CNN's Kate Bolduan aired a slanted report on Catholic Charities of Washington's decision to no longer offer benefits to spouses of new employees on Saturday's Newsroom, playing four sound bites from proponents of same-sex "marriage" and none from opponents. Bolduan also omitted the liberal affiliation of one of the homosexual "marriage" advocates.
During the report, which first aired 11 minutes into the 10 pm Eastern hour (and reran during the 1 pm Eastern hour on Monday), the correspondent noted how homosexual couples could get their civil marriage licenses in DC starting on Tuesday, and that there was "controversial fallout" from the move: "Catholic Charities, the social services arm of the Archdiocese of Washington, just announced it will no longer offer health benefits to spouses of any new employees or current employees who aren't already covered under its plan. As a result, the nonprofit is effectively avoiding having to give benefits to same-sex partners, keeping with the Church's opposition to same-sex marriage."
Bolduan spent the rest of her report playing the four clips from the supporters of legal homosexual "marriage." Three came from Chris Hinkle, who was labeled a "gay Catholic activist" on-screen and described by the correspondent as "gay and a practicing Catholic" (who admitted he wasn't practicing the Church's teaching on sexuality by maintaining a relationship with her "partner" for 10 years), and the remaining one came from Chris Korzen of Catholics United. CNN mentioned Korzen's organization on-screen, but Bolduan didn't mention their liberal affiliation, nor that he served as an organizer for the left-wing Service Employees International Union.
BOLDAUN (on-camera): How long have you and your partner been together?
CHRIS HINKLE, GAY CATHOLIC ACTIVIST: We've been together for 10 years.
BOLDUAN (voice-over): Chris Hinkle is gay and a practicing Catholic. He lives in Virginia and worships in Washington. Hinkle views the developments in D.C. as two steps forward, and quickly, two steps back for the gay and lesbian community and its strained relationship with the Catholic Church.
BOLDUAN (on-camera): Why is it disappointing to you?
HINKLE: It's a slap in the face. Yeah, it's prejudice.
BOLDUAN: Catholic Charities declined to comment, but the Archdiocese of Washington made a point to say that less than 10 percent of Catholic Charities employees take part in its health insurance program, suggesting that a small portion of the staff will be affected by the change in policy.
BOLDUAN (voice-over): And in a statement, the archdiocese says, 'This approach allows Catholic Charities to continue to provide services to the 68,000 people it now cares for in the city, to comply with the city's new requirements and to remain faithful to our Catholic identity.' A stance some Catholics say is damaging the Church's public image.
CHRIS KORZEN, DIRECTOR, CATHOLICS UNITED: They're getting a view of the Church that isn't necessarily consistent with our values. We don't say that people don't deserve health insurance because they happen to be in a certain kind of marriage or a certain kind of relationship. That's just not what we teach.
BOLDUAN: The very same message Chris Hinkle is trying to send as he fights for acceptance.
HINKLE: I want people to treat others with justice. That is a message that I think Jesus Christ himself had exemplified.
BOLDUAN (on-camera): And in today's world, you think that applies to health care, as well as the right to marry?
HINKLE: Absolutely it does. Absolutely.
The CNN correspondent did read the excerpt from the Archdiocese of Washington's statement, but she couldn't seem to find any orthodox Catholics who would vouch for the Church's teaching on marriage and sexuality.
