NOT COOL: Maryland Catholic Archbishop Stoking Racial Hostility to Marriage Equality // Church Gets Political

Maryland Juice recently noted that the Maryland Catholic Conference decided to promote a Tea Party rally against LGBT rights this Monday. The Metro Weekly is now reporting that the church is also stoking racial hostility to marriage equality. Their article (see excerpt below) discusses recent remarks from Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore (archbishop@archbalt.org):

On Wednesday, O'Brien put his own spin on one of the most heinous arguments put forth by social and religious conservatives -- that gay people's civil rights are an affront to black people and the rights of black people. He stammered through his divisive proclamation, saying (Catholic Review):

"We are going to be strong in upholding the institution of marriage as a bond between one man and one woman, open to life...."

"So, we will do everything that we can on our own, in conjunction with other religious groups..."

"Our African-American community, I think, is very strong on this issue as we are. And I think, to some degree, they're a little concerned to call this a matter of discrimination."

"Racial discrimination is discrimination because of the pigment of the skin [rubs back of hand]. And it can't be tolerated. But marriage goes far deeper than the pigment of the skin. It goes to the very roots of our culture. And we are in it to -- for keeps...."

"We believe that we have a strong grassroots coalition here...."

The Metro Weekly also provides video footage of Archbishop O'Brien's divisive comments:




The Maryland Catholic Church has apparently decided that it is an activist church now, but rather than embrace the modern-day version of liberation theology, they are linking up with a Dark Ages "grassroots coalition" that includes the Tea Party. Awesome.