Reckoning Day Comes Closer For Larry Cirignano

As reported in Bay Windows by Ethan Jacobs:

"After several months of court appearances a trial date has been set for Larry Cirignano, who faces charges of misdemeanor assault and battery and civil rights violations for allegedly shoving a same-sex marriage supporter at a rally in Worcester last December for VoteOnMarriage.org, the organization that sponsored a failed amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Cirignano’s jury trial will begin Oct. 15 at Worcester District Court according to Jennifer Nadeau, spokesperson for Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr."

Since I was actually there, let me summarize what happened. Sarah Loy, a straight and married supporter of equality, was standing in the thick of the VoteOnMarriage supporters with a sign that asked for discrimination not to be a part of our constitution. She was not standing in front of the podium, and disrupting the rally like some people accuse. Pictures taken at the rally prove these accusations to be untrue. Larry Cirignano, the former head of the Catholic Citizenship Group founded by Ambassador Raymond Flynn, left the podium after speaking and walked briskly over to where Mrs. Loy was. He put his hands on her and said, "You have to get out of here right now!" then shoved Mrs. Loy, who fell as a result, hitting her head on the concrete sidewalk. Cirignano's supporters have chimed in with a litany of allegations that include Mrs. Loy being an actress, and the whole incident being staged. As in most cases when dealing with the VoteOnMarriage supporters, both truth and logic are lacking. How on Earth could anyone have known that the now resigned head of the Catholic Citizenship Group would have taken the law into his own hands and committed not only assault and battery, but a civil rights violation? There is no way to have known this, and anyone spreading otherwise as truth is simply a liar.

Cirignano's defense claim is that Mrs. Loy was blocking the podium and disrupting the speakers. He claims he only escorted her to where she would be with the other protesters "where she belonged". Cirignano claims she fell after his back was turned, and not as a result of him shoving her as several eyewitnesses claim, one of them reporter Richard Nangle at the Worcester Telegram. Funny thing though, both the pictures and a video taken at this event show that she fell while still in the thick of the VoteOnMarriage supporters. It is clear to me that Larry Cirignano lost his cool and attacked a woman based on her beliefs. It seems clear to the judges too, who denied his plea to drop the civil rights violation charge. I would have offered a link to Massresistance.com, who had the video on their website, but they must have realized the video showed damning evidence against Cirignano, whom they support, and it was taken down. The utter lack of compassion coming from these "Christians" as they stood around the injured Mrs. Loy and glared was worth hearing first hand from the video.

Massresistance.com has also taken to the defense of Diane Steele, the woman who was arrested for assaulting a gay man at the June 14, 2007 Constitutional Convention.

It seems that the problem with leadership in the Catholic Church rises all the way to the top, where Cardinal O'Maley remains perfectly silent over acts of violence against the GLBT community, giving neither guidance nor compassion.