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Catholic League president Bill Donohue looks at CNN's coverage of the Catholic Church's opposition to gay marriage:
A week after the election, CNN is still questioning the role that Archbishop John Nienstedt played in urging Minnesota Catholics not to support same-sex marriage. In a news story posted today, CNN claims that the Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis divided the faithful by urging his clergy to mail 400,000 DVDs on this subject. The cable network also said that this decision raises serious questions about the Catholic Church's tax-exempt status.
CNN, of course, said absolutely nothing during the fall campaigns about the aggressive role played by black churches. In one African-American church after another, Democratic candidates were allowed to make a campaign speech; in some cases, they were endorsed from the pulpit. Moreover, CNN said absolutely nothing about the support for gay marriage emanating from some Protestant churches.
CNN provided no evidence that Archbishop Nienstedt has divided the flock. Instead, it quoted Dan Maguire, an embittered ex-priest who has long been at war with the Catholic Church. But it did float the question whether the Church's tax-exempt status was in jeopardy. Obviously, it isn't, because if it were then all those churches and synagogues that support abortion rights would be at risk.
When the Catholic Church endorses efforts to end poverty, or calls for nuclear disarmament, the CNNs of this world never raise a peep. It's just when the Church speaks out in favor of traditional marriage or the life of the unborn that it triggers a hostile response.
Jeff Field
Director of Communications
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
450 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10123
212-371-3191
212-371-3394 (fax)
