Tired of dealing with the banality of stopping priestly molestation, William A. Donohue, the president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, has found a new issue to rally the foolish, I mean faithful.
Last night, he assembled hundreds of angry people — including washed up jester, Jackie Mason, –to protest in front of the Empire State Building because the property refused to light the building with blue and white colors in honor of what would have been Mother Teresa’s 90th birthday. Apparently, blue and white are the colors of the order, the Missionaries of Charity, that she guided until her death in 1997.
The building declined because management does not honor requests to light the building in honor of religious figures. If they did, they would certainly, at some point, be asked to honor a controversial imam, and then the New York Post and Fox News would have strokes. Based on the irrational and over-emotional behavior expressed by opportunistic stage horses and religious zealots like William Donohue, it seems like a wise policy.
But, make no mistake, this is an artificial controversy trumped up by an organization that profits by striking a paranoid pose as victims of religious oppression. According to the Times’ Clyde Haberman:
Donohue, ever ready to detect anti-Catholic bigotry, is capable not just of taking umbrage but also of holding it hostage. He had asked Anthony E. Malkin, one of the building’s owners, to approve blue-and-white lights for Mother Teresa. When Mr. Malkin said no, ostensibly because the Empire State doesn’t honor religious figures, Mr. Donohue declared war. What Mr. Malkin did, he said, “was to insult Catholics.”
In the article, Donohue freely admits that Mother Teresa would have been turned off by his self-serving, publicity hound antics.
“I concede the point that she would not want any attention drawn to her,” Mr. Donohue said in an e-mail in response to a question. But he added: “I have a mission, and it is that of an advocacy group, a pressure group, if you will. I do not run a pastoral institute.”
Is there a more dishonest, hot-button pushing, victim-mongering right wing activist in America? Maybe Janet Folger/Porter is Donahue’s equal in this regard. But few are greater examples of the mendacity and audacity of religious extremism in America.
As it stands, news of child molestation in the Catholic Church is still a huge problem. Donahue should return to halting this international disgrace. Oh, wait, I almost forgot. He was the apologist dedicated to defending the Catholic hierarchy, not the victims of rape.
Isn’t it time Donohue just slithered away before he does more harm to the institution he professes to care about? Other than the current Pope, Donohue may be the single most unsympathetic and uninspiring figure in the Catholic Church.
Donohue’s new nickname should be: “Culture War Media w***e”
The Empire State Building is privately owned, but as a national historic landmark, it may receive public federal or NY state/city funding for things like upkeep, operation of the tourist decks, elevator maintenance, lights, publicity, etc. If public funding is received, this would place limits on any religious statements the building can make. Not sure if the building does get public funding though. At any rate I thought I heard on NY1 today that the building did use its lights to commemorate a pope’s death…not sure now. I would not be surprised if the public funding is indeed the issue, and it is conveniently being NOT reported by the “liberal” media.
Why does Donohue think the Empire State Building is obligated to kowtow to him, and that their refusal to do so is bigotry? What an ego.
If you want to know about the real life of Agnes Bojaxhiu, the concentration-camp like deprivation of her hospices; taking money from dictators and frauds like charles keating; and a commitment to fanaticism, including banning condoms. A truly repulsive woman, whose divinity and saintliness was all due to an idiot journalist who saw a miracle, thanks to Kodak film.
The video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WQ0i3nCx60
The book: ‘The missionary position’ ;-)
My office used to be in the Empire State Building. I would be offended if it were lit up for this or that personality.
I would suggest that if he wants to honor that frumpy little new age nun, who was quite a tyrant as it turns out, Mr. Donahue should “don a hue” in the form of a blue and white propeller beenie. Sari for the pun.
Donahue always looks like he was weaned on a pickle. Truly les putréfiés.
The hypocrites joining Donahue in this phony complaint like to point out that the tower was lit green for a Muslim holiday, apparently forgetting that it is lit red and green for Christmas and blue and white for Hanukkah every year. The building is private property so these conservatives are double hypocrites because they are the first to complain about the rights of property owners–as long as THEY are the property owners.
Dave, it might have been lit up for the Pope but it should be noted he is also the head of state of the Vatican.