"Founded to Alleviate the Pain Caused by Bias, the Knights of Columbus Now Promotes Discrimination"

The following comments are from an article written by a former vice-president of the Knights of Columbus insurance division. The article appeared in the PORTLAND PRESS HERALD, July 30, 2012

Maine Voices: Catholic group's anti-gay marriage effort contradicts its history

Founded to alleviate the pain caused by bias, the Knights of Columbus now promotes discrimination.

By ROBERT O'KEEFE
North Waterboro, Maine

"From 2008 to 2010, the Knights of Columbus has donated more than $3 million to weaken the stability and security of gay and lesbian families by funding campaigns to deny same-sex couples the freedom to marry. I urge the Knights of Columbus to remember its history and its pro-family principles and to stop funding campaigns that write discrimination into the laws of Maine and other states."

"I am the proud father of seven wonderful sons, the youngest of whom is gay. I have enjoyed nothing more than to watch them all grow into the men, the husbands, the fathers and even the Knights they have become."

"I was saddened when I realized how much my youngest struggled to reconcile his Catholic heritage with being born gay. I struggled as well, but it was through love that I accepted and embraced him. This struggle made me a better man and father, and I will be forever grateful for that."

"I am extremely proud of the happy young man he has become and look forward to the day when I can celebrate his marriage just as I have the marriages of his older brothers."

"For 11 years, I worked for the Knights of Columbus, and before my retirement I was a vice president of the organization's insurance division."

[. . .]

I was and still am deeply proud to see the fruits of our hard work change this world for the better. This is why I was so disheartened to learn that millions of dollars raised through our insurance programs for charity were being used to fund discriminatory political campaigns.

"In 2009, the Knights of Columbus was the third-largest donor in the drive to repeal marriage equality here in Maine. The Knights of Columbus has donated more than $1 million to the National Organization for Marriage, which is now in its third year of investigation by Maine's ethics commission for allegedly violating the state's campaign-finance disclosure laws."

[. . .]

"It is certainly within the scope of the mission of the Knights of Columbus to uphold the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding marriage as an example of sacrificial love. It is also within the rights and mission of the Knights of Columbus to present in a positive light a traditional view of marriage as we have known it."

"However, we should all guard against supporting political initiatives that institutionalize discrimination in any form." 

[. . .] 

"With thoughts of my son and his struggle, I will be voting for the stability and security of all Maine families by voting for marriage equality on Nov. 6."

"States were wrong to allow discrimination against Catholic families in the 19th century, and they are wrong to discriminate against same-sex families now."

"I strongly urge the Knights of Columbus to continue its blessed tradition of charity and not divert any more of its charitable funds toward the fight against marriage equality here in Maine or anywhere else in the United States."

SOURCES:

Maine Voices: Catholic group's anti-gay marriage effort contradicts its history | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram


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