James Loney and Religious Freedoms
June 21, 2006 · By Peter Rempel
Via Matthew, we learn that James Loney, formerly a person deserved of both sympathy and respect but now only sympathy, will be holding a press conference tomorrow in order to “inform the public“:
Loney, who spent four months in captivity in Iraq before being rescued in March, kept his homosexuality secret from his abductors. Upon returning to Canada, Loney introduced his romantic partner, Dan Hunt.
Days later, the chairman of the Knights of Columbus Ontario State Council — which funds the Ontario Catholic Youth Leadership Camp — expressed concerns to the camp’s director that it would promote a homosexual lifestyle, making specific reference to Loney, the former hostage said yesterday.
An over-reaction on the part of the Knights of Columbus? Perhaps. I personally think that gay activists are pissed that the Catholic group responsible did not instead keep the camp open and fire Loney, leading to a human rights challenge and a Vriend-like judicial debacle. Remember: Gay interest groups are always looking for the next pawn to use in their litigation strategies.
Anyway: Over-reaction or not is beside the point. I personally think that going to confession each week is a bit of an over-reaction. But Catholics have the freedom to do so and I, like most other people, respect that freedom. Just like the Knights of Columbus group has the freedom to close this camp…For whatever reason it chooses.
Will people disagree with the decision? Sure. Loney, quickly gaining a deft handle on the left’s demo tactics and arsenal of intimidating words, has labeled the action, “an act of discrimination that impoverishes the Catholic community as a whole.” Whatever. The important thing is that we recognize that the Knights have the freedom to do what they just did.
Surely it’s a small concession to religious Canadians from the gay community after a week solid of public obscenity in Toronto.
Update: Shaidle is hosting a long conversation on Loney.
I agree. If the Catholics want to close the camp down because of their convictions, then let them. It is too bad, though, that the kids who would have went to the camp are now going to be out of luck. Summer camps are fantastic!
I just hope that the kids who went and like having Matthew as a camp director see closing the camp for what it is - a way to avoid fessing up that Matthew was a good man - rather than what it isn’t - a way to show that Matthew was not a good man.
Ironically, the small concession is not a concession at all. I doubt you would see Matthew on a float in his underpants in a gay parade. The Catholics turned their back on the type of homosexual they want to see… the quiet, giving, peace loving camp councellor kind, and in the process they had to close down a positive space for kids to enjoy camping.
I guess the only kind of homosexual the Catholic church wants to welcome are those who diddle little boys in boarding schools from behind their robes.