MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough of “Morning Joe,” this morning hosted a segment on the Obama administration’s recent decision requiring all businesses owned by religious entities, such as a university owned by the Catholic Church, to provide to their employees free contraception services — just as all other businesses are required to do by law. The ruling would not apply to religious institutions directly, rather, to their affiliates and businesses they own or operate.
Joe Scarborough, after the segment ran this morning, wrote via Twitter, “I’m not Catholic but I must say I am stunned by the open bigotry shown toward people of the Catholic faith.”
What an incredibly mind-boggling statement, especially for a journalist, to write.
What an incredible twisting of facts.
Even the New York Times last week finally put the false concept of abused “religious liberty” where it belongs.
Religious liberty does not apply to those who would attempt to take away the rights of minorities. If the Catholic Church wants to implement a program for its members, fine. But they do not have the right to imprint their ancient beliefs on the masses, and use their vast fortunes to do so.
If the Catholic Church says it will not marry same-sex couples, that’s fine. But it’s not fine for the Catholic Church — or any religious institution — to attempt to remove that right from same-sex couples at the secular level. In other words, civil marriage should not be a target of the Church. Yet, it is.
In other words, “religious liberty” does not mean you get the right to apply your beliefs on me.
Does Scarborough not see the blatant open bigotry infused into society by the Catholic Church?
Perhaps Scarborough is unaware of the efforts by the Catholic Church, up to and including the pope, directly, to interfere with American democracy and attempt to prevent gays and lesbians the right to marry?
Joe Scarborough’s willful ignorance and open bigotry against those who are not of faith is stunning.
And shameful.