LifeNet

The Catholic Leaague remarks on Mario Cuomo

A couple of days ago there was an interesting take by the Catholic League on the late governor, who was tragically the trailblazer for pro-abortion Catholic politicians, with his 1984 speech at Notre Dame.

 

The Catholic League:

MARIO CUOMO’S LESSONS ON LIFE

Bill Donohue comments on the passing of Mario Cuomo:

Mario Cuomo will be buried tomorrow. The former governor of New York is remembered for many things, but as a Catholic he is most remembered for his 1984 speech at the University of Notre Dame.

In his address, “Religious Belief and Public Morality: A Catholic Governor’s Perspective,” Cuomo explained why his personal opposition to abortion could not be his public position as governor. Invoking the principle of separation of church and state, he said that in order for  Catholic public officials “to assure our freedom we must allow others the same freedom, even if occasionally it produces conduct by them which we would hold to be sinful.”

While most of Cuomo’s remarks framed abortion as a religious issue, he also recognized the humanity of the unborn child. “For me life or fetal life in the womb should be protected, even if five of nine Justices of the Supreme Court and my neighbor disagree with me.” Indeed, he said it demanded “reverence.” However, he noted that “not everyone in our society agrees with me and Matilda [his wife].”

In his lengthy speech, Cuomo made only one passing reference to the death penalty. On that subject, which Catholic teaching presumptively opposes, he had no problem adopting the Church’s position: he strongly opposed the death penalty and as governor he consistently vetoed legislation that allowed for it. In 2011, he defended his position by saying, “Capital punishment raises important questions about how, as a society, we view human beings.”

Cuomo never explained why abortion did not raise the same societal questions about how we treat human beings that capital punishment does. Nor did he explain why it was okay for him to “impose” his Catholic teachings on others when it came to capital punishment but not abortion. Nor did he say why the intentional killing of innocent children should not summon the same legal safeguards that are extended to convicted serial murderers. But these were his lessons on life.

The Catholic League extends its condolences to the Cuomo family.

 

Governor Cuomo vetoes help for adoptive families

Thanks to Ed Mechmann for sending us this.

An "Albany Update" press release from New Yorker's for Constitutional Freedom. Can you follow Cuomo's logic?

Governor “Grinch” Steals Christmas From Foster Care Kids

Albany, NY –The Adoption Tax Deduction Bill (S.3382-A – Hassell-Thompson/A.2378-B – Crespo), which would provide a personal income tax deduction for all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the adoption of a child in New York’s foster care system during a given tax year, has been vetoed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Rev. Jason J. McGuire, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, made the following remarks:

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo has failed thousands of adoption-eligible foster children across New York by vetoing the Adoption Tax Deduction Bill. This bill would encourage adults to adopt children from the foster care system, and would mitigate financial concerns that might otherwise prevent families from considering adoption. While the Governor claims that cost concerns make it advisable for this bill to be considered within the budget process, his argument does not hold water. First, the slight amount of tax revenue that the state might lose due to adoption tax deductions would likely be more than offset by the savings realized due to decreased foster care costs. Second, the Department of Health has proposed to provide Medicaid funding for elective surgeries for transgendered persons, and plans to make this change not through budget negotiations or legislation, but through a rulemaking process. If so-called ‘sex reassignment’ surgeries can receive taxpayer funding outside of the budget process (and without any action by the Legislature), adoptive parents should be able to receive tax deductions outside of the budget process. Better yet, the Governor ought to jettison the taxpayer-funded surgeries and use those funds to provide tax deductions for adoptive parents. Where are the Governor’s priorities?”

“Gov. Cuomo should remember that his decision regarding the Adoption Tax Deduction Bill has made it more difficult for foster children in New York to be united with ‘forever families.’ We were hoping to encourage these kids with an early Christmas gift, but the State of New York has a Grinch for governor.”

Fr. Barron on recent anti-Catholic statements - including Cuomo

"...The Andrew Cuomo outburst is particularly chilling."

