ACLU opposes creation of 'Catholic town'

msnbc.msn.com ^ | Feb. 22, 2006

[grundle]

ACLU opposes creation of 'Catholic town'

Domino's Pizza founder wants to build new town with 'Catholic values'

ACLU opposes creation of 'Catholic town'

Feb. 21: The Situation's Tucker Carlson asks Howard Simon, the Executive Director of Florida's ACLU, why his group is trying to stop the founder of Domino's pizza from building a town with Catholic values, and pharmacies that may not stock contraceptives.

TRANSCRIPT

MSNBC

Updated: 3:45 p.m. ET Feb. 22, 2006

If you could build a town from scratch, what would it look like? Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino‘s Pizza, wants a towering Roman Catholic Church at the center of his proposed new town. He also prefers people who have the same religious beliefs as he does. He wants them to move into his aptly named Ave Maria, Florida.

There‘s one group standing in the way of Monaghan‘s lifelong dream, the American Civil Liberties Union, of course. Howard Simon is the executive director of Florida‘s ACLU. He joined Tucker Carlson from Miami.

[Wallace T.]

The ACLU's position relative to the proposed "Catholic town" Tom Monaghan wants to build in Florida is inherently an imposition of the values of the central government upon local authority. Given the fact that there are so many "anything goes" communities in this country, someone who has libertine inclinations has many choices of places to live. So do Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, Mormons, Jews, and nonbelievers whose moral views are similar to those of traditional Catholicism, but who might nor be comfortable living in a town so heavily Catholic in flavor. Even Catholic sedevacantists and "rad-trads" might not want to live in a community where a majority are mainstream Catholics, though on its right wing.

Modern liberals, many neo-conservatives, and radical libertarians are all too willing to use central power to destroy or control the "little battalions" of family, church, private associations, and local governments that are the most effective barriers against centralized tyranny.

[Pharmboy]

Communist leanings?? LOL! Great find, Pubs...

[antiRepublicrat]

Hey ACLU, the 1st Amendment also contains a provision for freedom of association. They can have a totally Catholic town if they want it.

[jazusamo]

Many in our country worry that the our government is getting too powerful and is intruding in our lives by always looking over our shoulders; in a few cases maybe justifiable so. IMHO those people should be far more concerned about the ACLU who crusade under the false banner of protecting our rights,

[SuziQ]

It's not going to be an "All Catholic" town. Ave Maria University is a Catholic college, and there will be a HUGH Catholic church at the center of town, but the commercial enterprises will be leased through Barron Collier in conjunction with Ave Maria.

Apparently, in FL, pharmacies are not REQUIRED to provide contraceptives, so if none are available in Ave Maria, folks who want them could always go to another town and get them. If the Barron Collier/Ave Maria folks think that having a abortion clinic does not comport with the town's values, they are within their rights to refuse to allow one to open. Not every town has or wants an abortion clinic. Again, they can be had elsewhere, no one is being denied any opportunity, they just might not be able to get it within a 10 minute ride. Nothing in the Constitution says that you may not be inconvenienced in your quest for your rights.

The ordinances of the town will be well known when houses, condos and apartments become available. If someone doesn't agree with the way the place is set up, no one will be forcing them to live there.

[SuziQ]

WalMart has elected to comply with the board rather than file a legal challenge.

That's because the Nannies in the state govt. of MA have passed a law that REQUIRES that all pharmacies stock the emergency contraceptive.

[Pyro7480]

A link I think you would be interested in: Crunchy Cons

[ExcursionGuy84]

Yeah exaactly.

Well, I sure hope that Mr. Tom Monoghan's "Karma" runs right over the ACLU's "dogma".

Karma running over dogma, get it?

[Tired of Taxes]

I don't think the interview explained much.

Looking for more info, all I came across was this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11434439/site/newsweek/

Which still doesn't explain much about the legalities.

Is it privately-owned property that he's renting out, or is it set up like condominiums or a commune? If so, there shouldn't be a problem with it, should there?

Also, I remember hearing about a "town" Disney built in Florida that is entirely controlled by Disney.

[sheik yerbouty]

If it is on privately bought land, it not the ACLU's business..

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Amana, was a town started by a religious groupin Iowa. They had their name on appliances for years.
Of course the Mormons settled Utah and still have a great deal of influence there.
Ephrata Pennslyvania had a celibate community thatmade hand made manuscripts, I think the state runs it now as a museum.
Seems to me if a private person wants to set up a town with certain values, I have no problem with it.
Aren't CCR's accepted in real estate (Codes, covenants, restrictions) On building types allowed?
There is a street in Sacramento that has CCR's because everybody on the cul-d-sac puts up yard full of Christmas decorations and you have to agree to decorate your house if you buy on that street. Oh, good Lord. The ACLU needs to get over itself!

[AbeKrieger]

I want to establish a heterosexual, Catholic, vanilla town. Shoot me.

[SampleMan]

Doesn't the ACLU have some Amish communities to harrass?

[VRWCmember]

In spite of Baldwin’s Communist leanings, President Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom on January 16, 1981.

I think that should probably read: In spite Because of Baldwin’s Communist leanings, President Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom on January 16, 1981.

[Waverunner]

I guess the ACLU is going to sue the AMISH and Quakers for their communities

[Tired of Taxes]

Here's the "town" Disney owned, Celebration:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration,_Florida

It's compared to another Florida town called Seaside.

[Courdeleon02]

The ACLU is the most dangerous organization in America today. It seems that their primary concern is tearing down the traditional values of Americans.It is led by a group of anti-religious secular ultra liberal Jews who long since abandoned their belief in traditional Judaism. Unfortunately, the focus is placed on the Jewish leadership of this organization every time they attack the existence of a nativity scene. The public should understand that these guys are no longer Jews.

[Tired of Taxes]

Ping

[arkady_renko]

And what, pray tell Mr. Simon, what chaos or state disaster would befall a town where the landlord is a "religious" man exercising governmental authority on land that he is the legal owner of???

I agree but I'm remembering somewhere that they (ACLU/Courts) have now made it impossible for a landlord to restrict occupancy based on sexual preference, nationality, etc. Won't they try the same thing with Ave Maria?

A_R

[KarlInOhio]

'Catholic town'

Will it become an Anglican town if the mayor wants to divorce?