Anti-Semitic claims “preposterous” maintains HLI president

Montreal – Despite a storm of accusations, all things are go for Human Life International’s “You are the Light of the World” conference, set for Montreal in April.

The controversy began in January when Stephen Scheinberg, vice-president B’nai B’rith Canada, accused world-wide pro-life group Human Life International and its founder, Rev. Paul Marx, of being anti-Semitic.  In an interview with Montreal’s The Gazette, Sheinberg said that he thought Fr. Marx was “infected with this virus of anti-Semitism.”

HLI responded to this charge, saying it was “too preposterous to be given any credibility.”

Sheinberg pointed to remarks made by Marx eight years ago in which he noted that there were a large number of Jews active in the abortion movement.  Marx’s comments were brought to light in a suspect article in Planned Parenthood of America’s magazine Frontlines Research and passed on to B’nai B’rith Canada.

B’nai B’rith stroked the fire by going to the Montreal press with their charges of anti-Semitism and called on Cardinal Jean Turcotte of Montreal to prohibit HLI from celebrating Mass at Notre Dame Basilica.

The HLI smear campaign comes on the heels of a similar campaign by B’nai B’rith’s U.S. counterparts, the Anti-Defamation League.  In 1994, the ADL began a strategy to link the Republican Party’s Christian Coalition to an anti-Semitic agenda.  Several Jewish intellectuals, including Midge Decter of Commentary magazine, sponsored an ad in the New York Times denying the accusations and stating that the ADL did not represent all Jews.

Following this cue, HLI Canada paid for an ad in The Gazette, again denying the charges.  All of the ad’s signees were Jewish, including Madge Decter, Bernard Nathanson and ten Rabbis.  HLI also held a press conference showing that many Jews play influential roles in the organization.

Further, the Brooklyn-based Jewish Anti-Abortion League sent a memo to Cardinal Turcotte defending HLI, saying “It is with dismay and embarrassment we hear of the attempt of B’nai B’rith Canada to disrupt the HLI world conference in Montreal.”

Attempts by HLI to approach B’nai B’rith about the accusations have been rebuffed by Sheinberg, HLI’s president Fr. Matthew Harbiger said in light of the fact that B’nai B’rith was an “internationally recognized organization that is in the forefront of protecting human rights” they were welcome in joining HLI in fighting for the rights of the unborn.

It is unlikely that Sheinberg’s group will accept the invitation.  In the meantime, several feminist and homosexual groups, hoping to take advantage of the publicity, have picketed Notre Dame Basilica.