The HBO network has retained the services of Bill Maher for some time now. I don't watch HBO only because it isn't part of my DirectTV package. I likely will not watch HBO in the future, but for another reason.
Mr. Maher has chosen the time of the visit of this Pope to our country to launch into a vitriolic attack on Catholics and the Catholic church. I am not Catholic, but I do consider myself to be a Christian. I am not favorably disposed toward pedophilia nor toward members of the priesthood who have engaged in and/or tacitly condoned that despicable conduct. I do know that pedophilia amongst clergy has not been limited to the Catholic church.
Mr. Maher has chosen this subject as his tool to castigate the Pope and the Catholic church during this visit to the U.S. Among his comments, supposedly the comments from one of those who poses as a member of the literati in America, are the reference to the man who is now the Pope having been conscripted into the German military during the period of the rise of the Nazi movement in Germany. The man who is now Pope was reportedly twelve years of age when this occurred. Maher calls the Pope a Nazi but I've so far seen no evidence that this man who is now Pope ever was a member of the Nazi movement.
Mr. Maher has called the Catholic church a cult that supports pedophilia. Mr. Maher has referred to the Catholic church as the 'Bear Stearns' of organized pedophilia in the world.
These comments are likely within Maher's rights as a citizen of our great country. HBO has so far remained silent thus giving Maher its blessing to proceed unchecked.
This is an example of just how repugnant free speech can be. This is an example of just how permissive some of our news and entertainment organizations seem to be. That so few of the literati have had anything to say about this is telling indeed.
