Posted on 03/05/2006 10:18:09 AM PST by wagglebee
NBC "Today Show" hostess Katie Couric didn't sound too pleased Friday morning with plans to develop a community that openly espouses traditional values, let alone the fact that it will have a Catholic University at its center.
Plans for Ave Maria, Florida have already drawn praise from Gov. Jeb Bush, who told NBC: "I think it'll be a model for sustainable living not just for Florida, but for the country."
But plaudits from the Florida Republican, who NBC pointedly reminded, is Catholic himself, didn't impress the folks at "Today."
Introducing the segment, reporter Michelle Kosinski lamented that Ave Maria would be a town "without condoms or birth control pills, no porn shops or strip joints, or premarital sex."
But it was Couric herself who seemed most offended, chastising her guests, Domino's Pizza mogul Thomas Monaghan and developer Paul Marinelli, for building a community that "people will see . . . as eschewing diversity and promoting intolerance."
"Does [Ave Maria] follow the tenets pretty much, Mr. Marinelli, of the Catholic church?" Couric worried. "In other words, pharmacies in this community can't sell contraception, correct?"
Not true, the developer responded - explaining that the sale contraceptive materials will be discouraged but not banned.
"You would welcome Jewish residents?" Couric queried, sounding like she expected to get a no for an answer.
"Definitely," Marinelli explained. "We anticipate that there would be synagogues as well as [a] Baptist church."
"What about gay couples?" Couric pressed, appearing confident she'd finally ferreted out the bigoted streak in the traditional values town.
Foiled again.
"We will not discriminate against anyone," Marinelli explained. "You know, we respect the Constitution, we're not going to violate the US Constitution or the Florida Constitution."
Ping.
You shoulda heard Springer on this subject. Just as whacked-out!
I thought it was Anna Maria Island?
I'll help them build it... the moat should keep her out.
Can't wait.
And this clueless scoundrel is placed in the position of helping to frame how Americans view their world. What a sad commentary...
This town is going to confuse a lot of people. I'm worried though that it's going to be targeted by a lot of people who don't like it when others don't make "their kind" of choices.
Katie, what's it like to be in such a cr@ppy mood all the time?
Gee, I wonder if Katie lives in a diverse neighborhood with people from all racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
Springer knows that nobody in this town will ever watch his show.
It may confuse people because of the way it will be portrayed in the msm. But people are free to associate with whom they want, and others can choose to not live there, just as some choose not to live in a dry county.
Truth be know she doesn't want to live in that hedonistic world either. She has the money and position to isolate herself and her kids; all the while standing on her soap box telling us to be more tolerant.
Disgusting.
See my observation at
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1590429/posts?page=6#6
What's it to Katie? She doesn't have to live there.
The leftists have a long history of wanting to subject everyone else to living conditions that they would never even consider for themselves.
No, that's what the flaming liberals think it should be. And it's Anna Nicole, not Anna Maria.
Seen this?
I googled Ava Maria and came up with Anna Maria Island. Is there a town called Ava Maria?
The real bigots are Couric and the liberals at The Today show.
bttt
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.