Rhode Island, one of the most Roman Catholic-y of all American states, is a place where you mustn’t ignore the “lashing out” of men dressed up in costume who believe the earth is 6,000 years old. So new Gov. Lincoln Chaffee, who called for the legalization of same-sex marriage last week, and was met with the introduction of a House bill soon thereafter, must answer to Bishop Thomas J. Tobin (pictured) deriding the governor’s plan to bring down family values or blah blah blah. But don’t worry, Chaffee still has our backs.
“It is particularly disturbing that our new governor, who has trumpeted his desire to bring our state together in unity, would adopt such a very divisive agenda item as one of his first priorities,” said Tobin on Friday. “His proposal violates the sincere conscience of many of our citizens and inflames passions on both sides of the issue. … Our state leaders could better serve all Rhode Islanders by working on initiatives that will create jobs and improve the overall economic health of our state.”
Responds Chaffee, an Episcopalian: “The status quo economically is not working. Our foundation here in Rhode Island was built on tolerance and acceptance, and this is an area I want to move our state forward on, by building on our strengths of centuries ago. Let’s give marriage equality a chance to grow our state.”
To which I’m sure he concluded with, in invisible ink, “BOO-YAH.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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John
Good for the Guv. In fairness though, the Catholic Church doesn’t hold to a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, nor does it teach that the Earth is mere a 6,000 years old. Now some rad-trad Catholics do even though the Church itself does not, and of course there are a plethora of Protestant fundie sects that do.
McMike
Wow, another closeted gay man, albeit a priest, is anti-gay.
Go f’n figure.
Steve
Rhode Island was founded by people who wanted to get away from a theocracy and Puritan nutjobs in Massachusetts.
Cam
So an all male, celebate organization, that is currently suffering under massive amounts of bad P.R. in the U.S. for child molestation, in Ireland for the near slavery and abusive conditions young girls were held in it’s string of MAgdeline Houses, and for more child molestations in Holland, Germany, etc…
Wants to lecture the Gov. of Rhode Island on doing something divisive and violations of Conscience?!?
robert in NYC
These vile roman cultists among others ought to clean up their own filthy houses instead of meddling in what is a civil matter. The cults don’t own civil marriage and the sooner they get that through their inpenetrable thick skulls the better. Who do they think they are anyway? Its tough titty for them if it offends their religious beliefs. Civil marriage has nothing do with religion last time I checked, nor is their a mandatory requirement to procreate for the sake of it. No wonder there is so much anticatholic sentiment in this country and elsewhere. It brings it on itself by trying to impose its will on the rest of society many of whom aren’t catholic. So I say to the cults, STFU and go do some work for the poor and down-trodden for a change and while you’re at it, sell all you have and give to the poor in keeping with Jesus Christ’s message.
Kurt
Ya know, if you actually read the Governor’s and the Bishop’s statements, both are a lot more moderate and civil than expected.