Washington Roman Catholic Cardinal Donald Wuerl is attempting to silence Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, herself a practicing Catholic, criticizing the Jesuit-run Georgetown University for inviting Sebelius to speak at an awards ceremony at the school's Public Policy Institute. Wuerl, along with other conservative (a.k.a., Rethuglican) cardinals, has framed the issue of Sebelius being a public figure "whose actions...present the most direct challenge to religious liberty in recent history" (in other words, her involvement in the health reform law mandate requiring contraception coverage). Of course, framing this as an issue of "religious liberty" is bearing false witness, but it fits the right-wing meme that the U.S. Conference of Bishops is pushing along with the fundamentalist right: that the Obama Administration is hostile to religion. Trying to keep Sebelius from speaking at a Catholic university, though, is hostile to the American values of free speech and an open discussion of issues without fear of censorship or reprisal, wouldn't you say Cardinal Wuerl?
(Photo: Cardinal Wuerl -- he won't be allowing any discussion or dissent!)
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