US Bishops oppose Violence Against Women Act

Lest they miss a chance to be evil, the US bishops are totally against the new Violence Against Women Act. And why? You knew without asking, didn't you? Yup, they're carting out the same tired old crap.

The act...is intended to protect women from domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking...[b]ut for the first time since the original act became law in 1994, it spells out that no person may be excluded from the law's protections because of "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" -- specifically covering lesbian, transgender and bisexual women.

(snip)

"These two classifications are unnecessary to establish the just protections due to all persons. They undermine the meaning and importance of sexual difference," the bishops said in a statement released by the USCCB on Wednesday.

"They are unjustly exploited for purposes of marriage redefinition, and marriage is the only institution that unites a man and a woman with each other and with any children born from their union," the statement continued.

Of course, this makes absolutely no sense, just as their arguments against gay marriage make no sense. What the church is really saying is that women should suffer from violence because the church hates gay and transgender people. There is no other meaning in their statement. Just thought I'd point this out.

And look who's among the bishops who signed this statement. Why, it's Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage. This wingnut is one sick cookie. He was appointed by Ratzinger to whip the hell out of the diocese of San Francisco. But all he's doing is showing Californians how vicious and evil his church is. Yay, Sal! You go, girl!