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Faith-Based Initiative Resigning John DiIulio feels Frustrated by Intense Ideological Pressure Says: 'Criticism Coming from All Sides-from Left & Right' |
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Compiled by GayToday
In an interview with Cox Newspapers, DiIulio indicated that he was unhappy in Washington and that he has grown frustrated by intense pressure from across the ideological spectrum. "We had every possible criticism from every possible side," he complained. "Left, right, all sides." He blasted the "nonsense" that he feels dominated Washington debates. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which has spearheaded opposition to the Bush faith-based scheme, said DiIulio's comments are revealing. "Most people whose ideas are criticized by 'all sides' would probably think their ideas are the problem, not that everyone else is wrong," said the Reverend Barry W. Lynn, Americans United's executive director. "DiIulio prefers to condemn honest disagreement as 'nonsense' and then head out of town." Lynn noted that DiIulio, a Democrat, has been increasingly marginalized in a Bush administration dominated by far-right conservatives.
DiIulio, PFAW notes, has angered some Religious Right leaders by acknowledging that it is improper for government to directly fund religious proselytizing. Neas released a statement saying: "While we strongly disagreed with DiIulio on the wisdom and constitutionality of the administration's proposals, at least he understood that there were some problems with government funding of religious indoctrination. H.R. 7, the bill that passed the House with the administration's blessing, is a constitutional nightmare that would promote taxpayer funded discrimination." Word of DiIulio's plans to step down surfaced just one day after the release of a White House report allegedly documenting barriers to an "even playing field" for religious groups seeking grants to provide social services. Neas' analysis notes that in many ways the White House report was not seeking an even playing field, but special privileges for religious organizations to discriminate while providing social services with federal funds. In addition, he said it was troubling that the Bush administration would characterize regulations protecting constitutional principles as barriers. |
Mr. Bush's faith-based initiative takes another set back with the resignation of John DiIulio, head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives 