Showing posts with label the establishment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the establishment. Show all posts

Friday, December 14, 2012

Good News (Not in the News); Assumptions; December 21 and the Mayan Calendar

Earlier today I shared some good news from Illinois, and part of what we're learning about Mars and Titan. Then I read about a mass murder in Connecticut:
As I said before, about killings in Connecticut, no pressure: but prayer couldn't hurt.

More News: Good; Drearily Familiar; and Garbled

This post starts with good news from New York State.

The other two items are the usual establishment stuff, what I think of it; and another look at how folks react to the Mayan calendar.

About December 21, 2012: If you're counting on the world ending next Friday: I'd change your plans. The start of a new cycle in the Mayan calendar has about as much cosmic significance as Guy Lombardo's orchestra had each New Year's Eve at the Waldorf Astoria.
  1. Cardinal Dolan and News: But Not the Establishment Kind
  2. 'News:' The Establishment Kind
  3. Maya, oh Maya

'The Establishment?'

In my teens, 'the establishment' was a sort of gentlemen's club. Although "Irish Need Not Apply" signs had disappeared by then, upward mobility was easier for a man who either was WASP, or could fake it. Women with ambition had the option of marrying a WASP.


(Non Sequitur, Wiley Miller (December 14, 2012) used w/o permission)
"...so in leading the way back to traditional America, one of us here is now a janitor and another one goes to the secretarial pool."

As I've said before, I do not want a return to the 'good old days.' My memory's too good.

Today's establishment, the folks in America with wealth, influence, and political power, look different; have different preferences; but still act like 'the establishment.' (September 15, 2011; June 24, 2011)

1. Cardinal Dolan and News: But Not the Establishment Kind

"HHS Mandate Decision"
Cardinal Dolan, The Gospel In the Digital Age, Archdiocese of New York (December 12, 2012)

"Did you hear about the decision last week by U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Cogan in the lawsuit brought by the Archdiocese of New York, ArchCare, (the agency coordinating our Catholic healthcare in the archdiocese) and three plaintiffs from the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island, against the administration for the unconstitutional HHS mandate?

You probably did not, as there seems to have been virtually no mention of the decision - in favor of the archdiocese, by the way - in any local newspaper or on television. As far as I can tell, and I've looked rather carefully, there hasn't even been a story in the New York Times, which couldn't wait to publish an editorial this past October, admonishing the bishops, when a federal judge in Missouri found for the administration and dismissed a similar case brought by a private, for-profit, mining company. (The Times also didn't have much to say last week, when the appeals court temporarily blocked the bad Missouri decision the Times had gushed over.)...
I'm not surprised that The New York Times once again followed its 'all the news we feel like printing' policy. I've discussed the 'Gray Lady' before, in another blog.

America's presumed newspaper of record is, I think, a hometown newspaper, run by a relatively small number of folks, who have well-defined ideas about the outside world:

"...Still a Long Way to Go..."

As Cardinal Dolan says, "...there is still a long way to go before these cases are final...." I am, however, confident that America will eventually decide that forcing citizens to violate our conscience is a bad idea: even if editors with The New York Times believe otherwise.

(A tip of the hat to David Huber , on Google+, for the heads-up on Cardinal Dolan's post.)

2. 'News:' The Establishment Kind

"ABC uses video of hateful Westboro Baptist Church to illustrate opposition to gay marriage"
Scott Whitlock, FoxNews.com (December 11, 2012)

"Apparently, ABC News can't tell the difference between opponents of gay marriage and hateful, anti-American bigots. As 'World News' reporter Terry Moran highlighted the Supreme Court's decision Friday to consider the legality of same-sex marriage, video of Westboro Baptist Church picketers appeared on screen to visually represent 'opponents.'...

(ABC News, via FoxNews.com, used w/o permission)

Assumptions

Fred Phelps and his merry hecklers from the Westboro Baptist Church are against same-sex marriage, among other things.

But not all people who oppose recognizing same-sex marriage are part of Fred Phelps' little group.

For example, the Catholic Church does not recognize sexual relations between two men or two women as "marriage." Our attitude toward the folks who get called "fags" by Fred Phelps is radically different:
"...They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided...."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)
If you haven't read that in the news, I'm not surprised. Journalists don't seem to understand the Catholic Church, or Christianity. (April 27, 2012; March 6, 2010)

Assuming that a few angry people carrying signs are typical of a huge and diverse group isn't prudent, but it's nothing new. I think Fulton Sheen is right:
"There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church - which is, of course, quite a different thing."
(Bishop Fulton Sheen, Foreword to Radio Replies Vol. 1, (1938) page ix, via Wikiquote)
Denver News (1921), from The Library of Congress (American Memory Collection), http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/, via wikipedia.org, used w/o permissionI think America's cultural history contributes to the idea that religion and hate go together.

