The decision of a suburban San Diego Catholic Church, St. Peter’s in Fallbrook, to welcome day laborers has unleashed an anti-Catholic response on the part of the San Diego Minutemen (an independent Minuteman group). We have asked for all parties to the dispute to exercise civility. Unfortunately, some of our critics are now unleashing their own hate-filled screeds. Herewith is a sample of the invective that has reached our office:
· “I’d be putting a mine field on the border—warn them of course and then do it.”
· “You compound your embarrassing blindness by attacking the messengers of these facts with petty name calling, and even go so far as to call for a ‘Catholic Jihad’ against those who are concerned about the impact that these very real issues will have….”
· “I don’t understand how the Catholic League can support a church that is harboring felons.”
· “I am also very angry that you’re issuing your news releases in Spanish! Why does the Catholic League need to explain itself to these people!”
· “South America and Mexico are pushing on my country and as an American citizen…It is against the law for churches to help day labor services because of the separation of church and state.”
· “By this sweeping and arrogant elitist attack on the people who oppose the illegal invasion of our country from the south, you are putting yourself in the same league with the overwhelming leftist, gay-friendly, California Amchurch hierarchy which hopes to replenish its dwindling flocks with illegal Mexicans.”
· “I also wanted to register my total shock and annoyance at your first-time ever, as far as I’m aware, use of Spanish as if it were incumbent on Catholics to explain to Mexicans in America in their language various situations as opposed to them learning, understanding and speaking English.”
Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:
“Fair criticism of the Catholic Church’s position on any public policy issue is welcomed. This kind of nativism is not.”
