BUFFALO CITY COUNCIL REGROUPS

Last week, the Buffalo City Council passed a resolution criticizing the decision by the Diocese of Buffalo to close some schools and churches. When local officials accused the diocese of “ethnic cleansing,” they were roundly criticized by Buffalo Bishop Edward Kmiec, the Catholic League, the Buffalo News and many others.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments today on reports that the city council is reconsidering its resolution:

“Sober heads among the Buffalo City Council are now arguing that the use of the term ‘ethnic cleansing’ needs to be dropped from the resolution. That is the bare minimum that needs to be done. A better way to handle this mess is to withdraw the resolution altogether and appoint a task force to sit down with diocesan officials to discuss their concerns. Among the participants should not be Councilman David A. Franczyk: he disgraced himself initially when he invoked the invidious language and he further disgraced himself by refusing to apologize.

“If the leader of any religious body in Buffalo were to bash the city council for not providing sufficient funding for local schools, he would be blasted for using intemperate language and for crossing church and state lines. The same rules should apply in reverse, and that is why the resolution should be withdrawn.”

Kiera McCaffrey is the director of Communications for the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.