply wrong, it is despicable.

We are not letting U.S. News & World Report off the hook. But we are not allowing Creators Syndicate to dodge its responsibility either.

Contact Yontz: dyontz@creators.com

 Contact Brian Kelly, U.S. News editor: bkelly@usnews.com

Click here to see Bill Donohue’s video on this issue.

Bill Donohue faxed and mailed the following letter today to David Yontz, Managing Editor at Creators Syndicate:

In doing this job for over 20 years, I don’t believe I have read a more anti-Catholic screed from a mainstream media source than Jamie Stiehm’s piece from January 7, “The Catholic Supreme Court’s War on Women.” Every vintage stereotype from the 19th century is featured: Catholics can’t think for themselves; they take their marching orders from the Vatican; they let their religion drive their professional opinions (even when they are called to be objective); they are anti-women; they seek to impose their agenda on others; they don’t believe in separation of church and state; the bishops “meddle” in politics; the Vatican dictates Catholic outcomes abroad; and freedom is jeopardized by the Catholic Church.

When it comes to bigotry, I draw a distinction between a critique and insult, between disagreement and disdain, and between pointed criticism and invidious stereotypes. Stiehm’s article is strewn with insult, disdain and invidious stereotypes. If this piece had been written about any other segment of the population, it would not have been disseminated by Creators Syndicate. Now that it has, the most just outcome is to drop her column from your list.

Contact Yontz: dyontz@creators.com

Bill Donohue is asking Creators Syndicate to drop columnist Jamie Stiehm after her article yesterday; it was picked up by US News and World Report (click here to read it):

“The Catholic Supreme Court’s War on Women” is the title of what is perhaps the most bigoted attack on Catholicism that has appeared in decades by any mainstream media outlet. What set Jamie Stiehm off was Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s decision to stay the Health and Human Services mandate from taking effect January 1.

Sotomayor is referred to as “just a good Catholic girl” who “put her religion ahead of her jurisprudence. What a surprise, but that is no small thing.” The Justice’s decision “brings us to confront an uncomfortable reality,” Stiehm writes. “More than WASPS, Methodists, Jews, Quakers or Baptists, Catholics often try to impose their beliefs on you, me, public discourse and institutions.” She then lists, as a happy exception, Nancy Pelosi. Sotomayor, by contrast, “is selling out the sisterhood.”

“Catholics in high places of power have the most trouble, I’ve noticed, practicing the separation of church and state,” Stiehm says. “The pugnacious Catholic Justice, Antonin Scalia, is the most aggressive offender on the Court, but not the only one.” Now it seems that Sotomayor “has joined the ranks of five Republican Catholic men on the John Roberts court in showing a clear religious bias when it comes to women’s rights and liberties. We can no longer be silent about this.” (My italics.)

Stiehm also indicts “the meddlesome American Roman Catholic Archbishops” who “seek and wield tremendous power and influence in the political sphere.” Moreover, “The rock of Rome refuses to budge on women’s reproductive rights and the Supreme Court is getting good and ready to strike down Roe v. Wade….”

This is a throwback to the most anti-Catholic vitriol of the 19th century. Creators Syndicate should drop Stiehm immediately. More on this later.

Contact David Yontz, managing editor: dyontz@creators.com

Bill Donohue comments on the death of U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Thomas Patrick Melady; he passed away yesterday:

Tom was a bright, courageous and committed Catholic who will be missed by all those who love the Catholic Church. For two decades, Tom served on the board of advisors of the Catholic League, and never failed to share his advice, and thoughts, on many issues.

My most recent correspondence with him, which was in November, dealt with the way Pope Francis was being misinterpreted by pundits on all sides. He also expressed his thanks for the Catholic League’s defense of bishops who are being unfairly treated by the media; he noted, with regret, his disappointment with the absence of response coming from other lay Catholic organizations. In October, he pledged his involvement in a case regarding anti-Catholic remarks by a Florida professor.

Tom was an outstanding diplomat who served his country, and his church, well. But he was also a fighter, one who stood up for his beliefs. God bless him, and his wonderful family.

Bill Donohue comments on Bob and Harvey Weinstein’s bigoted ploy:

On p. B11 in today’s New York Times, there is a half-page ad promoting “Philomena,” the film by the Weinsteins that is up for an Oscar. On p. C7 there is a full-page ad on the movie. Neither is objectionable, but the two-page spread on pp. C10-11 is. On p. C11, it gives high profile to a review by the Times’ Stephen Holden, which says, in part, that the film’s “political subtext” is its “comparison of the church’s oppression and punishment of unmarried sex…with homophobia and the United States government’s reluctance to deal with the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.”

This is a straightforward pitch to anti-Catholic bigots. The Weinsteins are no strangers to Catholic bashing, having made a good living off of it. In 1995, they offered “Priest,” a film featuring nothing but miscreant priests; I succeeded in getting the movie’s opening date moved from Good Friday. In 1999, we were treated to “Dogma,” where the audience learned of a descendant of Mary and Joseph who works in an abortion clinic. In 2002, they released “40 Days and 40 Nights,” a film that ridiculed a Catholic for giving up sex for Lent. Also opening in 2002 was “The Magdalene Sisters,” a movie that smeared nuns. In 2003, “Bad Santa” opened for the holidays; Santa was cast as a chain-smoking, drunken, foul-mouthed, suicidal, sexual predator. In 2006, “Black Christmas” made a predictably dark statement about the holiday.

In 2013, the Weinsteins released “Philomena,” a tale about an Irish teenager who abandoned her out-of-wedlock son, and who, because of the good efforts of nuns, was adopted by an American couple. Of course, the movie maligns the nuns, as well as Catholic teachings.

It is the sexual maniacs in Hollywood who nurture a debased culture, one that breeds illegitimacy and AIDS. Yet the Weinsteins, and the Times, never stop blaming the Catholic Church, which counsels restraint. Thus have they inverted the victim and the victimizer.

Contact: publicity@weinsteinco.com