MORE RIGHT WING INTIMIDATION

Yesterday I wrote about how a Baptist pastor in North Carolina had told his congregants that anyone not supporting George W. Bush and the Republican Party should either "repent" at the altar or leave the church. Nine members ended up having their memberships revoked, and 40 others left in protest.

Closer to home, an employee of the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach has been attempting to bar a Palm Beach County jurist from receiving Holy Communion after his decision this week on a 13 year old girl's request to have an abortion.

The Orlando Sentinel reported:

Don Kazimir, director of the diocese's Respect Life Office, called [Juvenile Court Judge Ronald] Alvarez's office Wednesday, telling the judge's assistant that he was doing so on behalf of the diocese. Kazimir's call came two days after Alvarez ruled in the case of a teenager who became pregnant after running away from a state-supervised group home.

The handwritten message given to Alvarez by his assistant reads: "He [Kazimir] was inquiring whether you were Catholic or not. I asked him why and he said he was told to inquire because, if you are, he wanted to know what parish you belong to and then they would have a problem because of the abortion you allowed.

"Kazimir acted on his own and wasn't following a directive, diocese spokesman Jim Brosemer said Friday. Kazimir could not be reached for comment.

Alvarez considers himself to be a Catholic but told the Palm Beach Post that he has not attended church since the priest sex abuse scandals three years ago.

Judge Alvarez had ruled that the state had no right to prevent the teenager, who had become pregnant after running away from a state foster home, from aborting her pregnancy. Her attorneys announced that she had the abortion Tuesday.

If you want to let Mr. Kazimir know your disdain for his tactics --- or, for that matter, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito --- give them a call or letter:

Most Reverand Gerald M. Barbarito
Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
9995 North Military Trail
West Palm Beach, FL 33410
Telephone: (561) 630-2697
FAX: (561) 775-7035

Mr. Don Kazimir, Coordinator
Family Life Office
(same address as above)
Telephone: (561) 775-9565
E-Mail: dk@diocesepb.org