Boston Mayoral Candidates Support Discrimination

The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts today criticized the eight candidates for Mayor of Boston who indicated they would engage in unlawful discrimination against religious believers who defend traditional morality.

In a poll released yesterday by The Boston Globe, one of the questions asked by the newspaper was “As mayor, would you have made it hard for Chick-fil-A to open in Boston?” The query was a reference to a statement made last summer by Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who suggested that he would oppose a business license for the restaurant, because the chain’s owner, Dan Cathy, an Evangelical Protestant, was an outspoken opponent of same gender marriage.

Felix Arroyo, John Barros, Daniel Conley, Robert Consalvo, Charlotte Golar Ritchie, Michael Ross, William Walczak, and Martin Walsh answered in the affirmative. Only Charles Clemons gave a negative response.

The Catholic Action League called the majority response “a shameless example of political pandering and an astonishing expression of contempt for the rule of law, religious freedom and the consciences of Christians.”

Catholic Action League Executive Director C. J. Doyle stated: “The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion. Article II of the Declaration of Rights of the Massachusetts Constitution provides an even more expansive guarantee of religious freedom. Apparently, for the majority of mayoral candidates, the right to civil and religious liberty, along with the oaths six of them have sworn to uphold the federal and state constitutions, are to be sacrificed to gaining votes, endorsements and campaign contributions from the homosexual community.”

“Daniel Conley is, or was, a longstanding member of Knights of Columbus Council 1308 in Roslindale, and has served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Memorial High School. Robert Consalvo has, in the past, in his campaign literature, identified himself as a member of the Holy Name Society. Martin Walsh has described himself as ‘the product of Catholic education’ and is a member of the Board of Advisors of Elizabeth Seton Academy.”

“Now, these three men have indicated that someone who agrees, on fundamental moral issue, with the religion of their baptism, ought to be treated unequally, in fact penalized, if he seeks to open a business in the City of Boston.”

The eight affirmative responders, along with John Connolly, also stated they would not march in Boston’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade unless its Catholic character was discarded by the inclusion of homosexual activist groups marching under the banners of their organizations.