The American Spectator : The Hits Just Keep Coming

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The Hits Just Keep Coming

By Lisa Fabrizio on 6.3.09 @ 6:07AM

The state of Connecticut exacts its revenge on religious believers.

Having returned to these fair shores after an overseas trip, the end of which culminated in a total of 13 hours of flight time, it was with a general sense of relief and peace that I betook myself a seat in my favorite pew in my local parish for Mass last Sunday. But, as has too often happened in the past few months, examples of our Lord’s predictions of persecution and calumny against those who believe in him came true once again as our learned pastor took to the pulpit to address us.

It seems that our Diocese of Bridgeport -- which in March was forced to marshal the faithful to defend itself from unconstitutional government interference -- was notified by the Connecticut Office of State Ethics that it is under investigation for possible violations of the state’s lobbying laws. This of course is nothing less than the vindictive retribution by an entity whose leadership has become as anti-religious a nest of vipers as our Lord ever encountered. But our courageous bishop, William E. Lori, is not taking this lying down and has filed an injunction in Federal Court to end this harassment. In a letter to the faithful, he laid out the facts:

Following the surprise introduction of Bill 1098, a proposal that singled out Catholic parishes and would have forced them to reorganize contrary to Church law and the First Amendment, our Diocese responded in the most natural, spontaneous, and frankly, American, of ways: we alerted our membership -- in person and through our website; we encouraged them to exercise their free speech by contacting their elected representatives; and, we organized a rally at the State Capitol. How can this possibly be called lobbying?

He then delivered the kind of rebuke that should warm the hearts of freedom-lovers everywhere:

This cannot possibly be what our Legislature had in mind when it sought to bring more transparency and oversight to a legislative process that has been corrupted by special interests and back-room deals. If it is, then it should shock the conscience of all citizens of the Constitution State.

The State of Connecticut, like so many other American governmental bodies that deliberately obscure their statutes with lawyerly twaddle, basically defines lobbying as those who spend over $2,000 in any year to: "communicate directly or solicit others to communicate with any official or his staff in the legislative or executive branch of government or in a quasi-public agency, for the purpose of influencing any legislative or administrative action…" There are of course exceptions; one of which is unsurprisingly granted to members of the media.

So in other words, if you, dear taxpayer, were to have the audacity to be offended at the next usurpation of your constitutionally guaranteed liberties by your betters in government, and decided to organize your fellow ungrateful citizens into a letter-writing campaign, and if the cost of this exceeded two grand, you too might be the subject of government retribution. Welcome to the Constitution State!

The point of all this is that in the continuing war between church and state, governments -- which in the words of our Declaration of Independence are sending "swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance" --are counting on the servile acquiescence of the governed to severely curb our religious freedom. And sadly, it is working.

Colleges and universities, once the bastions of independent thinking and free speech, are now the home to the most stifling rules and regulations punishing the exercise of same.

Private citizens too have been muzzled both socially; bowing to politically correct admonitions never to discuss religion or politics in public, and governmentally; by the soon to be enacted "hate crime" legislation.

Of course, those who hate religion in general and the Catholic Church in particular will attempt to howl her into submission by endlessly reviving the so-called "pedophile priest" issue; as if the sins of a few should render the whole body illegitimate. Were this rule similarly applied to the rest of our society, the halls of Congress themselves would also fall silent. Not a bad thought, actually.

Yet, in view of the continuing assaults on our religious freedom, one has to doubt if this country could have been founded at all in light of today's standards. Many were the fiery speeches delivered from pulpits in support of American Independence, based on the natural law. One also wonders if clergyman like the Rev. Martin Luther King and others who organized marches in favor of civil rights would today be considered lobbyists. Or what, if any, action should be taken against the many black churches that actively welcome politics and politicians to their lecterns; the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and friends here come to mind.

To take this to the next level, how long will it be before we will see rabbis and pastors across the land become fearful of exercising not only their religious freedom, but their sacred right of free speech as Americans to express their opposition or support for pending legislation. This is already underway in Canada and will probably, like government healthcare, soon speed southward.

We who love the disappearing U.S. Constitution do so in part because--unlike the Declaration which uses lofty language addressed to the whole world--its meanings are clearly spelled out in words that did and still should speak to American hearts and minds. Words like these that should continue to inspire all future American "lobbyists":

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

topics:
Religious Freedom, Catholic Church

About the Author

Lisa Fabrizio is a columnist who hails from Connecticut (mailbox@lisafab.com).

Letter to the Editor View all comments (24) | Leave a comment

Marc Jeric| 6.3.09 @ 7:05AM

The marxist attack on our country is in full swing. Proclaiming that freedom of assembly and petition of grievances is a form of lobbying subject to fines and imprisonment is one of the basic characteristics of naziism and communism. All communications not pre-approved or issued by the government are illegal - and the Fairness Doctrine in waiting will enforce that.

Doorgunner| 6.3.09 @ 7:23AM

BAN DAVID MATHEWS

Dean| 6.3.09 @ 7:59AM

From the original Jeremiah:

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
in an uninhabited salty land.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
But I, the Lord, search all hearts
and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
according to what their actions deserve.”

From the Book of Jeremiah (from the Bible), chapter 17, New Living Translation

Melvin| 6.3.09 @ 8:01AM

David Mathews you surprise me in your hypocrisy. Pedophilia being part of the Gay Rights movement with such organizations as NAMBLA have been major supporters and contributers to the Democrat Party for years now.
Nancy Pelosi who advocates all types of abortion is a Catholic and even gained an audience with the Pope.
Ted Kennedy an ardent Catholic leaves a young woman to die a horrible death by drowning a nary a peep from you is there?
Your hypocrisy is nothing new, Democrats have fine tuned it to a virtual art form these days.

