THE MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA “REGRETS” that the First Amendment is stopping him from shutting down a skit in the Mummer’s parade that made fun of the Catholic hierarchy’s cover-up in sex abuse cases.

Bill Hobbs says that the mayor should have different concerns:

So, the mayor of the nation’s fifth-largest city “regrets” the First Amendment. Amazing. And a terrible shame – because the real target of his regret should be that the Catholic Church – or any powerful institution – would so rapidly turn to ask the government to muzzle its critics.

Or that the Church hierarchs would be party to covering up acts that they — and he — would loudly condemn in any other institution.