Obama Supports LGBT Rights in UN Speech - Will the Catholic Church Declare War on Him?

As the National Journal and other news outlets are reporting, President Obama addressed the United Nations today on the issue of pursuing peace and prosperity for all of the world's citizens. In the speech, Obama made special reference to the need for countries to stop persecuting their LGBT citizens:

"And to make sure our societies reach their potential, we must allow our citizens to reach theirs. . . . . No country should deny people their rights, the freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but also no country should deny people their rights because of who they love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere."

Remarks such as this one are not sitting well with the protectors and enablers of child rapists in the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy. In the forefront of those condemning Obama and accusing him of "not protecting children" and "undermining the family" because of his pro-LGBT policies is the corpulent Archbishop of New York City, Timothy Dolan (has the man ever missed a meal or heard of the sin of gluttony?). As if Dolan and his morally bankrupt fellow bishops and cardinals (and yes, the current Pope) in the Church hierarchy have any business lecturing anyone about failing to protect children and families. They pretty much wrote the book on how to aid and abet child abuse. Indeed, many of them belong behind bars. Alvin McEwen raises the question of whether Dolan and the institutional Catholic Church are on the verge of declaring war on Obama. Here are some excerpts from Alvin's piece on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Exposing the Lies of the Anti-Gay Industry:

NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan has sent a letter to President Obama claiming that he is alarmed about recent actions by the President's administration that supposedly "escalate the threat to marriage and imperil the religious freedom of those who promote and defend marriage."

These "threats" named by Dolan are positions made by the Obama Administration to ensure lgbtq equality. They include:

1. The Justice Department no longer defending DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) and raising questions about the law's constitutionality.

2. The Obama Administration supporting the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in foster care and adoption placement

3. Sexual orientation sensitivity training for federal employees

4. The repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Dolan claims that these actions undermine what he calls the "natural family:"

In [light] of how the Catholic Church is suspected of funding the National Organization for Marriage - an organization attempting to stomp out marriage equality in all 50 states - and the fact that next year is an election year, one would be dumb no to take Dolan's words as a threat.

I think Dolan is dangerously stuck in the past. We no longer live in the time of the Middle Ages where government decisions had to be agreed upon by the Catholic Church before they are made.

The laws of this country are governed by the Constitution, not papal authority. No one elected Dolan to public office and he has no standing - other than that of an ordinary American citizen - to demand that the President reverse his standing on DOMA or any other law.

Dolan forgets that he does not live a theocracy, but a secular country which is home to many different people with many different religious beliefs. And also different families.

Not every family has the mother and father dynamic but that does not make them inferior to those who do. All families which provide love and support to their children should be embraced and supported. That's the most obscene thing about Dolan's letter. It sends a message to those families in existence who do not embrace the mother and father dynamic that they are inferior.

Personally, I believe that Dolan needs to shut his porcine mouth and stay out of politics. And if he and other bishops fail to do so - and if it turns out that the Catholic Church is bank rolling NOM - then the Church's tax-exempt status needs to be revoked immediately. Just think of the new tax revenues that could go towards deficit reduction without touching tax rates. The GOP ought to love the idea - if, of course, it's serious about deficit reduction.