Bill Donohue is appealing to New York State Senator Brad Hoylman to amend his bill on eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual abuse. Below is the text of his letter; it is being sent to all New York lawmakers:

In your March 30 column in the Daily News, you say, “Until every childhood sexual abuse victim has the opportunity to confront their abuser in court, the headlines will remind us that our business is unfinished.” This is so true. That is why I implore you to amend your bill on this subject to include all childhood victims: Your bill does not address those who have been abused in the public schools.

As you say, your bill would “eliminate the statute of limitations for civil actions for certain sex offenses committed against a minor,” allowing a “one-year ‘look back’ period in which past claims could be resolved.” That is a commendable position, but its application is limited to private institutions.

In a March 29 Daily News story, it says you are using its series on this issue to get your colleagues to support your bill. Fine. What must be noted, however, is the March 30 Daily News editorial. “All institutions that are responsible for protection of the welfare of minors must be treated equally before the law,” it said. The editorial also notes that pending legislation would perpetuate an “inequity,” one that sustains the status quo. This means that the changes would “apply only to private institutions, and not to local government institutions, such as the public schools.”

If you are as impressed as we are with the Daily News’ editorial, then please amend your bill to be inclusive of all institutions.

Contact Sen. Hoylman: hoylman@nysenate.gov

Bill Donohue has written an in-depth analysis of sexual abuse at the BBC, and the BBC’s coverage of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. He explains the similarities and dissimilarities, focusing on why the scandals occurred and how the top brass in each institution reacted. He concludes that while the BBC got off easy in a recent report on its problems, its coverage of the Church’s problems was patently unfair. To read his article, click here.

Donohue holds a Ph.D. in sociology from New York University and is the author of several books on civil liberties, social issues, and Catholicism.

Bill Donohue comments on last night’s episode of “The Real O’Neals”:

Dan Savage, the sexpert behind “The Real O’Neals,” hates Catholicism for its teachings on sexuality, so it was not surprising that the show would slam the Church for not ordaining women. Orthodox Jews and Muslims have no clerical role for women, either, but they don’t count in today’s world of political correctness. Only Catholics qualify for criticism.

How ironic it is that the same week that this show berates Catholicism for not having women priests, the Catholic world is mourning the loss of one of its greatest icons—Mother Angelica. What makes this especially poignant is that she opposed women priests.

Contact Ben Sherwood at Disney-ABC: ben.sherwood@abc.com

Bill Donohue comments on events at home and abroad over Easter:

On Holy Thursday, an episode of “Rachel Dratch’s Late Night Snack” on TruTV featured an exchange between two girls about sex. “What does that mean? Do you mean the first time I had vaginal intercourse?” To which it was said, “Yeah. Okay. That’s such a Catholic girl question. Yeah. It’s a vagina.” Comedy Central’s “@Midnight with Chris Hardwick” had a Holy Thursday episode about Jesus that joked about that “barren cross” and “sacramental wine.”

Also on Holy Thursday, Seth Meyers on his NBC “Late Night” show commented, “No wonder Judas dropped a dime on you.” The next day, Good Friday was panned on the Fox 5 show, “TMZ”: referring to the meaning of the crucifixion, it was said, “Screw that cause.”

Reports of a Catholic priest being crucified in Yemen on Good Friday have not been confirmed. But no one disputes that 70 people were killed in Pakistan on Easter Sunday, 29 of whom were children. Ehsanullah Ehsan, one of the Taliban terrorists, explained, “The target was Christians.” But not all Muslims are barbarians. Last week, a Muslim shopkeeper in Scotland posted an Easter greeting on Facebook: “Good Friday and a very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation.” For this he was knifed to death on Easter Sunday by a Muslim.

Yes, there is a profound difference between ridicule, even in its most vulgar manifestation, and murder. But none of this can be justified. Those who preach the gospel of tolerance yet make light of mocking Christians—during Holy Week—are part of the problem. Even Bill Maher did not go off on Christians on his Good Friday show.

It’s about time we connected the dots. When attacks are aimed almost exclusively and relentlessly against one religion, whether violent or non-violent, they should be condemned by everyone.

Bill Donohue comments on the invasion of St. Patrick’s Cathedral:

Six young people invaded the noon Mass on Easter Sunday. With a bullhorn in hand, a 23-year-old North Carolina teacher screamed, “Only the devil” could create “animals capable of love and joy just so humans can make them suffer and die.” Many in the congregation thought that the camera that was strapped to his chest was a bomb.

Others held signs and pictures of animals, shouting, “Easter is a time for love! No more shedding animal blood!” The police and security moved quickly to restore order.

The protesters were not a random group. They belong to Collectively Free, an animal rights organization. It is confused at best and dishonest at worst. On the one hand, it emphasizes “Integrity and Empathy,” urging its members to “Show respect for and value individuals.”

On the other hand, it encourages members to be “provocative & experimental” in their tactics, making sure they push “the boundaries.” Regarding the latter, the organization says it believes in “direct action,” including “actions [that] involve entering an establishment that normalizes the exploitation of non-human animals, holding space, and speaking out on behalf of the victims.”

