GUEST COMMENTARY: Georgia Lawmaker Smears Archdiocese
Sunday, March 29, 2015
by Bill Donahue
March 27, 2015
Bill Donohue comments on remarks made by Georgia State Representative Jason Spencer about the Archdiocese of Atlanta:
Georgia is considering a bill, the Hidden Predator Act, that would lift the statute of limitations for two years on civil suits filed against alleged sexual abusers. It is rightly being opposed by the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations.
As Catholics have seen over and over again, when state legislatures suspend the statute of limitations, they almost never apply to the public schools, even though that is where most of the molestation occurs. Georgia is no different. So we know what the agenda is.
One of the Georgia lawmakers who favors the bill is Rep. Jason Spencer. But he is not content to voice support for it—he is waging a bigoted anti-Catholic campaign against the Atlanta archdiocese. In recent days he has repeatedly branded the archdiocese a "pro-child predator special interest group" that is part of the "child sexual predator lobby."
Rep. Spencer is a Republican conservative pro-life legislator who belongs to a Christian interdenominational church. But his Christian affiliation obviously does not stop him from promoting anti-Catholicism.
Rep. Spencer should apologize to Catholics. He should also be sanctioned by his colleagues for his bigoted remarks. Accordingly, we are contacting Spiro Amburn, Chief of Staff for House Speaker David Ralston asking for Speaker Ralston's leadership on this matter. We encourage all Catholics to do the same.