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Gay Newspaper Identifies Blessed Bigotry as Gods Rottweiler
Attacks Gay Marriage and Priests
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2005 draws to a close, many media
outlets will announce their selections for person of the year. In past years,
the Washington Blade editors have selected a Story of the Year instead. This
year, the Story of the Year was, in the Washington Blades view, the
extraordinary efforts of one individual to not only put a halt to the
acceptance of gay people legally and within the mainstream culture, but to
roll back such acceptance to an earlier, less tolerant and more discriminatory
time.
In a story released in tomorrows year-end issue, writer Dyana Bagby
writes "Presiding over what some describe as the strongest bully pulpit in
the world, Pope Benedict XVI, just eight months into his tenure, has
unilaterally targeted gays as moral threats to society."
From banning gay priests to publicly lobbying against legal recognition
for gay couples in Spain and Italy, the Washington Blade reports Pope Benedict
XVI has aggressively lobbied against gay rights across the globe.
"His rhetoric is obscene. He wants gays clearly taken care of -- its
almost like the Final Solution," said Kara Speltz, a Catholic lesbian activist
for Soulforce, an organization dedicated to ending anti-gay discrimination
within all religions.
For 20 years, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger served under Pope John Paul II
before being elected the 265th pope on April 19.
During that tenure, Ratzinger authored some of the Vaticans most anti-gay
rhetoric, including a 1986 Vatican letter calling homosexuality "an intrinsic
moral evil" and a 2003 battle plan instructing Catholic politicians to oppose
gay marriage and gay adoptions.
Dubbed "Gods rottweiler" and "the enforcer" long before taking the helm
of the church that boasts a billion members worldwide, Benedicts fervent
approach to gay and other social issues is an intentional one meant to
influence public policy, according to Chester Gillis, chair of the theology
department at Georgetown University.
"He knows very well the kind of claims he makes have political
implications. He intends for them to have political implications," Gillis
said. "He wants to influence public policy in numerous places in the world and
hopefully sway the powers that be to his side, especially on so-called social
issues."
For more on this story:
http://www.washblade.com/2005/12-23/news/national/bigotry.cfm. Outlets may
also use the graphic accompanying this story.
Contact: William Waybourn
Waybourn@window-media.com
(202) 797-7000 x230
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