NORTH DAKOTA
InForum

February 1, 2021

By Rob Port

People who are committed to protecting children actually protect them. They don’t hide behind religious dogmas, however long-standing.

MINOT, N.D. — Catholics and other supposed proponents of “religious liberty” are crowing about the defeat of Senate Bill 2180.

The legislation introduced by Sen. Judy Lee, R-Fargo, would have crossed out a clergy exemption to a state law mandating reporting of child abuse. Lee ultimately withdrew the bill after a pressure campaign organized by lobbyists for the Catholic Church and other interests.

If you want to understand why so many Americans have turned away from religion, generally, and Catholicism, specifically, one need look no further than the Diocese of Fargo’s Bishop John Folda spiking the football because his priests won’t have report child abusers.

“It really was an assault on our practice of the faith, not just for Catholics but for…