Setting off a new round in his dispute with gay rights activists, Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George has issued a statement defending his recent comparison of the gay rights movement to the Ku Klux Klan.
George’s initial comments came in connection with a controversy over whether next summer’s gay pride parade would interrupt morning services at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in the Lakeview neighborhood. That dispute was resolved last week, but the cardinal’s KKK comparison — and his new explanation of those comments — brought the controversy back to boil.
“Organizers (of the pride parade) invited an obvious comparison to other groups who have historically attempted to stifle the religious freedom of the Catholic Church,” the cardinal said in a statement issued Tuesday. “One such organization is the Ku Klux Klan which, well into the 1940s, paraded through American cities not only to interfere with Catholic worship but also to demonstrate that Catholics stand outside of the American consensus. It is not a precedent anyone should want to emulate.”
Gay rights groups on Wednesday said George was expressing “bigotry” and needs to apologize and resign.
“The Cardinal is obviously avoiding the calls for his resignation and apology,” said Anthony Martinez, executive director of The Civil Rights Agenda, in a statement. He “not only lays the blame for his comments squarely on the parade organizers … but he does not take responsibility for his brazen and hurtful words.”
As it happens, George is expected to submit a resignation letter to the Vatican next month because he is turning 75, the age at which all bishops are expected to offer to retire. However, popes generally do not accept such resignations when first submitted.
In October, the route and time of the pride parade were changed to accommodate larger crowds. The start was changed from noon to 10 a.m., and the new route went past Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Church officials later objected, arguing that the parade would interrupt morning services. Last Wednesday, an agreement was reached to move the start time back to noon.
Meanwhile, George was interviewed by the Fox Chicago television station. He said: “You know, you don’t want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism. So I think if that’s what’s happening, and I don’t know that it is, but I would respect the local pastor’s, you know, position on that.”
When excerpts from the interview were disclosed last week, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said people should view the entire interview, which aired on Fox on Christmas. In an email Wednesday, the archdiocese declined any further comment on George’s new statement.
“As a faith leader, he should bring people together, not divide us with hurtful and offensive language,” said Tico Valle, CEO of Center on Halsted, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center. “The cardinal needs to apologize for his disrespectful statements, not stand by them.”
While the cardinal defended his Klan comparison Tuesday, he also wrote: “It is terribly wrong and sinful that gays and lesbians have been harassed and subjected to psychological and even physical harm.”
Joe Murray, executive director for the Rainbow Sash Movement, said George’s new statement was an attempt to have it both ways.
“It’s schizoid,” Murray said. “You can’t say on one hand that you love people and on the other hand condemn them for who they are.”
