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I don’t think it’s anti-Catholicism on FR.

Usually we do assume the accused are innocent until proven guilty.

But when it’s child abuse allegations, and there are many different children or former children all accusing the same guy, and even memos and letters about it from higher-ups. . .

we just don’t think they are innocent.

We usually seem to assume robbers and carjackers shot by their “alleged” victims are guilty, too, we don’t say “oh wait and see if they really were breaking and entering.”

Everyone on this board seems to think OJ and Roman Polanski are guilty, too. They aren’t Catholics! Who else? That freaky woman in Vallejo who apparently raped and murdered Sandra Cantu. Although she is not yet convicted.

When that guy in SoCal was picked up recently for raping/murdering a teenage girl - and then another long missing girl’s body turned up in the same location - everybody was assuming he did it. Turns out he is now charged, having confessed in a plea bargain deal.

So don’t assume anti-catholicism.

Certainly all the hot talk against accused abusers doesn't come from 'anti-Catholics' at FR. Catholic FReepers know that some allegations are well-founded (even if not yet proven in court) and we detest the way some Bishops have protected, shielded and enabled abusers. (Want names? Let me mention Mahony, Law and Weakland). We are very conscious of what Our Lord said about those who harm children:

If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and be cast into the depths of the sea.

When there are credible allegations--- e.g., multiple victims are accusing the same guy --- Church and State must move fast to remove the offender from society. This is what just happened here IN THE PAST WEEK in the Diocese of Knoxville with a priest who --- it was just discovered --- committed disgusting abuses 35 years ago. Our Bishop Richard Stika turned him in to the civil athorities and dismissed him immediately and permanently from any exercise of the priesthood.

And all the Catholics in the Diocese--- shocked, saddened, heart-sick --- are saying "Amen!"

But there really has been a problem on this site with people who have enthusiastically made or repeated rash judgments with little or no evidence, generalizing them indiscriminately to Catholicism as such.

The recent attempts to slime Pope Benedict, personally, have all had the character of rash judgment, calumny, and slander, as is evident to those who have taken the time and care to examine the evidence.

This offense against truth can be seen here at Free Republic, committed by not by "the many," but by a handful of toxic posters whose anger or bias has motivated them to spread foul calumnies as broadly and as rapidly as they can.

This is not directed against you, Prospero. Not at all.

I have filed these names in my brainbox and will not drawn into a dispute with them under any circumstances. It is as much as I an do to push away from the computer, go outside and pull kudzu vines, and -- through gritted teeth ---pray.