Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments today on a decision by Apple Inc. to remove an iPhone app called the Manhattan Declaration:
The Manhattan Declaration is an authoritative statement initially signed by 148 signatories, all of them prominent Orthodox Christian, Catholic and Protestant religious leaders, affirming the sanctity of life, religious liberty and marriage (I was one of them). Released on November 20, 2009, it has since garnered upwards of a half-million signatories. Recently, Apple approved the Manhattan Declaration app, rating it 4+ (free from objectionable material). But then a petition drive by Change.org members resulted in Apple’s decision to remove the app; the complainants charged that it was “anti-gay” and “anti-choice.”
There is nothing anti-gay about affirming the traditional understanding of marriage. If that were true, everyone from President Obama to John Q. Public would be a bigot. Similarly, a position to defend the rights of the unborn is a civil rights cause in the grand tradition of that movement. Moreover, the Manhattan Declaration is wholly free of incendiary language. While anyone is free to disagree with these positions, to slap the label of bigotry on this statement is as absurd as it is offensive. Indeed, it is an insult to millions of Americans who share its sentiments.
To add insult to injury, the group behind this assault, Change.org, hosted a petition drive this week supporting the anti-Christian video that was on display at the Smithsonian. This raises the question: Is Apple comfortable taking its cues from those who defend depictions of ants crawling all over Jesus on the Cross? If so, Christians need to know, especially now that it is the Christmas season.
Contact Apple’s PR Manager, Teresa Brewer: tbrewer@apple.com