Burning crosses didn't help Christianity's image. Neither, I suspect, did rants against rock music, commies, Catholicism, and other 'un-American' influences. And that's another topic or two.


(from H.E. Fowler, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"Crowley, Jeremiah J. (1913) 'The Pope: Chief of White Slavers High Priest of Intrigue,' p. 430"

From ''Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', 1926. Published by the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, NJ. Copyright was not renewed.
(Pillar of Fire Church, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"From ''Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', 1926. Published by the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, NJ...."


(From Thomas Nast Portfolio, Ohio State University, used w/o permission.)
"The American River Ganges, a cartoon by Thomas Nast showing bishops attacking public schools, with connivance of Boss Tweed. Harper's Weekly, September 30, 1871." (Wikipedia)

No, I certainly don't yearn for a return to 'the good old days.'

"A Catholic Church (AKA Whore House)"

Fred Phelps' outfit has an all-too-familiar opinion of the Catholic Church:
"...We will say every time we come to a catholic church (aka whore house) we will remind you that Priests Rape Children...."
("Westboro Baptist Church Picket Schedule," godhatesfags.com, (from Google cache November 8, 2010))
I've heard about the pedophile priests, and think they're as typical of Catholicism as Fred Phelps and company are of, say, Protestants. Moving on.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God?

"...Members of the small and extreme Westboro Baptist Church have disrupted the funerals of American military personal who were killed defending this country. According to Westboro Pastor Fred Phelps, U.S. soldiers are dying because of America's support for homosexuality. On June 13, 2005, the AP quoted him as saying, 'Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime.'..."
(Scott Whitlock)
Thinking that "the Lord is punishing this evil nation" may have a (small) kernel of truth to it. I've talked about natural law before.

Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" was very effective in 1741. That may partly explain why so many American preachers are radio ranters seem intent on scaring people silly.

I think that God cares about what people do, and I think that actions have consequences.

But I do not believe that God killed:
  • 21st-century Haitians
    • As payback for a centuries-old alleged act
  • Japanese
    • Because of Pearl Harbor
  • Americans
And I certainly don't agree with Fred Phelps and his ilk. I've been over this sort of thing before:
Folks who take their cue from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" notwithstanding, I really don't think the Almighty has anger management issues.

"God Hates Fags," "Pray for More Dead Soldiers," and ABC News

ABC News does not, as far as I know, agree with slogans like "God hates fags," or "pray for more dead soldiers."

But putting statements in a particular order can give a false impression:
"...Yet, Moran announced, 'For opponents of gay marriage, the very fabric of our society is at stake.' During this voiceover, video showed Westboro protesters with signs reading 'God hates America.' (Other signs that the group is known for include 'God hates fags' and 'Pray for more dead soldiers.') After that footage rolled, Moran's piece immediately cut to a Family Research Council (FRC) representative.

"Providing the only opposition in the segment, Peter Sprigg, a FRC fellow, asserted, 'The fundamental reason why marriage is treated as a public institution, rather than a purely private relationship, is because it serves the interest of society and serves the interest of children.'

"Having Sprigg immediately follow video of Westboro members undercuts the calm, reasoned argument he made...."
(Scott Whitlock)
I've told how rabid radio preachers led me to an appreciation of rock music: and, eventually, to a faith that made sense. ("Why I Became a Catholic")

I still cringe when I hear the latest 'End Times Bible Prophecy,' and that's almost another topic.

Three Important Points

In my considered opinion, it's important to:
  • Not live down to expectations
  • Study the news, not just
    • Read it
    • Watch it

3. Maya, oh Maya

"Vatican: World Not Ending, Despite Maya Prediction"
Associated Press, via ABC News (December 11, 2012)

"The Vatican's top astronomer has some assurances to offer: The world won't be ending in about two weeks, despite predictions to the contrary.

"The Rev. Jose Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory, wrote in Wednesday's Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano that 'it's not even worth discussing' doomsday scenarios based on the Mayan calendar that are flooding the Internet ahead of the purported Dec. 21 apocalypse...."
To begin with, Jose Funes is a priest in the S. J., Society of Jesus (Jesuits), so "the Rev.," although nice-sounding, is not what I'd call him. Oh, well: Associated Press has a record for not understanding Catholicism, the Catholic Church, or Christianity in general. (March 6, 2010)

Professor Funes is part of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, but that organization's head is called a "president" in my language. These are some of the folks who currently run the Academy, according to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences:
  • President
    • Werner Arber
  • Chancellor
    • Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo
  • Councillors
    • Paul Crutzen
    • Theodor Hänsch
    • Nicole Le Douarin
    • Jürgen Mittelstraß
    • Veerabhadran Ramanathan
    • Martin Rees
    • Rafael Vicuña
    (Source: Pontifical Academy of Sciences (English))
Here's José G. Funes' profile, with the name spelled correctly:
"José G. Funes, S.J."
The Pontifical Academy of Sciences

"...José Funes specialises in extragalactic astronomy. His field of research includes the kinematics and dynamics of disk galaxies and star formation in nearby galaxies...."
It took me maybe five minutes to get those names, Funes' profile, and drop the data into this post: but Sauk Centre, Minnesota, does have pretty good Internet service. Besides, I knew about the Academy, and use Google quite often.

