Quote of the Day

The Archbishop has issued a statement in the wake of the defeat of his relentless campaign to make sure gay and lesbian citizens of Minnesota will never get equal protection of the civil marriage laws. He says “It has never been the aim of the Catholic Church to alienate anyone.”

Let me try to understand this: He wants to deprive some people of any possibility of living a socially accepted, legally sanctioned, married life, and they are not supposed to take that personally?

He initiated an eight year attack, pitting a heterosexual majority against a homosexual minority to prevent the democratic process from working in the minority’s favor. This attempt to limit marriage by constitutional definition ultimately failed on November 6, 2012. Resisting it took a tremendous expenditure of time, energy, and money. The moral cost may never be recovered. And he never meant to alienate anyone?

. . . [I]sn’t it outrageous now for the Archbishop to say in his statement that this was a normal give and take in the democratic process? He sees himself as a good citizen who has done his best in a fair and honorable contest for the common good. I think it is instead like a man who has brutally tried to cripple and rob you, coming to shake hands after he has finally failed, congratulating himself on his attempt on your life. He even says he isn’t finished with you yet. But try not to be alienated. . . .

– Paula Ruddy

"The Archbishop's Statement on His Marriage Amendment Defeat"
The Progressive Catholic Voice
November 12, 2012

See also the previous Wild Reed post:
Both 'Marriage Amendment' AND 'Voter Photo ID Amendment' Rejected by Minnesota Voters

Related Off-site Links:
A Call for Healing in Minnesota – Eric Fought (EricFought.com, November 12, 2012).
Chastened Catholic Bishops Told They Have to Reform Themselves – David Gibson (The Washington Post, November 12, 2012).
Bishops Stay Course on Gay Marriage Fight – Rachel Zoll (Associated Press via Yahoo! News, November 12, 2012).
Amendment Defeat Opens Marriage Conversation, and the Possibility That DFL-Controlled Legislature Could Discuss Same-Sex Marriage This Year – Alexi Gusso (Twin Cities Daily Planet, November 12, 2012).
Is There a Political Plan B for the Bishops? – Thomas J. Reese (National Catholic Reporter, November 11, 2012).
Pastor Mike Tegeder Challenges Archbishop Nienstedt's "Bullying Behavior" – The Progressive Catholic Voice (October 5, 2010).
Quote of the Day – The Progressive Catholic Voice (November 8, 2012).

Image: Björn Burton.