HATE SPEECH

Lawmakers Urge SF Catholic Bishop Not To Speak At NOM’s March For Marriage Rally

cordileoneSo much for the live-and-let-live attitude attributed to Pope Francis. Salvatore J. Cordileone, the Archbishop of the very gay San Francisco, plans to be a headline speaker at a national anti-marriage rally sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and the Family Research Council, prompting 80 lawmakers, and faith and community leaders to send him a letter urging him not to go.

“NOM has a long and well-documented history of publishing material that connects homosexuality with pedophilia and incest and falsely suggests that gays and lesbians are trying to’“inculcate children,'” the letter notes.  “Likewise, the Family Research Council, which is co-sponsoring the event, has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of their vitriolic rhetoric.”

Among those signing the letter are San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. As mayor of San Francisco, Newsom starting issuing marriage certificates, leading to a favorable court ruling and then the Prop 8 campaign.

Even by the hierarchy’s standards, Cordileone is a hardliner on marriage equality. He was a leading proponent of Prop 8, and prior to the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality last year he proclaimed that it “dehumanizes” people. (Yes, giving people their rights will do that every time.)

The letter also brings Cordileone’s new boss into the argument. “We appreciate the many statements from Catholic leaders defending the human dignity of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, especially the recent words of Pope Francis: ‘If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?'” the letter said. 

The Archdiocese had no comment on the letter, which had attracted 20,000 additional signatures via online distribution. Don’t count on Cordileone changing his plans to attend the March for March next Thursday , though. All his actions up to now show that he’s right at home with the organizers.

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