NYP: ROBERTS CRITICS' AGENDA OF HATE -- JFK won despite anti-Catholic bias.

New York Post ^ | August 2, 2005 | GEORGE J. MARLIN

[OESY]

For most of our nation's history, anti-Catholicism has been an acceptable prejudice.... The reaction to President Bush's nomination of John Roberts... suggests that not so much has changed....

Many political analysts have concluded that this intolerance began to subside after JFK's election. Catholics, they argue, have been assimilated into American society and are now accepted into middle- and upper-class enclaves, corporate board rooms and the public square. Yet, while many Catholics have advanced economically since 1960, a deep-rooted animus remains against Catholics in public life who practice their faith.

...Schumer ignored the Constitution's Article 6 ("no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States") in questioning the suitability of a Bush appeals-court nominee... William Pryor. Because Pryor adheres to the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church, Schumer complained that "his beliefs are so well known, so deeply held, that it's very hard — very hard to believe — they're not going to deeply influence the way he comes about saying, 'I will follow the law.'"

Schumer's judicial litmus test held up the Pryor nomination for two years. Are similar tactics of senatorial intolerance being used to railroad Roberts? His nomination was scarcely a week old before the sulfurous odor of religious prejudice began to waft through the air....

Prior to her high-court nomination, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a forceful advocate for women's rights as a professor at Columbia and as a federal circuit judge in the District of Columbia. She had expressed in speech and in writing any number of "strongly held personal values" over many years — yet her Supreme Court confirmation hearing was a cake-walk. No senator even hinted that the strength of her personal philosophical or religious opinions might affect her duties as a judge....

[defconw]

Are you a Catholic or a Baptist?

[Jonah Johansen]

I had read, a long time ago, that Ginzberg's father had been a member of the Communist party. For some reason detailed information about him is very hard to come by. Can someone confirm this and give me a reliable referance concearning his communist party membership?

[defconw]

I have no clue, but busting her on that is about equal to busting John Roberts for being a Roman Catholic.

[fso301]

Are you a Catholic or a Baptist?

Family heritage is Lutheran but I'm neutral towards the faith.

Most of the venom I see and hear being spewed towards people of Christian faith is directed towards the fundamentalists, Southern Baptists being most prominent among that group. That being said, I also hear members of one Christian faith take potshots at another faith. Catholics take potshots towards Protestants and Protestants take potshots at Catholics and other Protestants.

Then there are the Jehovas Witnesses.

[Stashiu]

Now, now. You know that the 'fellow travelers' don't like to admit it!

I refer to myself as a 'None'. That usually elicits a blank stare until they figure it out. If the moron presses further, I tell them that I have a spiritual program, but if I talked about it, it would no longer be spiritual, but merely intellectual. That usually shuts them up.

[defconw]

This Catholic does not take potshots at other faiths. I do not weigh in on decisions made by your Church or any other, but every yahoo in this country had an opinion about who OUR Pope should be, I don't mess in other religions affairs and I am tired of people weighing in on matters that really don't concern them. No one mentioned not once what faith John Bolton is, and to be honest I have no clue.

[fso301]

This Catholic does not take potshots at other faiths.

Neither do I.

No one mentioned not once what faith John Bolton is, and to be honest I have no clue.

I think it safe to say that Bolton isn't a practicing member of any faith. On the other hand, we certainly heard about the faith of John Ashcroft.

[Coldwater Creek]

As Southern Baptist we are bashed on a regular basis, even on this site, and usually by a Catholic.

[defconw]

I don't know, but we are discussing Catholic Bias, on this thread, or at least we were. So does the fact that people went after John Ashcroft, whom I greatly respect BTW, justify Catholic Bias? Does that make it OK? Oh well people beat up Fundamentalists so it's OK to beat up Catholics? Is that the justification for inserting this into the discussion? Just wondering? :)

[fso301]

So does the fact that people went after John Ashcroft, whom I greatly respect BTW, justify Catholic Bias?

No. My point was that there is a bias against practicing Christians, Catholic and Protestant.

