Even though is membership is considerably reduced since the Eisenhower era, and despite being rocked by massive sex scandals, the Catholic Church remains a potent force in American life.

But non-Catholics really don’t know much about the Catholic church.

The church portrays itself as a warm and fuzzy do-gooder organization.  The Catholic priest struggling with his conscience is a familiar cliche in TV and film.

Unfortunately those images are misleading, as the following letter I received in 2012 from Archbishop Carlson of St. Louis shows.  The fourth paragraph of the letter is black and white evidence that the Catholic church wants to over-turn the First Amendment.

A lot of people died so that Americans could enjoy the protection of the First Amendment.  This letter was written by a highly placed Catholic official, not a janitor in a soup kitchen.

I’m neither a crank nor crackpot.  I just want to know: at what point do we defend ourselves?  When do we say “NO” to this twisted version of our liberties?

What scares me isn’t Carlson—he is what he is.  He’s still the archbishop of St. Louis.

It’s the complacency and apathy of the American public that scares me.  If it was up to Carlson, the First Amendment as we know it would be toast—and a lot of Americans would let it happen without lifting a finger.  Because the Constitution is just words on paper.  It takes the People to give it meaning.

The First Amendment is a Core American Value.  Tell Congress NO! to destroying the First Amendment.