People of Faith CT

Minister to K of C: Stop Inciting Hate
by Melissa Bailey | October 30, 2008
New Haven Independent

A Westville church is taking on the Knights of Columbus for boosting an anti-gay marriage initiative on next Tuesday’s ballot.

Rev. Sharon Miller (pictured), who directs the social justice committee at New Haven’s Metropolitan Community Church, has drafted a letter calling for Christians to speak out against the Knights’ funding in support of ballot initiatives designed to turn back same-sex marriage.

The influential worldwide Catholic fraternal organization has its international headquarters in downtown New Haven, in the Tootsie Roll-shaped tower at Church and George streets.

“Jesus communed with the marginalized,” said Miller, who recently graduated from the Yale Divinity School. “Why are we taking marginalized [people], and creating and inciting hate against them?”

On Oct. 10 Connecticut became the third state in the U.S. to legalize gay marriage, after Massachusetts and California. Now, in next Tuesday’s elections, the K of C is playing a starring role in the campaign to undo the decisions in Connecticut and California, which were made by Supreme Court justices.

The New Haven-based Knights have helped fund TV ads urging a yes vote on Question #1 on the Connecticut ballot, which calls for a constitutional convention. The convention could pave the way eventually for a voter referendum repealing same-sex marriage. (Click here for a back story explaining the process.)

The international group is also the single largest contributor in support of California’s Proposition 8, which would ban gay marriage in that state. The Knights donated $1.4 million to support that measure, according to the Associated Press.

The Knights of Columbus got involved in Connecticut’s ballot question after the state’s highest court legalized gay marriage, Knights spokesman Pat Korten said Wednesday.

“The Court made a decision without the people,” said Korten. His group believes marriage should be between a man and a woman: Heterosexual marriage “provides the optimal setting for conceiving children, allowing them to be born and raised in a family with a loving parents,” he said. “Every child deserves a father and a mother.”

After the Oct. 10 landmark court decision, the Catholic Bishops of Connecticut came out with a public statement in support of a convention:

“The Catholic Bishops of Connecticut and the Connecticut Catholic Conference are extremely disappointed in this close 4-3 decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court which imposes the recognition of same-sex marriage upon the people of Connecticut,” reads the message from the Catholic Bishops. “This decision is in direct conflict with the position of our state legislature and courts of other states and is a terribly regrettable exercise in judicial activism… Therefore, we will be calling on the Catholic people of our state to vote ‘Yes’ for a Constitutional Convention and the right of referendum on Election Day.”

Upon hearing that statement, the Knights of Columbus decided to get involved, said Korten. The group sent an email its members in Connecticut “indicating we have endorsed the bishops’ statement, and asking our members to support the constitutional convention.”

The K of C has spent money on new TV ads calling for a constitutional convention. (Click on the play arrow to see the ad.) Small print at the end of the ad shows it was funded by the Connecticut Catholic Conference.

The Knights of Columbus were partial funders of the TV ads, Korten said. He and Connecticut Catholic Conference’s Executive Director Michael Culhane both declined to say how much was spent. State campaign filings likely won’t be available until after the election.

Lobbying from the Catholic groups quickly gained more prominence than that of grassroots activists. John Woodcock from the Constitutional Convention Campaign, said his issue-neutral group did not have funding for TV ads — just lawn signs. He said he’d welcome support from the Knights of Columbus, but so far, “we have absolutely nothing to do with them.”

“Time To Say Good Knight”

Miller, a member of the clergy at the Westville church, heard about the religious lobby from a member of the Knights of Columbus. The member told her he supports gay marriage and was disturbed to find out the group was using its funds to fight it.

In a letter to the executive director of her international church group, Miller called on Christians to speak out against the Knights of Columbus’ political activity.

The Christian church, which includes members of various denominations, was founded as a welcoming place for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. The church is currently spearheading a campaign called The 21st Century Question: Would Jesus Discriminate?”.

Miller noted that the fraternal order was founded in 1822 to provide for Catholic families in times of need — families who had suffered from persecution.

“They’ve wandered from the message,” she charged.

“This is all about discrimination,” Miller said of the Knights’ anti-gay marriage efforts. She argues that GLBT people are discriminated against when they are denied the right to marry. “Someone needs to ask this Christian charity why they’re asking to discriminate.” She charged the group with “inciting hate” against gay people.

“I think it is time to say GOOD knight,” her letter ended.

Korten dismissed her charges.

“We don’t hate anybody,” he said. “That is an absurd notion.”

Of the content of her letter, Korten said, “I get emails like that from CA all the time.” He said disapproving of a behavior does not constitute discrimination against an individual. “It is purely a position on our part and on the part of the Catholic Church,” he said, that heterosexual marriage is “best suited to beget, raise, kid from birth to adulthood.”