Kennedy: All deserve health care as 'children of God'
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- In his first public appearance since an escalating a public feud with Rhode Island's Roman Catholic bishop over abortion and health care, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy said all people deserve health care because they are "children of God".  U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., faces reporters following a forum on health-care reform on the campus of Brown University. AP photos / Steven Senne The Democratic lawmaker spoke Monday at a panel discussion at Brown University. Kennedy was one of four panelists at the discussion. After each panelist made brief introductory remarks, the 200 people in the audience were allowed to ask questions. The only outburst in Monday's event came from Christopher Young, a perennial candidate for elected office in Rhode Island, and the second person to take the microphone. Brown University police and Providence police forcibly removed Young after he tossed a DVD at the congressman and told him: ``You're not Catholic if you force Catholics into funding abortion.'' During the question-and-answer period, Young left the microphone and approached Kennedy at the head of the room as police scrambled to intercept him. Before the police arrived, Young tossed a DVD on the table in front of the congressman, which was quickly confiscated by the police. Once he returned to the microphone, Young refused to stop talking. As he made a loud and rambling statement about public funds being used for abortions, a small group of campus police approached. They asked Young to stop yelling. He refused. They dragged Young from the crowded room. Once outside the front door, three Brown University officers pinned him to the ground and handcuffed him.  Christopher Young is removed from the forum by campus police. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. University spokeswoman Marisa Quinn later confirmed that Young was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and turned over to the Providence Police. After the panel discussion, Kennedy briefly took questions from a horde of media gathered on the side of the platform. He said he wasn't threatened by Young's outburst. "I think that's part of the whole process of politics these days," Kennedy said. "I think at the end of the day, the American people are really exhausted by the debate by the extremes." The congressman largely sidestepped questions about his feud with Bishop Tobin. When asked whether he would consider leaving the church given Tobin's criticism, Kennedy responded: "These are personal issues of faith for me. I'm not going to indulge in this debate any more. It's really for me about what my constituents are most interested in now and that is getting a health care bill passed that helps improve their lives." Meanwhile, in Nov. 26 letter to the congressman, the Rev. James Ishmael Ford of the First Unitarian Church in Providence has invited Kennedy to consider adopting his church as his "spiritual home." Read the full text of Ford's letter to Kennedy
I am under the impression you may be church shopping. On behalf of the First Unitarian Church of Providence, I would like to invite you to consider visiting with us to see if this might not be your spiritual home. I am a longtime admirer of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly its traditions of a profound spirituality and, by its best lights, a commitment to human dignity and justice. Our liberal religious spirituality is based upon a profound respect for the individual while also knowing we are all woven out of each other and the world in a wondrous web of interdependence. Based upon this insight we are also committed to human dignity and justice. We share with the Catholic Church a commitment to racial justice and to the defense of immigrants, the homeless, the poor and others who suffer at the hands of the powerful and indifferent. However, by our best lights, we have engaged some the great questions in somewhat different ways. We fiercely uphold the rights of women; in fact we have ordained women to our ministry since the middle of the nineteenth century. And even knowing there is a tragic element involved, as an Association we defend a woman's right to choose whether or not to carry a fetus to term. Similarly, as an Association, we uphold the worth and dignity of bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgendered people, seeking full civil rights for BGLT people, including marriage equality. The First Unitarian Church in Providence is the third oldest congregation in the city. It has a long history of seeking a spirituality grounded within our lived lives, and manifested through acts of mercy and justice. We are located at the corner of Benefit and Benevolent streets. I've loved that since I came to serve among these good people and saw the signs. "Benefit" and "benevolent" speaks of what our hope to be is, and often of who we are. We welcome you and your family to visit at anytime, and to see if we might not be your spiritual home. Yours, standing on the side of Love, -- With reports from Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau, and the Associated Press 
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Loud and Rambling... Classic Chris Young. Way to steal the spotlight though. Way to keep the focus on Kennedy's feud. Maybe one day we'll be rid of this senator by birthright.
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When I read the headlines' "Police remove man who criticizes Kennedy at Brown forum", I thought "WOW!! That Patches guy is in trouble now".
Then I saw it was Chris Young.
Who can blame security for removing him when he just can't seem to compose himself to the lowest level acceptable?
So instead of Chris making his point and possibly convincing others to think likewise, the news story will read, "Loudmouth who couldn't control himself, removed from public forum."
Congratulations, Chris. It really is all about YOU, isn't it?
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Mr. Kennedy yells at his audience all the time.
He's the one who should be forcibly removed by 5 police officers.
Thank you, Mr. Young. It's about time someone stood up to the madness that is Patrick Kennedy.
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Perpetual candidate. Perpetual lunatic. Chris Young.
The article title should be changed to reflect the non-story that is a belligerent Chris Young freaking out. He was forcibly removed from the Langevin town hall as well.
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Mr. Young is in excellent physical condition. Magnificent
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Again Patrick brings God into his rhetoric about healthcare. He's opening the door and inviting this.
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This guy has the right to speak out!! Kennedy is an incredible hypocrite who has know clue about what this country is about. What you left wing freaks don't understand is, this country is about diversity and working for a living. It's not the governments job to make your decisions and implement programs for you to get by.
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You can't be a "perpetual candidate" unless you are perpetually rejected by the voters. Maybe those voters are trying to tell you something, Chris.
This was supposed to be a forum about health care, not a forum on Catholicism. What a lunatic Chris Young is!
And, the article doesn't go into sufficient detail to know what happened when Chris "tossed a DVD at the congressman", but depending on the details it could constitute assault.
