MoveOn.org is organizing a protest of a John McCain town hall in New Orleans this morning on the basis that McCain endorser John Hagee–who received so much attention for his past anti-Catholic statements–has blamed the residents of the Crescent City for Hurricane Katrina.
Here’s what Hagee said post-Katrina, according to Columbia Journalism Review:
All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they are — were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing. I know that there are people who demur from that, but I believe that the Bible teaches that when you violate the law of God, that God brings punishment sometimes before the day of judgment. And I believe that the Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans.
It’s interesting to note that, though McCain has been called out on Hagee’s anti-Catholic comments, he hasn’t–to God-o-Meter’s knowledge–been grilled on Hagee’s anti-gay statements or his meteorological theories. Given the negative views many Republicans, particularly religious conservatives, have of homosexuality, this seems like a worthwhile and pertinent line of questioning.
Here’s the statement from a MoveOn release:
To this day, Rev. Hagee continues to blame the sins of the people of New Orleans for the catastrophe of Katrina, and yet Senator McCain actively sought his endorsement and has refused to condemn his comments. On Sunday he maintained he was “glad to have” Hagee’s endorsement.
“Shame on John McCain for using New Orleans for a photo op while still courting support from hatemongers like Hagee,” stated New Orleans MoveOn member Harry Greenberger . “If John McCain was serious about helping the people of New Orleans he would reject Reverend Hagee and his outrageous, offensive and divisive comments. New Orleans needs better and America deserves better.”
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