Scorsese meets presided of pedophilia club

[Regina]

Martin Scorses is American, born in Queens.

Of course he was born in America (it's probably a testament to my spending four times in a Catholic high school that I must have assumed that the "American" would have been understood), but his Italian heritage remains a major part of his identity (hell, he made a 3-hour documentary about his first trip to Italy.) Unlike with Ireland in recent years, the Church still holds a depressing amount of sway over Italians and Italian-Americans.

I struggle with this view tbh, as an individual he might be devout but there's more to "Italian heritage", or any country, than just religion. Although it's relatively more conservative and religious than most Catholic countries, it's hardly a hardline theocracy on par with Middle Eastern societies. There's a long list of Italian atheists who have broke away from the church, it's not like they're a homogeneous group.

I'm of Maltese descent (Malta is perhaps an even more Catholic country than Italy, it actually only just this year repealed blasphemy laws and it still outlaws abortion). I can reconcile having "Maltese heritage" and be very proud of that background without pandering to the church there. I'm still an atheist, and I'll still call out Malta on their religious bullshit.

I'd respect Scorsese more if he used his influence and privilege to call out the church. That would be more powerful than ass kissing.