A year after Catholic Charities ends adoptions, Illinois governor lauds religious freedom
August 22, 2012
At an Eid ceremony that marked the end of Ramadan, Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois decried attacks on Muslims and lauded religious freedom.
Quinn, who knelt toward Mecca during the ceremony, called religious freedom “the most American and fundamental freedom that we have in our country.”
“The First Amendment of our Constitution says that everyone, everyone has the right to practice their religion and their faith without fear of intimidation,” he added.
At the ceremony, Quinn signed a bill permitting college students to take exams on alternate days when they conflict with a religious holiday.
Quinn’s remarks come a year after he signed civil-union legislation that led the state to end adoption and foster-care contracts with Catholic Charities, which refused to place children with same-sex couples. Quinn, a Catholic, has also been criticized by the state’s bishops for his support for abortion.
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Further information:
- Quinn signs religious tolerance bill at end-of-Ramadan celebration (Chicago-Sun Times)
- Pat Quinn Attends Ramadan Ceremony, Signs Religious Tolerance Bill During Eid ul-Fitr (Huffington Post)
- Illinois ends adoption, foster care contracts with Catholic Charities (CWN, 7/12/11)
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Posted by: frjpharrington3912 -
Aug. 23, 2012 4:49 PM ET USA
It is a good thing to see that Governor Quinn supports the free exercise of one's religious beliefs without "fear of intimidation." He even cites the Constitution in its defense saying it is a fundamental right of every person. The obvious question is why did Gov. Quinn fail to protect the Constitutional right of the Catholic Church to freely exercise its fundamental right to place children in families in accord with its religious beliefs without "fear of intimidation" from the state?
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Posted by: DrJazz -
Aug. 22, 2012 2:46 PM ET USA
So, what is supposed to happen to a Catholic who publicly kneels toward Mecca during a Muslim ceremony?
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Posted by: garedawg -
Aug. 22, 2012 12:07 PM ET USA
I'm not so sure that the Catholic Charities issue is one of religious freedom. Any time you accept money from the state, the state gets to call the shots.
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Posted by: rpp -
Aug. 22, 2012 9:51 AM ET USA
The important point that liberals and multi-culturalists make, without ever saying it, (okay, some do) is that "religious freedom" can never be applied to Christians because, in their warped point of view, Christianity is responsible for all the evil in the world.
