South Carolina Councilwoman Blasts Catholic Church During Zoning Request Meeting

Councilwoman Laura Von " I hate the Catholic Church" Harten

Good Grief when this is happening in South Carolina you know things are bad.




Thursday November 20, 2008
S.C. POLITICIAN RIPS CATHOLICISM

November 19, 2008
Beaufort County Councilwoman Laura Von Harten blasted the Catholic Church yesterday for its strictures regarding the priesthood and its teachings on abortion. She took the occasion to vent at a scheduled hearing regarding a zoning request by a local Catholic church, St. Gregory the Great in Bluffton, South Carolina, that would allow it to expand. She was quickly denounced by several area residents for her comments; when the vote was taken, she recused herself.


Von Harten ripped the Catholic Church for not allowing women priests and for its position on what she called “uterus rights,” saying they were “an affront to my dignity and all womankind.”


Here is what Catholic League president Bill Donohue had to say:
“Without the slightest provocation, Laura Von Harten decided to bash Catholicism. This suggests an animus so deep as to call into question her fitness for public service. She should do more than recuse herself on matters Catholic—she should resign from her post as councilwoman. There is no legitimate role for bigots in public life.”
Contact Von Harten: lvonharten@bcgov.net

Her bio is here She is a member of the Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort . I can just imagine what her reaction would be if a Council person slammed them

A slight update here in their local press Councilwoman writes apology for anti-Catholic remarks. Here is a part:

Von Harten, who is not on the land committee, said she would oppose the zoning change when it came before the full County Council next week because of the Catholic Church's position on various issues.
On Tuesday, however, she said she would abstain from any votes on St. Gregory's rezoning, saying her "personal opinions are obviously going to get in the way of me making a fair decision." (Well thank God for that)

She went further Wednesday, writing a letter of apology to Beaufort County Council Chairman Weston Newton.
"I truly intended my remarks on human rights to pertain to the Catholic Church as a political entity, with a seat at the United Nations, but I acknowledge that I offended individuals in my own community," she wrote. (Yeah Right)

"In no way did I intend to infringe on anyone's freedom of religion. In no way did I intend to disparage any individual member of the Church. I respect the rights of all people to worship in the church of their choosing. Given the history of persecution endured by members of the Catholic Church, I regret my insensitivity on this matter
."
Her Minister also is in the article. with a letter assuring everyone that Unitarians believe in the Separation of Church and State and please ignore the Council woman