Now, within Christianity, should say a Methodist seek to reassure himself that Methodism is better than Catholicism by taking a potshot at Catholics, that is the individuals problem. If a person of one denomination takes potshots at Catholics, they'll take potshots at anyone else in a ongoing effort to reassure themselves of the superiority of their theology. Catholics do the same, I know, I've heard it. Not much different from team rivalry in my opinion.

[defconw]

Well I have never heard a news anchor weigh in on Methodism, but they have no trouble weighing in on Catholicism. I believe that is the point of this article. The article would not exist if John Roberts were a Methodist, that's the point of this article.

[markedman]

Yeah but those responsible for the anti-Catholic bias against Roberts et al are themselves Catholics - or consider themselves as such - Kennedy, Leahy, Kerry and Biden.

[defconw]

Actually the Anit-Roberts Senators have been Leahy, Durbin both nominally Catholic, Shumer and Boxer Jewish. Kennedy actually said that Robert's wife is off limits, Kerry has said nothing and Biden is off chasing other windmills. I watch the Senate everyday.

[markedman]

I forgot about Turban Durbin. But watch the others: Biden, Leahy, Kennedy, and Kerry. There is an old Irish adage, "no good deed goes unpunished and no success will ever be forgiven".

[defconw]

Also, the trouble Leahy and Durbin have with Roberts is not religion, but Abortion, which they personally oppose but are for allowing others, which is theological jujitsu, as far as I am concerned but I understand what they are saying, not that I agree, but I understand it.

[defconw]

Oh I agree but see my next post, thus far they have not slammed Robert's because he is Catholic, it's that he will not get on board with their Cafeteria formula. But to me with Durbin et al. it is an in house squabble, with the media and other non-Catholics it is a bias. If you understand what I mean. I am not excusing the Democratic Catholics. But ..........

[Northern Yankee]

It drives me nuts to see people like Kennedy, Leahy, and other so called "Catholic legislators" that don't have a problem voting pro-choice, and yet denounce people like Roberts for being extreme in their pro-life views, and following the teachings of the church.

I wish the Vatican would start getting tougher on the pro-choice Catholics, and tell them either stop voting pro-choice, or leave the church.

Our Dioceasan Bishop Burke, before getting the diocease of St. Louis, was going after Catholic legislators and telling them not to come to communion until they had a change of heart. He caught a lot of flack for it, but he stated, "I am here to save souls not to be popular, or offer concessions to our faith!"

Amen to That!

[defconw]

Amen. Benedict may put in end to this soon, from what I have heard! I hope so!

[fso301]

Well I have never heard a news anchor weigh in on Methodism, but they have no trouble weighing in on Catholicism.

I agree. The point of my initial posts citing Baptists was that news anchors feel free to weigh in on Catholics and fundamentalist Protestants. Within the fundamental Protestants, Baptists are most prominent which is why the liberals single out Baptists for scorn.

I have a certain suspicion that within the liberal camp are many lapsed Catholics. This isn't saying anything about Catholics other than due the practice of infant baptism and the large size of the denomination, a poll of liberals may reveal a proportional amount of them are lapsed Catholics. They carry a certain guilt with them but don't want to change their lifestyles and therefore want the church to change it's theology to be inline with their liberal attitudes as if that would remove their inner feelings of guilt.

Liberals who rejected their parents Protestantism have a more difficult time following their respective Protestant faiths since they generally don't have the centralixed, easy to watch heirarchy of the Catholics.

[Blessed]

>Yeah but those responsible for the anti-Catholic bias against Roberts et al are themselves Catholics - or consider themselves as such - Kennedy, Leahy, Kerry and Biden.<

Actually they don't have an anti-Catholic bias they have an anti-Christian bias.The Gop is letting the anti-Catholic line serve as a stand in for anti-Christian bias.This makes the point while at the same time serves to help pull the Catholics into the fold with conservative christians.Catholics at this time are not as reliable as evangelicals in voting their faith.This is an education process.