That the two goals are contradictory escapes them. In practice, “direct action” is what defines Collectively Free.

Ham. That is why the activists invaded St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Raffaella Ciavatta, co-founder of the group, told a reporter, “Ham is a big thing on Easter, so that is why we decided to bring those voices to the public.” Not that it gets me off the hook with her, but I had a steak yesterday.

Contact Raffaella: raffaella@collectivelyfree.org

Bill Donohue comments on Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s decision to veto a religious liberty bill:

Last week, I wrote a Newsmax article on how the left-wing establishment, led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the corporate establishment, led by Georgia Prospers, were independently working to crush the Georgia equivalent of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act; 30 states have similar laws. Now Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal pledges to veto the bill today.

If Gov. Deal were honest, he would say that the pressure coming from the corporate elite was overwhelming and that it threatened to cause economic ruin to his state. Even men and women of faith could understand why he would veto the bill.

Instead, he justified his veto saying, “I do not respond very well to insults or threats.” That is a lie—he responds very well to threats. Indeed, it is precisely the kinds of threats issued by the NFL, Disney, and Marvel Studios that made him cave: the NFL threatened to deny Atlanta a future Super Bowl, and Disney and Marvel threatened to relocate.

Gov. Deal made matters worse when he snickered at the faithful. According to CNN.com’s account of his position, he commented how ironic it is that “some people acknowledge that God grants the freedoms enumerated in the First Amendment, but want the government to enact laws to secure those rights.” He is quoted as saying, “Perhaps we should heed the hands-off admonition of the First Amendment.”

That is an astounding argument. The same Founders that acknowledged that our rights come from God, not government, insisted that it was the job of government to ensure those rights. If Gov. Deal can’t understand the difference between the origin of our inalienable rights, and the duty of government officials to protect them, he ought to take a remedial course in civics.

Contact Gov. Deal’s chief of staff, Chris Riley: cwr@georgia.gov

Bill Donohue comments on the death of Mother Angelica:

Mother Angelica died on Easter Sunday at the age of 92. She was, without a doubt, the most influential Catholic television personality of our time. While Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was the first clergyman to put his imprint on television, Mother Angelica succeeded in a way no one else did: She created the first Catholic media empire, the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), and she did it against all odds.

To read about her remarkable life, see Raymond Arroyo’s classic, Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles. His love for her shines through.

To read my account, taken from my book, The Catholic Advantage, click here.

To read Bill Donohue’s Newsmax article on how the corporate establishment is working against a religious liberty bill in Georgia, click here.

Bill Donohue comments on last night’s episode of “The Real O’Neals”:

Last night’s show—it promises to be one of the very last—floated two falsehoods: Jimmy, the straight brother of his gay sibling, Kenny, observed that “10 percent of the population is gay”; he also suggested that most of those who object to gay porn are homophobic (excluding people like himself).

The Centers for Disease Control reports that 1.6 percent of the population is homosexual. That is a far cry from 10 percent, but since a big part of the show’s agenda is to put a happy face on gays, it makes sense to lie. Regarding gay porn, it is positively normal to find it at least as objectionable as any other kind of pornography. So there is no need to feel the slightest bit guilty about objecting to such revolting fare.

To say that the show “promises to be one of the very last” is not a pipe dream. Here is the ratings scoreboard from last night during the 8:00-9:00 p.m. hour:

• “NCIS” (CBS) drew 15.59 million viewers
• “The Voice” (NBC) drew 10.54 million viewers
• “The Real O’Neals” (ABC) drew 3.82 million viewers

It’s time to can this show. Looks like Dan Savage’s best shot was a flop.

Contact Ben Sherwood at Disney-ABC: ben.sherwood@abc.com

Bill Donohue comments on how The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is waging war on religious liberty:

Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that pits the Obama administration against non-profit groups, mostly Catholic, which object to the Health and Human Services mandate. This provision would force religious non-profits to be complicit in support of abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization in their healthcare programs.

Noting that the high court is about to consider this case, The Leadership Conference, a coalition of left-wing groups, yesterday released an updated version of its report, “Striking a Balance: Advancing Civil and Human Rights While Preserving Religious Liberty.” The title is a ruse: no attempt is made to balance these rights. In fact, the group’s president, Wade Henderson, a former ACLU activist, shows his contempt for religious liberty when he refers to our “so-called” religious rights.

The report accurately states that “Religious liberty is a fundamental civil and human right,” one that often conflicts with “equal protection under the law [as] a fundamental American and constitutional principle.” But the symmetry doesn’t last long. “Unfortunately, these ideals are clashing as claims of religious liberty are being used to strike at the core principle of equal protection.”

The truth is the other way around. It is not religious organizations that are telling the government that it must adopt their precepts; rather, it is the government that is telling religious entities that they must swear allegiance to secular values. To be exact, the Little Sisters of the Poor are not the aggressors—they are the victims of government overreach.

The Leadership Conference, which is lavishly greased by George Soros, is also fighting for Merrick Garland to be confirmed to the Supreme Court. No wonder they like him—this “moderate” is a big fan of partial-birth abortion. What he would have to support to be labeled an extremist is anyone’s guess.