Catholicvote.org Censors Posts

I am a rather "liberal" practicing Catholic. I sometimes purposefully engage conservative Catholics in on-line forums and work very hard to ensure that the words I choose are as fact-based and as dispassionate as possible. I engage with a mind very open to learning more about the alternative points of view and I believe it important for both sides of such arguments to be heard. I recently engaged in just such a dialog on the site "catholicvote.org". This is the group that endorsed Sen.Rick Santorum for President. I'd never heard of them until they made news with the endorsement. During a very civil dialog, one poster asked why I said Santorum would legislate Catholic doctrine and referred me to a CNN interview where Santorum clearly states he would not. Here's my reply:

You're buying Santorum's back-peddling. I did not say he would legislate it. I said he had no problem with legislating it. He has stated repeatedly that the states have a right to outlaw contraception - and the video footage makes it impossible to deny. You will never convince me that the federal government should not supersede and prohibit such a heinous violation of civil rights. This is clearly indicative of his stand on states rights vs federal protections and is obviously strongly influenced by his Catholic faith - though he is too smart a politician to say so directly. I'm open to moral debate on abortifactant methods but a blanket ban on, say, using a condom is beyond the pale and would not be characterized as anything but extreme by the vast majority of Americans - including a majority of Catholics. Here's just one link to video footage: Santorum Link

OK, emphatic, yes -- but I don't believe it could be construed as offensive by any reasonable person. Certainly some disagree and that's fine but it is not the point. I've posted many times on this site over the past week or so and never had a technical problem and have never been turned away for violating their posting rules. Posts are moderated and generally appear within an hour or so of being sutmitted if submitted during the day. Late postings always show up the next morning. I've now submitted this post at least 6 times over the course of the last two days. It still has not been posted despite the fact that much later postings by me and others have appeared. This morning, before the 6th attempt, I sent them an e-mail asking why:

I've tried the same post 5 times now over the last two days. I've never had a post fail to go through before. There is nothing in the post that could even remotely be considered outside of guidelines. The only problem you might have with it is that it reflects, I believe rather poorly - but completely factually - on your endorsed candidate. I expect to see the post or would appreciate a reasonable explanation as to why it is not being posted. If neither happens by the end of business today I have no choice but to assume I'm being censored - and will begin publicizing that fact in other on-line Catholic venues.

I don't even think I'd mind so much if I were starting a new thread but this is a reply to a direct question that was asked of me -- twice. Refusal to post my reply makes it look like I'm ignoring the question and conceding the point by default.


They've never acknolwedged their active refusal of the post and they've not given me the courtesy of a reply with their rationale - not even an excuse about it being somehow outside their guidelines. They've never acknolwedged me at all. I have no problem with people taking strong issue with my views. I'm accustomed to it, even expect it in today's too-polarized environment. I simply accept it for what it is. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I am severely hesitant to accuse them of censorship - but I feel I have given them ample opportunity to explain themselves so I don't see how it could possibly be anything else. While they explicitly state that they "reserve the right to remove or edit a comment for any reason", I feel it is certainly fair and valid for potential readers of this site to know that one of those reasons is selective censorship.


In case anyone is interested here's a link to the full thread: Catholicvote.org