The Knights of Columbus Spends More Fighting Gays than Supporting Food Banks

[Ian David]

The Knights of Columbus Spends More Fighting Gays than Supporting Food Banks

The Knights of Columbus have a mission statement that says they are committed to loving thy neighbor as thyself, and that "there is no better way to experience love and compassion than by helping those in need."

Noble mission. But while it sounds good on paper, is it all that true in reality? Case in point, a great investigative piece by Jesse Zwick with the Washington Independent, who looked at the Knights of Columbus, and found that their spending for 2009 didn't necessarily reflect those values. How so?

Turns out that the Knights of Columbus gave a whopping $1.4 million in 2009 to the National Organization for Marriage, probably the most notable organization in the country fighting against the civil rights of LGBT people. That $1.4 million donation? According to Zwick, it eclipses the entire amount that the Knights of Columbus gave to fund other charitable efforts, like supporting food banks and food drives.

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And while one might expect the Knights of Columbus to be a bit embarrassed about the fact that they're spending more money fighting committed same-sex couples than they are on helping hungry people find food, the Knights' leadership says that the National Organization for Marriage deserved every penny of their $1.4 million donation.

More:
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/the_knights_of_columbus_spends_more_fighting_gays_than_supporting_food_banks

Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/michaelajones/status/25038360264

[Stinky The Clown]

1. There was a guy with two young teen girls fundraising in front of the grocery on Saturday . . . . .

The guy was probably the dad of one of the girls. They weren't being obnoxious so I just walked by, silently. Were they adults and no kids around, I'd have had a say. As it was, I walked in and, when done shopping, walked out.

[HopeHoops]

3. Yeah, It is hard to tell sometimes.

I made my way into K-Mart (I have to use a cane right now) and there was a guy with a young girl asking for money to fight teen drug abuse. I ignored him on the way in but noticed he said "Blessed be you by God" to everyone whether or not they contributed. I inquired at the service desk and he was indeed from the local cult church. "Fight teen drug abuse" my hairy ass. That money was going toward their fancy buses and huge recruitment parties (held almost every weekend).

If I'm going to contribute, I want to know how the money will be spent. That shit is just deceptive crap.

[HopeHoops]

2. 'Tis a silly place

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfGpVcdqeS0

Oh, wait, wrong knights. My bad.

[progressoid]

4. Around here they love putting up anti-choice billboards.

And then just because they own a flag and have goofy outfits, they get to pretend they are a color guard and march in the front of the parades. :puke:

[OneBlueSky]

5. my dad was a career Army officer who got talked into joining . . .

the K of C at the post where we were stationed when I was in high school . . . even he thought it was all a bit silly, what with the commodore's hats and the capes and the swords and all . . . he dropped out after a few months . . .