Posted on 10/23/2002 3:54:41 PM PDT by Weimdog
Politics and religion are divisive topics, so it's not surprising that the marriage of the two in campaign signs proclaiming "Catholics for Coleman'' is stirring controversy in Minnesota.
Catholic officials are worried that the signs, popping up around Duluth and other Minnesota cities, imply that the church is endorsing Republican Senate candidate Norm Coleman.
The signs are part of a new Republican strategy to capture Catholic voters and stem from a Republican National Committee program called United in Faith, said Bill Walsh, executive director of the Minnesota Republican Party.
Similar strategies and signs could be expected from the GOP heading into the 2004 presidential campaign, he said.
Some Catholic supporters of Coleman, who is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone, say the signs merely reflect the views of those who display them and not all members of their faith.
Dale Nau, a priest and spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Duluth, said he was troubled that the church wasn't consulted before the signs were distributed.
"I wish there would have been some information given out, but there was no contact here, and certainly, no one ever asked permission," Nau said.
Walsh called the signs "bold" and said that because the strategy is new, people probably are not used to it.
"We certainly don't want to imply in any way that the Catholic Church has endorsed Norm Coleman," he said.
That's the way Republican Andy Larson, a Catholic and a Duluthian, saw it.
Larson has two of the signs in his yard and has been distributing others — along with buttons and bumper stickers that carry the same message — to other like-minded Catholics, he said.
"I thought the wording was careful enough not to mislead, but I can see the point some people are making," he said.
Still, Larson said, he was standing by the signs because he approves of Coleman's position on issues ranging from opposition to abortion to support for tax credits.
Nau, the Duluth Diocese spokesman, remains troubled that the signs may mislead voters. He noted that federal tax laws prohibit certain nonprofit organizations — including churches — from political activities, such as offering endorsements.
"What we can do is talk about issues, and we can urge voters to take their moral convictions with them when they go into the voting booths to select candidates," Nau said.
Tony Pucci, communications manager for the Minnesota Catholic Conference in St. Paul, said he had received calls from clergy around the state concerned about the signs.
The conference represents all six Roman Catholic dioceses in Minnesota, including the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, on public policy issues.
"This is not an officially sanctioned action by the church, and we haven't had any contact with the party on this," Pucci said. "We don't ever get involved in election issues related to specific parties, so it's troubling for us because perception becomes reality and we all get dragged down into this."
That the church is endorsing a candidate was exactly the impression Duluthian James Sjolie got when he first saw the blue-and-white lawn signs, which are modeled after Coleman's.
"It certainly gives the impression that the Catholic Church wants you to vote for Coleman," Sjolie said.
"It makes you wonder who us Lutherans are supposed to vote for."
But that wasn't the intended effect of the signs, Walsh said. The GOP also has printed signs with messages like "Democrats for Coleman" and "Sportsmen for Coleman."
Those aren't meant to imply that all people in those broad groups support Coleman, he said.
"We certainly don't want to imply in any way that the Catholic Church has endorsed Norm Coleman," he said.
Jamie Nilles, a spokeswoman for Coleman's campaign, said they were aware of the signs but not responsible for actions taken on the candidate's behalf by the Republican Party.
The Church didn't need to be consulted.
"I wish there would have been some information given out, but there was no contact here, and certainly, no one ever asked permission," Nau said.
Permission wasn't needed. The signs don't say that the diocese endorses the candidate. I certainly hope Nau isn't attempting to deny those Catholics who do support Coleman their free will.
He may be troubled, but too bad. Does he think that "Democrats for Bush" needed to get permission from Al Gore before forming their organization?
. . . and those laws would be mooted--quite properly so--by a flat tax without charitable deductions.The "Wall of Seperation" which liberals desire is a barrier to Christian influence on government. A wall which prevents any Christian from practicing his/her faith while executing a government-funded function. That sort of wall would prevent a Catholic school from being paid by the government for educating a child to the satisfaction of that child's parents.
That sort of wall is the exact opposite of the intent of the First Amendment limitation on government influence on religion. The Supreme Court was right to rule that that sort of wall is not in the Constitution.
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.