Dear Senator Jones …

I strongly urge you and your State Senate colleagues to vociferously condemn and refuse to participate in the California Senate’s plan to “honor” the bigoted anti-Catholic minstrel performers known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

These so-called performers hearken back to the dark days of the Jim Crow Era minstrel shows that routinely demeaned and caricatured Black Americans, all in the name of performance art. If anything, a strong case could be made that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a de facto hate group and should be reported to Governor Gavin Newsom’s recently launched website for reporting hate crimes in California.

In this day and age, it is almost inconceivable that a similar group of bigots would openly mock and ridicule other religions of faith like Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, among others. Such demeaning mockery of these religions would undoubtedly receive widespread public condemnation and disapproval.

Yet even now, billion dollar enterprises like the L.A. Dodgers cower to a small and vocal mob of religious bigots. Perhaps “Dodgers” is a most appropriate name for this Los Angeles franchise, as this organization seems quite skilled at dodging moral courage, decency, and respect for other creeds and cultures.

I write this as a non-Catholic. I have never been nor do I envision myself practicing the Catholic faith. Yet I know a great many people, who are family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are practicing Catholics. I consider them all to be very decent and honorable persons filled with faith, charity, and love of God as well as love of their country and fellow man.

Lastly, I would hope that all Americans, and particularly Californians, be they members of the California Legislature, players of a cowardly and dodging sports franchise, or even debased troubadours of a crass and bigoted minstrel act, would consider the following words (sometimes attributed to Lincoln) by the late William J. H. Boetcker:

“You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.”

I would further suggest that the California Senate should act in the spirit of President Abraham Lincoln’s words “with malice toward none, with charity for all …”

Honoring a bigoted anti-Catholic group is an act of malice, and completely lacking in charity.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Rick Reiss