Catholic League's Bill Donahue on National Public Radio's Double Standard: Muslims Matter, Catholics Do Not?

On the show, "Fair Game with Faith Salie," the following was said: "Tired of bland unsatisfying Eucharists? Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ-boring holy wafers no more..Mike likes his Christ with whipped cream and sprinkles." On July 5, 1997, NPR mocked the Eucharist when host Scott Simon and musical satirist, Tom Lehrer, got together. Lehrer sang "The Vatican Rag." Here are some of the lyrics: "Try playing it safer, drink the wine and chew the wafer"; "Two, four, six, eight, time to Trans-substantiate."

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P>NEW YORK, NY (Catholic League) - Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on National Public Radio's (NPR) double standard:

"Juan Williams was fired from NPR because he made one allegedly anti-Muslim comment, yet no one has been terminated by NPR for its anti-Catholic fare. To be explicit, on Jan. 7, 2008, the Utah NPR station, KCPW, aired a skit lampooning Mike Huckabee that trashed Jesus.

"On the show, "Fair Game with Faith Salie," the following was said: "Tired of bland unsatisfying Eucharists? Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ-boring holy wafers no more..Mike likes his Christ with whipped cream and sprinkles."

"After I complained, we heard from Public Radio International, which produced the show, and they pulled it, issuing an apology. While the show did not originate at NPR, its Utah affiliate did not have to air it. No one was fired.

"On July 5, 1997, NPR mocked the Eucharist when host Scott Simon and musical satirist, Tom Lehrer, got together. Lehrer sang "The Vatican Rag." Here are some of the lyrics: "Try playing it safer, drink the wine and chew the wafer"; "Two, four, six, eight, time to Trans-substantiate."

"Moreover, if Williams merits being fired for expressing reservations about people with Muslim garb boarding a plane, then why was it okay for Dahlia Lithwick of NPR (at the time) to express her reservations about having "too many Catholics" on the Supreme Court? On Nov. 1, 2005, she exclaimed, "People are very, very much talking about the fact that Alito would be the fifth Catholic on the Supreme Court if confirmed."

"Earlier, on Aug. 2, she expressed concerns about the "very, very strong religious views" of Catholic Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. Moreover, on July 23, Nina Totenberg of NPR raised a red flag over high court nominee John Roberts' wife because she was "an officer of a pro-life organization." As for Roberts himself, she said, "He's got adopted children. I mean, he's a conservative Catholic."

The duplicity is sickening.

Contact NPR Media Chief Anna Christopher: achristopher@npr.org

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Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on a phone call made today by NPR media relations manager Anna Christopher to Jeff Field, the Catholic League's director of communications:

"Earlier today, I wrote a news release calling into question NPR's double standard: Juan Williams gets fired for making an allegedly anti-Muslim remark, but no one has ever gotten fired from NPR for its anti-Catholic fare. I listed several explicit examples, and at the end of the release, I asked those on our e-mail list to contact Anna Christopher.

Christopher called Jeff Field to complain about our news release. She accused us of "cherry-picking" instances of NPR's anti-Catholic programming, adding that our "heated" news release resulted in a large amount of "mean-spirited" e-mails.

We didn't "cherry-pick" anything: I simply went to our files and cited a few examples of NPR's intolerance of Catholicism. The news release, as anyone can see [click here], was hardly "heated." Moreover, I am not responsible for any allegedly "mean-spirited" e-mails she received.

Talk about thin-skinned. Why is it that NPR can dish it out, but can't take it. If it doesn't want Catholics complaining, then lay off us. And while they're at it, they might think about leveling the playing field when it comes to employee "misconduct."

Contact Anna Christopher: achristopher@npr.org

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The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. Founded in 1973 by the late Father Virgil C. Blum, S.J., the Catholic League defends the right of Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. It is led by its' President, William A. Donohue, Ph.D.