Cardinal O'Conner has been under attack because he refuses to recommend the use of condoms because, in his view, it would condone extramarital sex. Instead he discourages the sexual conduct itself, believing that if people obeyed the church's traditional morality--no sex outside of heterosexual marriage--there would be no AIDS crisis in this country.

The film was pulled from PBS's scheduled showing during their "Point of View" segment just two weeks before it was to be aired because of what PBS considered to be excessive ridicule of the Roman Church.

The Catholic Church chose not to participate in the discussion of the film that followed its showing. According to Cardinal Mahoney, whose prepared statement was included in the KCET broadcast, the Church didn't want to give its approval to what amounted to ridicule and Catholic bashing.

I have only three things to say about this dull, tedious program.

First, the film was very poorly done from a technical perspective. It's gratuitous to even call it a documentary (an observation also made by the former president of CBS news who was interviewed). It was basically a home movie, and other than a few very brief moments of interesting editing, was dull rhetoric from homosexual activists. I'm not surprised it was rejected by PBS.

In the film demonstrators screamed "Stop killing us! Stop killing us! We're not going to take it any more!" and placards read, "The Cardinal lies to his parishioners," "Cardinal O'Conner won't teach safe sex," and "Stop the murderous AIDS policy." But there was no attempt to show why the viewer should take any of those accusations or slogans seriously. In fact, the film did not address any issues; it merely chronicled the denigration of a place of worship, and recorded the angry attack of a homosexual group on a religious authority. There was only one point here: ridicule of, and anger towards, Roman Catholicism, and disparagement of its leadership.

Some of the content was so ridiculous it bordered on being comical, like using the "Hallelujah Chorus" of Handel's Messiah as background music, suggesting there was some kind of moral triumph in this action, a type of grass roots holy war of homosexual activists surging against police lines.

Now, I am not afraid of a contrary point of view. I have no objection to satire or parody, or even ridicule if there is some content. But in this case there was no content, no substance, no intelligent analysis, no critique, no satire, no deft or clever touch; nothing but pure, unadulterated and unrestrained ridicule.

This piece is not about AIDS, friends. Virtually nothing was ever said about the disease. The AIDS issue was merely a backdrop for one group's hatred of moral censure. This film is a punishment of the Roman Church for its moralizing on sexual conduct, specifically homosexuality. It was not a documentary; it was a tantrum.

The second issue is, should KCET have aired this piece? Well, yes and no. This is public television and part of KCET's expressed purpose is to give a wide diversity of programming reflecting a wide diversity of opinion and controversy. Fair enough. But the interest in embracing controversy doesn't justify the airing of this particular piece.

And where is the same interest in airing controversial films on the right side of the political spectrum. I have no problem with KCET airing controversial shows if they are willing to show both sides. Why doesn't KCET, for example, have the same attitude about any of a number of superbly produced pro-life films? In light of that, their self-righteous concerns for free expression of ideas and alarm about censorship, rings a little hollow.

Frankly, I'm glad they showed it. It demonstrated how ludicrous ACT-UP's charges are and was more of an indictment on ACT-UP than it was on Rome. Probably the best thing that could happen on this issue for Catholicism, is for this piece of garbage to be shown in every market in the country at prime time.

Finally, is the church guilty of ACT-UP's charge? Even the title itself, "Stop the Church," implies that the church is somehow responsible for the AIDS crisis. One of the participants summed up Cardinal O'Conner's view as, "Let them get AIDS."

The basic issue is does the Catholic church have a right to take a stand on moral issues in public and demand certain behavior from people who are a part of that community of faith? Does God determine what His church is to stand for, or do the vicissitudes of public opinion call the shots?

Religion is not a democracy, it's an autocracy, and it exercises power only over those people who choose to be a part. The church is faithful to Jesus Christ, not some political agenda, especially one that's patently immoral. If you don't like that, join some other religion or make up your own. Even social clubs have rules, requirements for membership.

Second, condoms do not make sex safe. There is only one kind of safe sex, the kind the Roman Catholic church espouses. One of the homosexuals in the discussion attacked the "rather simplistic notion that morality is the solution to the problem of HIV." Why is this simplistic? It seems very to-the-point to me. That's like saying, "It's very simplistic to suggest that drunk driving problems could be solved by telling people, 'Don't drink and drive.'" And if "Just say no," is too simplistic in the sexual arena, we're going to have to change our whole approach to the war on drugs.

Finally, and more to the point, when it comes to fixing blame, let's set the record straight. Cardinal O'Connor is not forcing anyone to insert their penis into someone else's diseased rectum. The irony is that this plaintive cry of "Stop killing us!" is coming from the group that is virtually single-handedly responsible for the rapid spread of this deadly disease in this country.

Homosexuals have historically been extremely promiscuous, and very irresponsible in this area. They might say, "Well, it's our business how we live. Who are you to tell us what's right or wrong?" OK, live how you want, but shoulder the consequences; you have no one to blame but yourselves. I'm not saying we shouldn't be helpful, loving or sympathetic, but let's call a spade a spade. Stop killing yourselves.

Homosexual activists have become the embodiment of narcissism and overgrown adolescence in our culture. They are immature in the extreme. They want what they want, when they want it, yet refuse to take any responsibility for their actions. When the roof falls in, as it has with AIDS, they blame everyone else, and demand, that others fix it. If they can't get their way, they throw a tantrum.

These infantile people belong in a crib with a pacifier, not in the adult world with condoms.

At least, that's the way I see it.