The April edition of Criminal Politics reprints, without permission, the Catholic League’s New York Times Op-Ed ad of April 5 against Disney and adds to it commentary that is anti-Jewish. Criminal Politics, which has offices in Cincinnati, Ohio and Zurich, Switzerland, begins its statement by selectively quoting from the Catholic League ad and then offers the following statement: “…Disney is now controlled by various corporate stockholders including Seagrams, Time Warner, and CBS owner Lawrence [sic] Tisch. Disney is now run by a Jewish staff, including its chairman Michael Eisner. It’s time people stood up and demanded Disney back off.”
This statement is preceded by the heading “HATE CRIME LAWS-PROTECT JEWS (NOT CHRISTIANS!)” Interestingly, the word “Christian” is twice added to the part of the commentary that selectively quotes from the ad, yet only the word “Catholic” was mentioned in the ad itself.
In a congratulatory letter to Dr. William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League, Lawrence T. Patterson, founder and publisher of Criminal Politics, complained about “our Christian traditions and morality being mocked,” adding that “All this negativism is perpetrated at the hands of the larger forces who seek to control and suppress our religious freedoms.”
Dr. Donohue responded to Mr. Patterson with the following statement, and sent a copy of this news release along as well.
Dear Mr. Patterson:
Thank you for sending a copy of Criminal Politics. Although it is nothing but a paranoid anti-Jewish publication, I would appreciate it if you would put us on your mailing list. It is my job to monitor anti-religious bigotry, and being that you are a master of this genre, I would be very disappointed if I couldn’t track your work.
Sincerely,
William A. Donohue
President
