D.C. Council calling Catholic Charity's bluff

[Are_grits_groceries]

Clergy United for Marriage Equality has apparently been effective in sidelining the Protestant radical-right in the Washington, D. C. area. Now, in what looks to be a desperate "Hail Mary" (if I may say so) maneuver, the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.) has threatened to stop taking District contract money for their Catholic Charities organization if the D.C. Council passes a marriage equality law that doesn't allow individuals to discriminate and call it "religion". Mkay, bye!

Responses from members of the D. C. Council have been exemplary (emphasis mine):

In separate interviews Wednesday, council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) referred to the church as "somewhat childish." Another council member, David A. Catania (I-At Large), said he would rather end the city's relationship with the church than give in to its demands. "They don't represent, in my mind, an indispensable component of our social services infrastructure," said Catania, the sponsor of the same-sex marriage bill and the chairman of the Health Committee. ...
Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), chairman of the judiciary committee, said the council "will not legislate based on threats." "The problem with the individual exemption is anybody could discriminate based on their assertion of religious principle," Mendelson said. "There were many people back in the 1950s and '60s, during the civil rights era, that said separation of the races was ordained by God."

Catania, who said he has been the biggest supporter of Catholic Charities on the council, said he is baffled by the church's stance. From 2006 through 2008, Catania said, Catholic Charities received about $8.2 million in city contracts, as well as several hundred thousand dollars' worth this year through his committee. "If they find living under our laws so oppressive that they can no longer take city resources, the city will have to find an alternative partner to step in to fill the shoes," Catania said. He also said Catholic Charities was involved in only six of the 102 city-sponsored adoptions last year. ...

Cheh said she hopes the Catholic Church will reconsider its stance. "Are they really going to harm people because they have a philosophical disagreement with us on one issue?" Cheh asked. "I hope, in the silver light of day, when this passes, because it will pass, they will not really act on this threat."

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=14067

Good for them! I hope they maintain their stance.

[vadawg]

1. its gonna be interesting to see how it shakes out,,,

im a great believer in sticking to your beliefs so i think the council should stick to theirs and pass the law, the church should stick to theirs and leave the contracts, then the city can get someone else to do it. In the end this is the only way it can end...

[Lasher]

2. Good for the DC council.

This is a good move anyway. Religious organizations should not be a part of government functions.

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. I hope that they

scrutinize all their contracts.

The Catholic church should be ashamed.

I guess Gawd didn't know he would need an 11th commandment: Thou shalt not blackmail.

[tsuki]

4. I wonder how much of the 8.2 million dollars of city contracts went to

the people, and how much went to lobbying efforts to enforce Papal rule?

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

5. Good for them. I'm sure they can find other providers of these

services