Irish-Catholic Group Decries Anti-Catholic Attacks

[Chris 2,238]

Quote

 

The New York State Ancient Order of Hibernians say they are are saddened by a report from the Family Research Council released in December, and which was reported by the New York Post, that documents "the surge in attacks against Catholic institutions in the United States."

"What is shocking and intolerable is the apathy of our elected officials," the statement reads. "These crimes, and many more, are under-reported, under-investigated, and, in the rare occurrence when a perpetrator is caught, under-prosecuted. It is a second violation of the Catholic faithful when an object of devotion and reverence is treated as mere petty vandalism of property and not recognized as the act of hate and prejudice that it is.

"We would remind our elected officials that there is a long history of anti-Catholic bigotry in the U.S. It was in response to the attacks and the burning of Catholic Churches that the Ancient Order of Hibernians was formed in 1836.

"The Hibernians had hoped that we had moved beyond the bigotry of the “Know Nothings” and the intolerance of Thomas Nast. Yet, we now seem to be returning to the prejudice of the 19th century in America, and specifically the New York of the 21st."

 

See the rest here.

[Hal 343]

Would this qualify as a hate crime ?