Catholic leader: Gays, not pedophiles, are the problem

Bill Donohue of the Catholic League says the N.Y. Times is misrepresenting the Vatican crisis. It's not about child molesters — it's about gay predators

Who is to blame for the scandal in the Church?
(Image credit: Corbis)

As Pope Benedict XVI faces increasing criticism over the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal, one of his most vigorous defenders is going on offense. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, took out a full-page ad in Tuesday's New York Times, arguing that the newspaper is trying to create the impression of a "pedophilia crisis" in order to undermine the Vatican's moral standing on gay marriage and abortion. In fact, says Donohue, the church faces a "homosexual crisis," because most boys sexually abused by priests were "post-pubescent." Is he out of line? (Below: Watch Donohue explain his accusation on CNN)

Donohue's "smear the gays" tactic is textbook: This old ploy of stirring up homophobic fears is the same one used by Karl Rove in George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign, says Maureen Dowd in The N.Y. Times. Sure, it works sometimes, but it's still just a cynical PR trick. And if the scandal "mostly involves men and boys," that’s largely because "priests for many years had unquestioned access to boys."

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