In their recent call for a "Fortnight of Freedom," the bishops (and, presumably, the Anglophiles who just love the way they write) vowed acts of civil disobedience to protest the mandate that insurance companies provide free contraceptive coverage. I wasn't sure what that sort of civil disobedience would look like, but The Hill reports that it could take the form of priests and nuns being led away in handcuffs from President Obama's public events:

This is the most dynamic situation Ive ever seen since Ive been involved in Catholics and politics, said Deal Hudson, president of Catholic Advocate, who also headed Catholic outreach for the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in 2000 and 2004. I think civil disobedience is almost inevitable. I think that kind of protest is on the way.Republican strategists say the rallies and protests could become powerfully symbolic in the presidential election.These would be devastating images for the Obama administration, said Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist. You have a very important religious demographic coming out in protest of Obamas policies and being arrested for their expression. These images would be politically damaging for the presidents campaign.And the conference could go beyond protests it has also discussed working with evangelical Christian groups on a broader public relations campaign that could include television and radio ads.

The rest here.

David Gibson is the director of Fordham’s Center on Religion & Culture.

Also by this author

Most Recent

© 2024 Commonweal Magazine. All rights reserved. Design by Point Five. Site by Deck Fifty.