Mark Figley: Effort to silence dissenting speech hits home in Lima
By Mark Figley - Guest Columnist
Following the recent attack on the U.S. Capitol, the cancel culture sprung into action by attacking freedom of speech. This was achieved after Twitter made the decision to initially suspend the president’s account through the remainder of his term, then banned him permanently “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.”
Spurred on by the likes of Michelle Obama and other progressive voices, Twitter climbed aboard by suspending the accounts of numerous Trump supporters. Meanwhile, Apple and Google shut down the conservative site Parler, isolating thousands more from free expression, while Facebook joined the fray as well.
The Associated Press
LIMA An Orthodox priest in Ohio said he was suspended for attending President Donald Trump’s rally near the White House three weeks ago before a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Father Mark Hodges said he was told by a church leader that he was “guilty by association” in a letter outlining his three-month suspension.
“I think it’s an unjust suspension,” Hodges said.
He said he marched toward the Capitol on Jan. 6, but left when he saw a group “intending to violently antagonize the police” and officers using tear gas.
“My beloved bishop had questioned the wisdom of a priest attending,” he said. “I think part of the problem is I viewed that “Stop the Steal” rally as expressing extreme concern over voter fraud allegations in the 2020 election.”
Priest with ties to Southwest Ohio parish suspended after urging, joining U.S. Capitol protest
The Journal-News.
and last updated 2021-01-22 11:28:44-05
An Orthodox priest affiliated with a Southwest Ohio parish has been suspended after he went to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 intending to âstop the stealâ of the U.S. election and prevent Joseph R. Biden Jr. from becoming the 46th president of the United States.
The Rev. Mark Hodges, an archpriest attached to St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Greene Countyâs Sugarcreek Twp., was âsuspended from all priestly functionsâ effective Jan 12, according to a short notation on the Orthodox Church in Americaâs Diocese of the Midwest website.
Father Mark Hodges suspended, faces defrocking for attending Stop the Steal rally at Capitol
By Sam Shriver - sshriver@limanews.com
Father Mark Hodges, shown in this file photo leading a service at his church, has been suspended for three months for attending the Stop the Steal Rally in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6.
The Lima News file photo
LIMA Father Mark Hodges was one of the thousands of people at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 when a riot broke out.
He was there to support then-president Donald Trump.
Hodges, who had served as a priest at St. Stephen the First Martyr Orthodox Church in Lima for 20 years, has been suspended as of Jan. 12, for three months and faces “possible defrocking” for his involvement in the Stop the Steal rally in Washington. Five people died as the result of the insurrection after some members of the crowd entered the Capitol building while Congress was considering the counting of the Electoral College votes.