William Donohue, who’s usually pretty spot on with his analysis of the institutionalized anti-Catholic bias in this country asks a great question in Wednesday’s New York Daily News:

It may be that “The Da Vinci Code” is one of the most inane movies to appear in some time, and it may be that its failure to persuade means Catholics have nothing to worry about. But if so, this is by default. After all, the book upon which the film is based is built on malicious lies about the Catholic Church.

One of the co-producers of “The Da Vinci Code,” John Calley, was quoted last year saying the movie was “conservatively anti-Catholic.” Leaving aside the silly qualifier, ask yourself: Is there a single producer in all of Hollywood who would boast that his movie is anti-Semitic, racist or homophobic? And to top it off, ask yourself why inoffensive depictions of Muhammad are rarely shown on TV or in newspapers?

While I’d disagree with his next paragraph (plenty of groups are subject to ridicule; that’s the beauty of this country), and his assertion that you being conservatively anti-Semitic wouldn’t be a problem, the question he asks is a valid one. What other group could you validly make the claim that your movie is “anti” and not incur the wrath of hell?

If I were to make a movie tomorrow and call it “conservatively anti-gay,” would there be one single second of my life where someone wasn’t calling me out on it? What about movies and documentaries that aren’t so obviously labelled, but still might offend… You know the shitstorm that sort of thing tends to generate, right? So why is that different?

The Satanic Verses, when it was introduced, resulted in a fatwa, death threats, and is still considered a volume of unmitigated hate toward Islam. In other words, it wasn’t okay. So why the double standard?

Maybe Catholics and Christians should just start marching in “pride” parades, and slicing off people’s heads. After all, it seems that’s the only way to get a little respect in the world.

I could care less about the DaVinci code. I don’t have a habit of trying to find deeper meaning in my life or my faith at a movie theater, but for those in this country who look to condemn every word from the mouth of everyone who dares say gays shouldn’t be allowed to marry as hateful and bigoted, there is a clear and obvious double standard. I have a feeling it’ll never disappear, either, because it’s a fashionable and socially acceptable one.

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