Columbia University in New York City hosted Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at a September 24 forum. The Catholic League wasted no time criticizing Columbia's decision to offer the tyrant a platform of legitimacy, citing his persecution of religious minorities. Bill Donohue debated both the Columbia dean and the Columbia professor who invited Ahmadinejad on the "Today" [...]
After a spate of anti-Catholic comments on ABC's "The View" from last fall to this summer, the show's panelists mended their ways after we placed a New York Times ad on June 12 criticizing their treatment of our faith. Since the ad ran, we noted in September's Catalyst, "the gals have been good." But on October 4, [...]
On September 21, Time ran a provocative article, "Was John Paul II Euthanized?" The piece quoted Italian intensive care specialist Dr. Lina Pavanelli, who charged that Pope John Paul II violated Catholic teaching by refusing medical care that would have prolonged his life. Pavanelli's allegations were as nonsensical as Time's understanding of Catholic teaching was ignorant. According to [...]
The CW television network premiered a new sitcom, "Aliens in America," on October 1. The show is about a family called the Tolchucks that takes in a Pakistani Muslim foreign exchange student. While the Tolchucks are portrayed as slightly dysfunctional, the Muslim boy is friendly, helpful and devout—a real joy to be around. The contrast between [...]
Bill Donohue wrote to every New York City Council member on September 19 asking for an investigation into a coalition backing the Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA), a New York City public school billed as an "Arabic-themed" institution. The coalition, "Communities in Support of KGIA," formed following the August 10 resignation of the school's first principal, [...]
