Mario Cuomo Quotes
I refuse to take the position that now I have to make the whole society of non Catholics, non believers, and even those Catholics who do not support the abortion dicta, I have to impose a law upon them. If you do that, you are talking about a Catholic theocracy.
After stating his personal Catholic opposition to abortion
Mario Cuomo, 1932-2015, Governor, New York State (Democrat), Interview with Jeffery Brown, 2004
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Condoms and other birth control usage had been forbidden by the Catholic Church. However, most American Catholics utilized artificial birth control devices anyway. However, the official church positions inhibited and influenced politicians throughout the nations. Even as late as 1963 selling birth control devices was illegal in parts of America. A pharmacist was sentenced to jail for filling a prescription for a condom for a couple where the woman could not bear a child safely as the result of a physical condition. The Supreme Court reversed the conviction.
At the time there was an issue of religious freedom that is in public discourse: It emanated from the Obama Care law which required employers to provide health insurance that does not discriminate against women by refusing to disallow coverage for birth control (pills, diaphragms, etc.) This legislation covered the employees of general institutions run by religions such as schools, hospitals, and retirement communities. Roman Catholics and other religions which viewed birth control as a sin were put in a position where they had to pay for something that they regarded as sinful. So the church did not have complete religious freedom. However, if these institutions would deny to their employees a basic right that the law says belongs to all institutions. If an exception would be made for birth control what about blood transfusions. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that autologous blood transfusions are contrary to the world of God. So what if institutions they run decided to not cover these transfusions in their insurance policies? Or a Jewish University or a Muslim cultural center decided not to cover medical procedures in hospitals that serve pork? There have been many examples where one religion’s freedom has been curtailed slightly when they conflict with individual rights or other rights. Plural marriage for Mormons and Muslims are against the law. Christian Scientists have been forced to provide medical care for some members even though their religion prohibits it. There is no solution that will not curtail someone’s rights under some circumstances.
It took only 10 days after the First Continental Congress met for religious bigotry to arise. After hundreds of years of Catholic/Protestant strife, each sect looked upon the other, not only as theologically wrong, but dangerous to the liberty of the other. Unfortunately, the organied religions had acted so badly towards other religions, that everyone was justified in fearing the other religions. This quotation illustrates a then typical attitude of many American Protestants that the Catholic Church was a threat to national security. Ironically, in modern times, anti-Catholic bigots use this quotation to demonstrate that the United States was founded as a Christian Protestant nation—not a general Christian nation. A small, vicious anti-Catholic sentiment still exists, usually by a minority of right wing Protestant religious fundamentalists. Protestant England had just repealed the laws making Catholicism illegal, but this was regarded at that time as intolerable for the new America. This was one of the disputes which that the Founding Fathers were faced with later and one of the reasons that they were so absolute in the need for the 1st Amendment.
Kennedy was being hurt be fears that as a Catholic, he would be beholden to the Pope and the Catholic Bishops. There were many protestants who believed that the Catholic Church was antithetical to democracy and some who even believed that Catholicism was the religion of Satan. Kennedy decided to confront the issue head on.
This is a wonderful example of a good rhetorical technique. He focuses the attention on the unborn by observing that all his opponents on this point have already been born. Of course, he and all his supporters on the point—those who are against abortion—have already been born also. So what would the unborn say? Well that no one could know nor can any one know if the unborn have any thoughts must less thoughts on the subject of abortion.
On this issue she and her father disagreed.
This publication was one of the best selling in the entire history of America. Rarely has a single publication been read by as high a proportion of a population. Those who support the maintenance of a strict separation of Church and State in America often point to this quotation and the popularity of Common Sense as evidence that not only were the founding fathers in favor of strict separation but so was the general Colonial American public.
Mario Matthew Cuomo was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd Governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuomo previously served as Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1979 to 1982 and Secretary of State of New York from 1975 to 1978. He is the father of current New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and CNN news anchor Chris Cuomo.
