Oberweis Refuses to Apologize:

The Catholic League ^ | November 1, 2001 | Patrick Scully, Director of Communications

[Deacon_m]

NEWS RELEASE
Catholic League
For Religious and Civil Rights
450 Seventh Avenue
New York NY 10123
Phone: (212) 371-3131
(646) 819-5027
Fax: (213) 371-3394
www.catholicleague.org
Release Date: November 1, 2001

Attention: News Editor
Contact: Patrick Scully, Director of Communications
For Immediate Release

Oberweis Refuses to Apologize:
Free Advertisement Coming His Way

On November 4, Republican businessman James Oberweis announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. On two occasions recently, Oberweis, who is Catholic, explained that the reason he is not a pro-life candidate is because that would put him in the same camp with the Taliban. He was quoted in last Sunday's Springfield Journal Register as saying "I think the Taliban is the best example that we've ever had about what is wrong about my trying to impose my religious views on you." On the "Steve Dahl Show" (WCKG-FM) on October 24, Oberweis said, "I think that right now we're getting a very, very strong symbol in the Taliban of what can happen if we try to impose our religious beliefs on others."

We contacted Oberweis asking him to respond to our news release of October 29 demanding an apology. He responded saying he had not received all of our e-mail correspondence so we sent it again. But there was no response. Now, in a story in today's Chicago Tribune, Oberweis says that while he concedes that his comparison was "probably not the best analogy," he has no intention of apologizing for his remarks.

Catholic League president William Donohue commented as follows:
"James Oberweis compares those who want to stop the killing of innocent babies to those who routinely stone to death women and starve little children. He said this not once, but twice. This was deliberate, calculated and designed to smear his opposition. When given the opportunity to apologize, he digs himself in even deeper by refusing to do so.

"We have news for Mr. Oberweis: The Catholic League is prepared to go toe to toe with him and will now commence a media campaign providing free advertisement for his despicable comments. We are exploring several opportunities and will shortly decide on a specific strategy."

(The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. It defends individual Catholics and the institutional Church from defamation and discrimination.)

[Deacon_m]

Mike Evans
DuPage County Coordinator
John Cox For U.S. Senate
John Cox Can Win in 2002
John Cox Is Pro-Life

[goldstategop]

How about the Church excommunicates James Oberweis? And voters should vote for a pro-life Democrat over a pro-choice Republican where possible.

[keithtoo]

Best Wishes from this Baptist. Oberweiss is obviously an intellectual light-weight in the best Illinois tradition of Carol Mosley-Braun. I'm sure more rhetorical gems are in the offing by this pewter-tongued devil (sic).

[Voltage]

Excommunicate? That seems unlikely. It appears that the Catholic Church does not oppose abortion.

What other conclusion can be drawn from its failure to excommunicate the obvious candidates?

[Valin]

On two occasions recently, Oberweis, who is Catholic, explained that the reason he is not a pro-life candidate is because that would put him in the same camp with the Taliban.

Is this guy for real? What did he do take a triple shot of dumb before opening his mouth?

[redhead]

People who deliberately and willfully defy the canons of the Roman Catholic Church excommunicate THEMSELVES. When the Church makes this excommunication official, it is merely ratifying the PERSONAL CHOICE of the individual who is in disobedience. Even if they return to the Sacraments of the Church, these individuals are only adding blasphemy and sacrelige to the list of what the Church considers "mortal" or "death to the soul" sins.

Why is it that every time somebody who claims to be Catholic does something like this, somebody here responds by saying that the Catholic Church is "not pro-life, or they would have excommunicated so-and-so long ago." So-and-so excommunicated HIMSELF. He's dead. He just hasn't fallen over yet.

[Voltage]

Now I understand! The Catholic Church just fears making it public.

[Cicero]

Most of the Catholic bishops are wimps. They keep a low profile, while some assistant in the chancery might point out that anyone who procures or is responsible for an abortion automatically excommunicates himself and therefore doesn't need to be publicly excommunicated. Only problem is that nobody knows about it, so the politicians just laugh. They may end up in hell, but meantime they keep getting reelected.

Bill Donoghue, on the other hand, is a real heavyweight. This guy is going to be very sorry he didn't apologize.

[brat]

"...explained that the reason he is not a pro-life candidate is because that would put him in the same camp with the Taliban."

And this guy really thinks like this? Unbelievable.

[BillyBoy]

BUMP. Told ya so. Remember, Oberweis IS a Catholic and the Catholic league STILL does not not support him. This is obviously because he's taken left-wing stances on social issues and refuses back down.