Well, I'd like to see the Catholic Church ordain married people and women and homosexuals - but I don't want some government requiring that. When it comes to hiring people who will serve as spokespersons, I think an organization needs to be unrestricted.

Here in California, the Catholic Church has gotten a fair amount of flak for its stance on immigration, and some for its opposition to the death penalty. I'd certainly be appalled if anything were done to curtail its right to speak out on such issues.

And as an employer, I do think the Pope has a right to speak out against legislation that he feels will affect his rights as an employer - even though I might well disagree with his hiring decisions. I don't see his statement on this anti-discrimination law proposal as speaking out on a moral issue - he's talking as an employer here. And isn't that his right? He did not compel anybody to do anything - he just said what he thought about the issue.

-Joe-