Posted on 07/25/2010 5:52:26 AM PDT by marshmallow
Democrat mayoral candidate Christopher Young clings to a statue of the Virgin Mary at Wednesday night’s debate at the Providence Career & Technical Academy before being removed from the proceedings. Young claimed he was restoring the statue and wanted to use it to demonstrate during the debate how he planned to restore the community if elected.
PROVIDENCE — Four mayoral hopefuls took the stage at the Providence Career & Technical Academy auditorium on Wednesday in a debate centered on the minority community, following a more than one-hour delay in which Democratic mayoral candidate Christopher F. Young was removed.
State Rep. Steven M. Costantino, City Councilman John J. Lombardi, former Housing Court Judge Angel Taveras and Jonathan Scott answered questions on immigration, police oversight, public education, housing and economic development.
Young was escorted out of the event by the police after he refused to take down a large statue of the Virgin Mary that he had placed on the candidates’ table.
Doris De Los Santos, president of the Rhode Island Latino Civic Fund, which sponsored the forum, said candidates were told not to bring props or signs to the debate stage. Young argued it was a question of free speech: “The statue stands for my faith. I believe I have a right to be here with my faith.”
As debate organizers and 10 police officers asked Young to leave the stage or remove the statue, about 200 registered attendees waited in the humid hallway outside the auditorium.
“To have one person put a damper on an important political process is selfish,” said Michael Van Leesten, one of a handful people in the auditorium to watch the debacle unfold.
The first question of the night centered on the school system.
(Excerpt) Read more at projo.com ...
I am always skeptical of a politician who is so showy or flamboyant about his religious views. This to me looks more like a political prop than anything else.
Must be the heat.
You’re right! It DOES look like a prop in the picture.
This was neither the time nor place for this sort of thing.
While I agree this man has every right to show his faith in public, this was way past reasonable.
How would this man feel if people brought political signs into his church on Sunday?
I’m disgusted.
Nothing but showmanship. The dude could have just worn a miraculous medal and it would have been a fine witness to how seriously he took his faith. Chances are that he would end up being about as Catholic as Nancy Pepsi when it is all said and done.
I suppose it could.But he chose to bring *that* statue rather than a bust of Che or Stalin...which is what you'd *expect* a RAT to bring to a debate.
I’m going to guess that a leftist wins this contest.
I love it! Do you happen to know how he stands "On the Issues"? I'd like to carry around our Mary (and she needs some "restoration" as well) ... but we go for transporting her via the lesser weight of a Miraculous Medal or Rosary. Hope to hear more on this story. Could he be a pro-Life Democrat?
This person has been very outspoken about his strong pro-life beliefs. He even got arrested in a public meeting at Brown University when he confronted Patrick Kennedy about Kennedy’s support for abortion. He seems to walk the walk on matters of his faith.
Other news ...
Underwear packaging reportedly recalled from Walmart after Cullman pastor’s complaint
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2558645/posts
LOL, he is desperate for the Catholic vote I guess..
This person has been very outspoken about his strong pro-life beliefs. He even got arrested in a public meeting at Brown University when he confronted Patrick Kennedy about Kennedy’s support for abortion. He seems to walk the walk on matters of his faith.Very interesting. I'll have to look up some information on him. I never leave home without her myself.
I am always skeptical of a politician who is so showy or flamboyant about his religious views. This to me looks more like a political prop than anything else.I remember my F-I-L after his umpteenth stroke, started wearing this giant cross around his neck ... it covered the width of his chest almost. And he was of right mind. It was wonderful. I think we all should start lugging our Mary statues out and about. They're heavy and we can offer up the suffering to end abortion or the like ... I don't think I've ever seen a Catholic politician do anything like this. Flamboyant indeed, but it grabbed my attention. And more importantly, Mary's. :)
Now see, that’s where he made his mistake. If he wanted to lug a statue around for political purposes he should have used one of Che Guevera.
Very popular with democrats so I’m told.
For years he has been consistent in his words and actions. Too bad he’s a Democrat statist,’cause it seems his heart grows towards the good and is good in his objection to the killing of the unborn. I do wonder why he frames the objection in terms of a racial minority when babies of all races are aborted.
Are the abortions of white and asian and other race babies any less heinous than the abortions of black babies? So what if the abortions are statistically less,they still happen.
That’s one of the things that irks me about him,although for years he has shown consistency in his words and actions. Probably one of the most honest in this state. Yet...still...
However he has shown a great deal of spine. True,yet doesn’t exonerate the racial thing. Scream about the abortion of any unborn,don’t make it a special interest racial thing.
Yes, agreed, to be against killing little unborns, you have to take into consideration all races ... but I think I could vote for a Democrat that is so pro-life, especially one that carries around a statue of Mary. If you happen upon any links regarding him (and I thank you for the information you provided), please post and ping me ...
In this state Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.
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