Catholic parish in Sacramento area puts abortion in front of church
The TV news version
September 26, 2012 19 Comments
The following email was sent to CalCatholic on September 24.
I found this article on KXTV-TV’s iPhone App and thought you’d be interested:
Sept 20
‘Pro-life’ sign outside of Citrus Heights church sparks controversy
The bells of Holy Family Catholic church echo from above, but below, an anti-abortion sign makes an even louder statement.
“Even though, it’s not a specific candidate, it’s a direct reflection on the Republicans,” Citrus Heights resident Max Roelen said.
Roelen drove down Old Auburn Road in Citrus Heights when he noticed the sign and he took offense.
“They’re telling me who to vote for and that’s totally wrong,” Roelen said.
The sign reads, “Don’t Support Abortion with Your Vote, Vote Pro-Life.”
Churches are not allowed to endorse political candidates as part of a tax-exempt status. So what about expressing their viewpoint?
“It’s their right to put their opinion out there,” resident Charlene Yates said.
During this round of elections, abortion is not on the ballot; however, some see this sign as a political statement.
“Everything is political, every hello and good-bye and everything in between,” lawyer Bill Portanova said.
Political or not, the sign as it reads is perfectly legal and protected by the First Amendment.
“If the issue is just the issue, people have a right to express themselves on the issue even if they are tax exempt organizations,” Portanova explained.
However, some abortion supporters see the sign as pushing the envelope.
“Being offended is part of the program,” Portanova said. “By being offended, we all think about things a little bit more.”
Read and view entire article at:
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=210291