Ryan| 6.3.09 @ 8:28AM

The current administration is coming ridiculously close to saying that a simple call or letter to a Congressperson is "lobbying."

Jeff | 6.3.09 @ 8:54AM

Davie Boy,

Once again you display what a fool you are. Have you not realized that No One Likes You?

John Navratil| 6.3.09 @ 9:33AM

Just a thought!

Why not reply to the troll through his email box? It helps keep the blog clean and somewhat on topic, allows everyone to take a swipe at the pinata, and maybe clogs his in-box.

John Navratil| 6.3.09 @ 9:35AM

OOPS! Bad thought. You would either have to spoof your identity or publish your email to the troll. Forget I said it.

GrimJack| 6.3.09 @ 9:51AM

Mr. Matthews,

I would have to agree with you that Melvin is a teabagger since he teabagged you right after you intellectually passed out. Now you know what that funny taste in your mouth is.

Regards

Jack| 6.3.09 @ 10:01AM

Please ban David Mathews.

So, are we to continue to see ad hominem attacks and name calling to every disagreeable post. Gay slurs? AS, you dissapoint me.

macdaddy| 6.3.09 @ 10:02AM

With obvious First Amendment issues at stake, perhaps one of our esteemed Senators could ask Judge Sotomayor what her views on this are. I realize that she will never be asked about it and I realize that if by some miracle she was she'd lie and say that the Church was protected by the First Amendment, but I can dream can't I?

Linda B.| 6.3.09 @ 10:29AM

This article is important no matter what your religion is...it is about free speech. You may not like the Catholic religion, but many people who participate in it are and were very pious and have done much for others - Mother Theresa, Padre Pio, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, Blessed Damien who spent 16 years working with the lepers on Molokai and died from the disease and so many more. These people lived their faith, but this is much more than defaming a religion. It is about the ability to speak about what you believe in or to correct information or to criticize your government. This applies to all of us and not just to one church or religion. This is the focus.

Sean Parnell| 6.3.09 @ 10:36AM

This sort of thing is part and parcel of the so-called "reform" movement - pass "ethics" legislation to get "big money" and "special interests" out of politics, then use those laws to intimidate, harass, and punish those who dare to become meddlesome in the affairs of government.

Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics

Gill O’Teen ✝✡| 6.3.09 @ 11:06AM

obumassiah and his remoras are simply demonstrating an even handed approach to defeating the U.S. Constitution. Instead of attacking just one of our Freedoms, this would give us a chance to organize in protest, the plan is to attack all of them simultaneously. A pure example of divide and conquer.

Tim| 6.3.09 @ 11:48AM

Has Connecticut indicted this website yet?

Francis Beckwith| 6.3.09 @ 12:00PM

"But if that crime isn't enough, the Catholic church has at least a million more skeletons in its closet. The Catholic church is one bloody religion."

Absolutely false, Mr. Matthews. Everything today that you take for granted--from hospitals, orphanages, universities, the sciences, etc.--are the consequence of the Church and the principles it put in place and protected through the centuries.

Whenever atheists and unbelievers have "succeeded" it has always been on the stolen capital of the Church.

Let me encourage you to read the real history on these matters. My colleague, Rodney Start, has done a magnificent job in making this case. His book, For the Glory of God (Princeton U. Press), would be a nice place to start.

Tony in Central PA| 6.3.09 @ 12:58PM

We have such a distracted and apathetic population these days, I can envision our freedoms disappearing within a generation.

1Freeman| 6.3.09 @ 1:01PM

BAN DAVID MATHEWS and his IP ADDRESS!

Is there no moderation on this board!!!

David J| 6.3.09 @ 1:46PM

Great article. Now, about David Matthews - if everyone would ignore him, after a couple weeks or less he will be gone... or just maybe he will grow up (someday).
Who couldn't forgive a child who's afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy in life is watching an adult who's afraid of the light.

David J| 6.3.09 @ 1:49PM

Move to Florida or Texas.

brutus| 6.3.09 @ 1:51PM

Ya think ACORN spent more than 2 G's in Conneticut over last election cycle?

hopesome| 6.3.09 @ 2:23PM

WHAT DID THE LORD SAY TO THE 'SYNAGOGUE' (SENATE)

CLEAN OUT YOUR HOUSE

When you sweep with a new broom there will always be those who object having to 'knuckle' under.

I would welcome the new moves , it seems though that being a christian makes you head for the persecution card as usual!

hopesome| 6.5.09 @ 6:21AM

True Religion! Jeans

Truth is something we should all be seeking, not someone elses, not anothers view, not anothers way, but our own. Some refuse to, some find the 'task' to much trouble and therefore ride on the backs of others, some preferr to just stand on the sidelines and mock, some refuse to listen when the voice of hope speaks into 'deaths' call to arms.

IT TAKES COURAGE TO STEP OUT OF THE BOAT

DO YOU HAVE ANY

OR DO YOU NOT HAVE THE RIGHT PAIR OF 'JEANS'

Dennis D| 6.6.09 @ 3:20PM

This is not about the pedophile homosexual problem experienced by the Catholic Church. This is an issue about Free Speech and Separation of Church and State. Why do homosexuals attempt to change the subject?