NEWS PROVIDED BY
Catholic League
Aug. 11, 2026
NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2026 /Christian Newswire/ — The following is submitted by Bill Donohue, President, Catholic League:
There is something very bizarre, even childish, about complaints about being excluded, or perceptions thereof. To be excluded is normal. To be sure, there are times when being excluded are unfair, irrational, and even bigoted, but aside from these instances, it makes no sense to carp.
The most basic social unit, the family, is limited to a few. That means most people are excluded. Every clan, tribe, racial, ethnic and religious group excludes most of the world, and exclusion is also the hallmark of every social group, association and organization. Most important, love is based on exclusion, and to a lesser extent so is friendship.
So why the whining about being excluded, especially when the criteria are reasonable? To take a recent example, consider the complaints being registered by those in Texas who don’t want the Ten Commandments posted in the schools. They say that doing so ignores religious differences.
“It teaches students, and their teachers,” says a woman who is suing over this issue, “that exclusion is acceptable, maybe even preferred. That is not a lesson I want my children learning from the state of Texas.”
She is right to say that posting the Ten Commandments in the classroom excludes those who are not of the Judeo-Christian tradition, but she is wrong to object. Why? Because those outside this tradition have contributed virtually nothing to the founding of our nation. That doesn’t make them bad people—it simply means they did not play a role.
So what should we tell children whose ancestors did nothing to found the United States? We should welcome them to enjoy the fruits of our heritage, which includes freedom, rule by law and protection for the rights of the minority. Those in the minority, however, do not have a right to thwart the rights of the majority.
The fact is that Jewish and Christian teachings are the basis of Western civilization. They were the first to make possible the abolition of slavery, the creation of a constitutional order and a provision that provides protection for the rights of those in the minority. Everyone should celebrate this historical verity and not try to diminish it.
Another argument the plaintiffs are making is that their children are “being compelled to display a message that conflicts with their faith,” and therefore runs afoul of Texas law which says “a government agency may not substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion.”
More nonsense. If the Islamic Crescent and Star is displayed in a classroom on a Muslim holiday, it strains credulity to say that Jews and Christians are being compelled to accept a message that conflicts with their faith. No, they are asked to be tolerant of, and learn something about, a different faith tradition.
Let’s be clear: no student’s free exercise of religion is being burdened by the display of religious symbols that are not of his faith. Those who feel burdened should be told to get over it and grow up. To do otherwise is patronizing. It also induces an immaturity that is truly burdensome.
At bottom, this issue is about much more than religion.
The dominant culture’s fixation on inclusion is perverse. That’s why we give trophies to every kid on the team, so he or she won’t feel excluded. It also explains why so-called progressives want to eliminate elite public high schools, contending that they exclude a large swath of the population.
This game—and it is a game—is nothing more than an attack on merit. Instead of helping those who don’t deserve a trophy, or don’t deserve to be admitted to the best schools, to perfect their skills, progressives seek to deny awards to those who succeed. This is the politics of envy, and that is not something we should nurture.
We need to teach young people some hard truths and not try to shade them. But first we must enlighten their progressive parents.
SOURCE Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
CONTACT: 212-371-3191, pr@catholicleague.org