And the evolution from the "privatized" Catholicism of Mario Cuomo to the open anti-Catholicism of his son. New York Mayor DeBlasio, has publically agreed with the governor.

So we are all openly on an "Enemies List" now.

 

Democrat State Senator Ruben Diaz: "Andrew Cuomo, the Intolerant Governor"

The Reverend Ruben Diaz, from the Bronx - responds to this - NY Governor Cuomo : " ... conservatives who are right-to-life ... have no place in the state of New York ..."

Here's his response -

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York
Tel. 718-991-3161

ANDREW CUOMO, THE INTOLERANT GOVERNOR

You should know what back in Biblical times, there were two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, whose leaders were intolerant of anyone who would oppose their teachings and beliefs, to the point that the leaders would expel and commit physical violence against anyone who disagreed with them.   The leaders of Sodom and Gomorrah demanded that its’ citizens should be tolerant of their beliefs.

You should also know that New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has spent the past few years pushing for tolerance from people who disagree with him and his ilk.  However, we just got a very disturbing lesson of intolerance from our beloved Governor, Andrew Cuomo.

On Friday, January 17, 2014 Governor Andrew Cuomo made an outrageous statement during a radio interview, where he categorically condemned all New Yorkers who fall under his label of “extreme conservatives."

Governor Cuomo stated: “these extreme conservatives, have no place in the State of New York.”   So we should ask, who are these “extreme conservatives”?

You should know that these condemned New Yorkers include people of faith communities, and people of no faith at all, who uphold traditional marriage and oppose the legalization of marriage between a man and a man, and a woman and a woman.  The Governor’s condemned New Yorkers also include women and men who respect the inherent dignity of human life at all stages of development and who oppose the legalization of the brutal killing of unborn children in their mothers' wombs.

I wonder if the Governor had the chance to redo his interview, if he would like to include New Yorkers who oppose late-term abortions - and New Yorkers who oppose fornication or sex outside of marriage - among those who should no longer reside in New York State.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's widespread call for the banishment of all New Yorkers who don't toe his liberal line sounds like something we might hear from the mouth of a tyrant condemning those who sit on the wrong side of his throne.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's presumptuous license to banish those who he has called "extreme conservatives" is an outright attack on millions of New Yorkers.  It's also an attack on the core principles of the Bill of Rights' First Amendment freedoms:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Someone needs to send our Governor back to a remedial course of "Civics 101 - Introduction to the US Constitution.”  And if it helps, I would be delighted to lend Governor Andrew Cuomo my copy of Nat Hentoff’s book: “Free Speech for Thee, But Not For Me.”

You should know that Governor Andrew Cuomo's radio attack against millions of New Yorkers who are “extreme conservatives” amounts to a thinly disguised act of religious discrimination against those who are practicing Catholics, Jewish, Muslims, and Evangelical Christians.  Millions of New Yorkers revere the teachings of the Torah, the Holy Bible and the Koran.

My dear reader, we need to remain vigilant, because as they say: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

I have to say, while Governor Andrew Cuomo's radio attack sounded like an excommunication decree, I find comfort in knowing that I am in good company with many of New York’s religious leaders, including my Catholic friends, such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who shepherds New York’s Catholics with loving pro-family guidance.  This includes the belief that life is given by God, and God is the only one who should take it away.

I am also in good company with the Catholic Church’s Pope Francis who recently reminded the world of the travesty of abortion when he stated: “Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as ‘unnecessary.’ For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day.”

I must ask our beloved Governor, where are all those talks about tolerance?  Is it that our intolerant Governor wants New York State to become a tyrannical state?

I am State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

NY Governor Cuomo : " ... conservatives who are right-to-life ... have no place in the state of New York ..."

Here is the audio - if you're a "moderate Republican, then you are OK and (evidently) allowed to live in New York ...

Any disagreement with the governor and you're an extremist.

The quote can be seen in full context here -

Cuomo has made a career of referring to anyone that opposes his agenda as “extreme” while simultaneously referring to that agenda as “common sense.” It’s code words and phrases over substance – typical liberal hackery.