Posted on 06/18/2006 9:17:44 PM PDT by skandalon
A Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [WMATA] Board member, Robert J. Smith, a Catholic husband, father of four and a seasoned Republican activist, was fired from his three-year term board position by the Republican Governor who appointed him.
Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. fired Smith on June 15 because he spoke against sodomy during a local cable television round-table discussion. During a taped June 9 weekly-televised show, Smith told the program's discussion panel that same-sex marriage was wrong and homosexuality was a deviancy.
Referring to Vice President Cheney's lesbian daughter who has stated publicly she does not want government interfering in her personal life regarding a proposed ban against same-sex marriage, Robert Smith told the discussion panel members:
"That's fine, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that government should proffer a special place of entitlement within the laws of the United States for persons of sexual deviancy."
Robert Smith spoke to this writer for RenewAmerica.us:
"My family and I are worn out in just the past 24 hours from the repercussions. I haven't had much time to think of anything other than answering phone calls and media questions on this matter."
Mr. Smith said he was greatly encouraged, however, that his family, friends, and professional colleagues have come forth to support his action. Smith said that his religious beliefs and what he stated on air as a private citizen should have nothing to do with his board position regarding running trains and buses. He said his Catholic moral beliefs have not been a detriment to his actions or decisions while sitting on the transit board.
"It's good to know that what I did was not anything wrong but in fact was the right thing to do. It's good to know that others, like you, agree with me, that I'm not actually crazy, and I'm not out here all alone."
When asked if Law Centers such as Alliance Defend Fund or Thomas More Law Center might possibly be interested in taking on future legal actions, Robert Smith stated said it was not yet 24 hours from his sorrowful termination from the Metro transit board position and he was not yet considering any action.
"Because the Secretary of Transportation, a friend of mine, worked so hard yesterday to protect my position on the board, I would not want to do anything legally if it meant hurting my friend."
In a related matter recently, the State of Massachusetts denied the Massachusetts Catholic Conference of Bishops' request to exempt Catholic Charities, a social service agency, from having to place adoptive children within sodomite households. Without the exemption, the Catholic adoption agency was forced to stop providing extraordinary service to the State by placing many special needs children every year in homes, rather than comply with an evil law that requires adoption agencies not to ‘discriminate against homosexual couples.'
As Christians, we are called to prayerfully and vocally support the moral leaders in our society, which Robert Smith certainly is. It would be most encouraging to all Catholic faithful for Robert Smith's bishop, William Cardinal Keeler, archbishop of the archdiocese of Baltimore [email: communications@archbalt.org], to reiterate the Church's infallible moral teachings on the subject of homosexuality, particularly in Robert Smith's defense among so much secular and humanistic relativism and confusion on this subject.
If you would like to email Robert Smith with your encouragement and support, you are invited to do so at his personal email: smithcolen@aol.com. In addition, his office contacts are: fax: 301-947-0719; phone: 301-330-1023
Please also consider emailing the intolerant Governor Ehrlich who initiated Smith's termination: http://www.gov.state.md.us/mail/ Governor's phone: 1-800-811-8336
Barbara Kralis, the article's author, writes for various Christian and conservative publications. She is a regular columnist at RenewAmerica.us, Catholic Online.com, The Wanderer newspaper, New Oxford Review Magazine, Washington Dispatch, MichNews, Catholic Citizens of Illinois, Phil Brennan's WOW, ChronWatch, etc. Her first journalism position was with Boston Herald Traveler, 1964. Barbara published/edited 'Semper Fidelis' Catholic print newsletter. She and her husband, Mitch, live in the great State of Texas, and co-direct the Jesus Through Mary Catholic Foundation. She can be reached at: Avemaria@earthlink.net.
Not being from Maryland, can anyone please tell me what good has come from electing a RINO governor there?
Thanks in advance.
Many thanks to Robert J. Smith not only for having the cahones for speaking his heart felt convictions but for the bravery to do so knowing it could cost him his position. This action by the cahoneless Governor is nothing more folks than Politically Correct run amuck.
Makes me want to go into the bathroom, get down on my knees in front of the indoor spring and pay homage to the head of the porcelain alter.....Raaaaaaalph
ping
Doesn't he realize that his comments make him a modern-day heretic? Let the excommunication process begin...
You must never have had a job if you think you don't have to lie once in a while to keep your employment.
you are an idiot.
Ehrlich left a safe congressional seat to try to win a governor's seat that no republican has held since spiro agnew in the 60's. That takes balls.
And you no nothings like to throw the "no cajones" bomb while being totally clueless on the facts.
bob ehrlich has meant no new taxes.
Erlich did the politically correct dance with this one.
Erlich did the politically SMART dance with this one.
and to all you critics, I suggest you quit your job to run in an election where your voters are 2-1 democrats and win.
frankly, none of you have the balls for it.
I hope those democrats vote for Erlich then, because I wouldn't walk across the street to p*** on him after this.
another conservative quitter, we don't need you.
Huh. Sounds to me like Ehrlich is a gutless panderer.
I'd like to hear his explanation, if he has one.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
I hear you blather on about the failings of others.
why don't you give up your job and run against them especially in a democrat juridiction.
Fact is, you don't have the courage, talent or guts to do.
You complain, and yet you do nothing about it.
Your post 16 is wrong. It is not a crime. No one was fined or put in jail. Politics is a PR job and PR jobs require tact.
The same thing that happened to this guy smith is happening to the Dixie Chicks.
You sure have proven tonight that you have a lot of venom in your gut. Get it all out, you will feel better. You have challenged a few of us tonight and it seems you are questioning our steadfastness. I can only speak for myself as a very conservative Republican who cast his first vote for Ike/Nixon in "56 and worked for Goldwater in '64
Har! Apparently, being a gutless panderer is one of your qualifications, too. No thanks.
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.