Activist Organizations November 28 The Anti-Defamation League advised government officials on the placement of religious symbols on public grounds. One of the matters explained by ADL was “Choosing appropriate holiday symbols to decorate school grounds—among them Christmas trees, menorahs, reindeers, and snowmen.” Christian displays did not make the cut. December Section, CT – The Connecticut Valley [...]
January 7 New York, NY – Two 20-year-olds and an 18-year-old were arrested for allegedly stealing statues of the Baby Jesus from nativity scenes over a two-year period. Police said they would not charge them with hate crimes; the three were each charged with 14 counts of petty larceny. Around the same time, a 20-year-old was charged [...]
This cartoon questions whether presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon faith would hinder his campaign. The Blessed Mother and God the Father are satirized, but the depiction of Jesus, relaxing on the sofa in a crown of thorns and bearing the stigmata, is the most vile. (New York Post, December 7) This cartoon gives a sick twist [...]
Over the summer, the Catholic League started hearing about an upcoming film called “The Golden Compass.” The film was to be based on the first book of a trilogy called His Dark Materials written by British children’s author Philip Pullman. Though we were not familiar with the trilogy, we heard whispers in the blogosphere that the books were [...]
Every year there is an issue that absorbs a disproportionate amount of Catholic League resources, and in 2006 that issue clearly was "The Da Vinci Code." While many organizations from several faith communities objected to the film, no group did more to get the word out about the movie's lies than the Catholic League. It was [...]
January 16 Madison, WI — The Freedom From Religion Foundation posted on its website the following question about the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court: "Are you aware that if nominee Samuel Alito is named to the U.S. Supreme Court, there will be five members—a majority—who are radical, right-wing Roman Catholic?" February 13 Indianapolis, IN [...]
February 2 New York, NY — The Forum Gallery displayed a painting titled "Bread Shine," which depicted several tiny figures engaged in sex acts beneath an industrial breadbox. A figure of Christ was attached to the breadbox as a decal. The painting was one of 30 by Gregory Gillespie that were displayed at the gallery. March 23 [...]
March 10 Watonga, OK — A priest phoned and e-mailed the Catholic League to inform us that a prisoner at Diamondback Correctional Facility was suing the facility's parent company, the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The prisoner, a Catholic, claimed he was not receiving meatless meals on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. After the Catholic League [...]
This cartoon by Domineck Scudera falsely accuses the pope of teaching hatred toward gays. (Philadelphia Gay News, December 29, 2006-January 4, 2007). Almost five years after the sex abuse scandal, some continue to attack the Catholic Church, including cartoonist Monte Wolverton. (Sandusky Register [OH], December 21, 2006). Cartoonist Pat Oliphant wasted no time [...]
January Shelburne, VT — A pamphlet from Child Lures Prevention that educates parents, teachers and students about violence against children included, as a symbol of hate, the Chi-Rho. Christians frequently use the Chi-Rho as a monogram for Jesus (it is created by combining "X" and "P," the first two letters in the Greek word for Christ.) The [...]
