Priest Removes Obama Books From School

KMBC in Kansas City reports that on a reverend in Blue Springs, Missouri who removed books related to President-elect Barack Obama from the Catholic school's library because of his position on abortion:

The Rev. Ron Elliott at St. John LaLande School said someone complained about the content of the books, and he wanted to review them.

In a phone interview, the reverend told KMBC he was concerned about Obama's position on abortion.

"I am very pro-life," Elliott told KMBC's Maria Antonia. "Because of his stance on certain issues, I was asked to look into that matter."

After removing the books, Elliott read them and decided there wasn't anything wrong with them. He told the station he will put the books back on the shelf in February or March, "after the dust kind of settles."

The school has an early childhood center and teaches students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Comments

[NotRepresentedInDC]

09:27 PM on 12/19/2008

The catholic church creates its own moral universe. It remains a pre-modern cult. It does not share values from the Enlightenment like freedom, pluralism, or rule of law. It follows its own rules and believes that it is right and the modern world is wrong. They think they know better than those who aren't catholic -- and that priests are better than parishioners and bishops are better than priests and cardinals are better than bishops and the pope is infallible.

Until 2002, the catholic church conceptualized child molestation as a vice, like drinking or smoking.

I am not posting anything we do not know from the Boston Globe or Los Angeles Times coverage of the sexual abuse lawsuits. It wasn't on TV, but for those of us who lived it or read about it, we know what they are.

Why is anyone shocked by this story? What is outrageous is that they are still in business. As Bill Maher noted, if the catholic church were a corporation that ran day care centers, it would be out of business. But it seems it's like AIG -- just too big to fail.

We really should change that.

[mboddie]

05:32 PM on 12/20/2008

Intolerance from the left is just as offensive as intolerance from the right. I am a liberal yellow dog Catholic Democrat from New Jersey. President-Elect Obama's books are in the shelves of the Catholic schools in our state. Things are a lot redder in Missourri and the mess at that school reflects the politics of the area.

Recently an article appeared in the NY Times discussing pediphelia in the Orthodox Jewish community and the fact that the community was protecting the offenders. And there was the female Vice President of the PTA on Long Island found nude in the back of a car with a 13 yo.

I attended a summer camp as a child run by a protestant organization. All the kids knew that the married male director was a pedophile and we made fun of him. If we knew, the powers that be knew and did nothing. Stop painting everyone in a group with the same brush.

[NotRepresentedInDC]

02:07 AM on 12/21/2008

F-off mBoddie! I'll paint you as I see you. This is my pov. You have your own myopic pov.

The catholic church needs to be put out of business--whether it's one by one obits or all at once.

Brush that , MF!

[maribelle1963]

05:31 PM on 12/19/2008

Let me get this straight:

This reverend will deny American students the chance to read about the works of their new president during the time between his history-making election and inauguration. Then he will release the books in March or April, just "as the dust has settled" and people are less focused on the president.

This is a sad commentary and another case of religion standing in the way of education and tolerance.

[TruthAndTheory]

04:20 PM on 12/19/2008

Why did this not happen when Clinton was president? Why does it not happen in any county or state where a pro-choice leader is elected?

[KNadine]

03:44 PM on 12/19/2008

In place of the removed Obama books, the priest inserted pamphlets on "How to find the strength and courage to tell someone you're being molested by your priest".

[TruthAndTheory]

04:20 PM on 12/19/2008

excellent

[ConcernedAmerican]

01:55 PM on 12/19/2008

I've thrown out all my catholic books due to the catholic church being a den of pedophilia....

[mwestorca]

12:25 PM on 12/19/2008

Does anyone notice that the priest reviewed the books (which any principal or headmaster would do when a complaint is made) and he didn't find anything wrong with them so returned them to the shelves. The headline is contrary to the actual article.

[anthonylee]

01:24 PM on 12/19/2008

misleading to say the least . . . .

Regardless, it at least shows what the logical policy and process in drawing a conclusion and making sound judgment looks like.

[keepemhonest]

01:41 PM on 12/19/2008

Not misleading... the books are STILL OFF THE SHELF ... just bec. the priest says he'll put them back in 2 months does not mean he will....

[quiviran]

02:55 PM on 12/19/2008

The books have NOT been returned. Read the article.

[Imbwayablair]

11:31 AM on 12/19/2008

Why don't we just burn all the books with stuff we don't agree with. Oh shucks I forgot we no longer in the dark ages and people can make up their own minds as to what to believe

[uglicoyote]

11:24 AM on 12/19/2008

Just one more reason that we should never let public money be spent in private schools via vouchers or any other way. If you want to brainwash your kids with this bs, do it on your own dime.

[amazinggrace]

10:23 AM on 12/19/2008

I did not leave the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church left me..............................

[DakotaMinnesota]

09:32 AM on 12/19/2008

Really? Huh...... Really?

[2bad]

09:15 AM on 12/19/2008

The school teaches kids kindergarten through eighth grade. Isn't that the age group the priests start their sexual abuse of these kids? Seems to me they should be removing the priests not books!

[ibsteve2u]

09:15 AM on 12/19/2008

The thing is, if you once allow religion to manipulate the State, the next thing you know they want the State to go on a Crusade or a Jihad or something.

[hildutus]

09:10 AM on 12/19/2008

Hence the separation of church and state. Or at least, the separation in theory. Well, so much for freedom.
Ever notice how those who oppose freedom of thought tend not to think themselves, and they vehemently deny the practice for others?

[JD2774]

09:05 AM on 12/19/2008

Another thought.. The headline says "Priest", the story says "Reverend". Let's get some accuracy in the story writing.

[zoe13]

09:32 AM on 12/19/2008

fyi - reverends are priests in the catholic church.

[ramblingjohnny]

10:59 AM on 12/19/2008

And beside who give a damn all those self appointed made up titles for the oldest ponzi scheme in history!

[cryhavoc]

09:04 AM on 12/19/2008

I hope he removed a copy of A Friendly Guide to The Inquisition, as well. And - lest we forget - A Child's Guide to the Sex Abuse Cover Up. That should help move things ahead and help the children he is so concerned for. (I love these moral high ground churchy types pontificating from very slippery slopes!) Challenge them. Their behavior, lack of action and vicitmizing the victims once again - is the moral outrage of a generation. I think the Rev. Elliott may have to catch up on some of his own library reading to get connected to reality.