I don't care if you love Kennedy or can't stand him, you cannot go around assaulting United States Congressmen without serious repercussions.
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I was not there to hear the way in which Mr. Young presented his opinions, but his point is well-taken. How convenient that we can call ourselves whatever we like--Catholic, Christian, Muslim--and yet disassociate ourselves from whatever particular teaching we don't like at the time. If Kennedy truly wanted to be courageous and honest he would either renounce his Catholicism or renounce his stand on abortion. I am not a Catholic, but I deeply respect their consistent stance on this issue.
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it is just too bad that Kennedy is in favor of this abortion issue.
Considering the uproar he has caused, he has shown that he is not suited to be a representative and should either resign or the voters of the 1st district should vote him OUT of office.....
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Chris Young looks like he's been swallowing more than the communion host lately!
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KENNEDY IS AN IDIOT AND A SHEEP HERDER WHO HAS
A BUNCH OF MISGUIDED SHEEP FOLLOWING HIM TO THE
ETERNAL PIT!!!BAAHH!!BAAHH!! VOTE THIS CIRCUS CLOWN OUT!!!!!
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Yeah, nice belly. This is another example of an uninformed zealot. More talking points. The right wing/anti abortion people are using the health care debate to try to get rid of legal abortions. If you don't like abortions, don't have one, but stop trying to run other people's lives. These wackos are the same people that want women who have been raped to continue with the pregnancy, knowing that the baby growing inside them was a product of some man's hatred towards women. They argue that the baby isn't at fault. That maybe true, but the baby wasn't conceived in love and I wouldn't ask any woman to carry a baby like that for 9 months, a constant reminder of what happened to her. But for some people, there are no exceptions. They live in a very black and white world.
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Chris- You were on the right track...yet you failed miserably in your delivery. Patches will be out on his a-- soon.....Rhode Island is tired of this senator by birth
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Thank you Mr. Young ! Its right winger opiners like this guy that keep me voting Democrat ! HA !
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Let's see, which one was the loudmouth lunatic?
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If Rep.Kennedy is chuch-shopping, I think it's for the best. It's apparent that his self-identification as a Roman Catholic means little to nothing to him beyond a family tradition and a vote-garnering move among his actively voting, elderly Catholic constituency. If he does become a member of the Unitarian church, he can remain free to promote and support political positions which,on the face of it,largely appear to dovetail with his own personal beliefs,without fear of offense to, or reprisal from ,the leadership of his faith. The Catholic Church will likewise benefit by not having to deal with the problem/question of distributing to Rep.Kennedy what it firmly believes to be the true Body and Blood of Jesus to someone who,quite honestly,gives no evidence of appearing to give a hoot about what the Church's position is on anything.
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People do not "all deserve health care" --but we all deserve freedom. The Kennedys have undermined our freedom with their reckless spending and oppressive regulating. Patrick Kennedy is on record as being a big spender of public funds. Ted Kennedy sponsored 2,000 bills over his painfully long career. Has all this massive spending and government control made our country more prosperous and free? No way! This entitlement mentality is the reason our country is in its current economic depression. It's time to give the boot to sanctimonious and oppressive political dynasties.
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one person wrote..
"If you don't like abortions, don't have one, but stop trying to run other people's lives"
Why should i have my tax money go to support abortions..if someone wants one take it out of your own pocket and if your poor i have an idea STOP HAVING KIDS!!! ...It's bad enough i can't afford my own bills nowadays that i have to chip in so someone can kill a baby
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Kennedy is a laughing stock. But it really tells you something about RI voters. So do the comments about Young's weight. The left just can't stop with the negative comments. Instead of debating the issue, they want to debate the guy's weight. Brilliant people!
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But apparently those whom you yourself refer to as "children of God" don't even deserve to be born? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
The church's primary objection had to do with the fact that under the original House legislation, federal funds would be used to pay for abortions. All "his" church asked of him, as a supposedly practicing Catholic, was that he support amendments to continue the current practice of not having our tax dollars fund abortion. There's one thing to believe in a supposed "right" to abortion, there's another level of evil altogether when you force us to pay for it.
Perhaps if he ever tried to write a book, he could call it "Profiles in Apostasy." I never cease to be amazed by how people like this get into and stay in public office, despite even the most basic life skills.
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If Chris Young were a true Catholic himself, he would spare his brethren of the devil like site of his ample frame in such a small, tight shirt. Oh my!
Did anyone get a look at what DVD it was that was tossed at Kennedy? Makes you wonder, eh?
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It's sad that this country probably never had separation of church and state.
Abortion should be available to all, but not used as a birth control method. Plan B, condoms, or the pill should always be available. It's less expensive to tax payers. I wouldn't want to imagine a time in my life where I would have to carry a child concieved from a traumatic event. Especially at a time when many can't even afford caring for themselves, let a lone a child.
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Chris Young is my hero! I wish I were as brave as him...He speaks the truth, which is obviously something Rhode Islanders aren't accustomed to.
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If the right wants to adopt Young as its new mascot, it can go right ahead.
I guess he didn't embarrass himself enough at SSM hearings when he was getting in the faces of women in the gallery demanding to know if they were lesbians. John DePetro is now deifying this guy.
I'm no Patrick fan, but you know why he stays in office? Because his enemies inevitably overplay their hands.
If Chris Young is Catholic, then I walk on water.
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SSM? When did he do that? I'm mortally curious- do you have a link?
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Chris Young stands for God, family and country, and for the rights of everyone to freedom of speech and religion. If you think Chris Young did anything wrong by asking a question at a public question-and-answer forum, then you are part of the problem, just like Nazi-esque Brown University!
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