Hostility, Ignorance, and Getting a Grip

Sometimes daft reporting of "religious" news may reflect hostility toward religion. Often, I suspect that we're looking at the result of profound ignorance.
Stable Supplies for Horse People, used w/o permission"...If establishment news covered the Super Bowl the way they cover religious news, we'd see expert discussions of the quality of this year's home runs compared to number of women employed by the NFL, and speculation about why the jockeys weren't wearing feed bags....."
(June 15, 2012)
Happily, we no longer depend on The New York Times, broadcast news, and a few studio executives, for information.

Folks need to exercise good judgment when reading blogs like this one, websites, or connecting with others in social media services like Twitter or Google+. Not everyone is careful about checking their facts, or distinguishing between what they know to be true, and what they'd like to be true.

But old-school journalism requires scrutiny too. Happily, now the rest of us can do our own research.

Happy New Year, Mayan Style

I see Funes' point, that "...'it's not even worth discussing' doomsday scenarios based on the Mayan calendar...." As a professional scientist, José Funes, S. J., is mostly interested in the realities of this universe: not a popular doomsday claim.

I'm fascinated by science, but I'm also fascinated by culture, calendars, and psychological quirks: among other things.

I don't take the Mayan calendar's starting a new cycle as terribly significant. On the other hand, I like to watch celebrations of another new cycle each New Year's Eve.

A bit more seriously, I know that some folks are troubled by my native culture's perennial doomsday predictions and prophecies. More about that after pushing some of my other blogs.

I started discussing the Mayan calendar in other blogs, along with goofy ideas:

Doomsday Predictions, Prophecies, and Scaring People Silly

Fear is a powerful motivator. Advertising for everything from life insurance to acne cream often appeals to fear: of being buried in a cardboard box; having a zit on Saturday night; whatever.

By itself there's nothing wrong with fear: or any other emotion. What matters is what we decide to do with our feelings. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1767-1768)

Fear's power may help explain why some frightfully religious folks in America come up with a new 'Biblical End Times' prophecy at fairly regular intervals. Their secular equivalents warn us of impending natural disasters, including:
  • The once-popular coming ice age
  • Global warming
  • Today's cautiously non-committal "climate change"
I take 'end of the world' warnings, secular and religious, with the proverbial grain of salt. Sometimes with the whole container.

Like I said, there's nothing wrong with fear, by itself. Sometimes it makes sense to be afraid. But that doesn't mean that scaring folks silly is a good idea. The key word there is "silly."

I've posted about fear, wisdom, and why emotions and reason don't play well together, before:
Other related posts:
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Monday, July 30, 2012

The Status Quo Must Go

I'm back, with the rest of my take on the end of Chapter Three in "Caritas in Veritate." I posted a sort of 'part one' this morning:
I love language: what word mean; what they imply; how they're put together to express thoughts, attitudes, and feelings. I also think communication works better when folks agree on what words mean: or at least understand what others think they mean.

Globalization: It's (what else?) Global

Here's what I think "globalization" means:
  • Growth to a global or worldwide scale
    (Princeton's WordNet)
  • A common term for processes of international integration
    • Arising from
      • Increasing human connectivity
      • Interchange of
        • Worldviews
        • Products
        • Ideas
        • Other aspects of culture
    (Wikipedia)

Back to the Way it Was??

I'll admit to a bias about living in the 21st century. On the whole, I like having artificial hip joints, Internet access, and reason to believe that America's nation-wide drought will result in higher food prices: not mass starvation.

I like living in the Information Age.

I also like being able to live near the center of the North American continent: and meet people all over the world. Some parts of the Internet are a virtual 'bad part of town:' but that has more to do with free will and original sin than the technology. And that's another topic.

Today's world is very different from the one I grew up in: which upsets some folks. I don't think every change since 1962 was a good idea: but I wouldn't turn the clock back a half-century, even if I could.

Getting a Grip About Globalization

Today's emerging global culture is hard to ignore. I've got opinions about it; and about attitudes I see:
  • I do not think
    • Globalization is a
      • Capitalistic plot to colonize the world
      • Commie plot to enslave the world
    • Folks would benefit by being dragged back into the 'good old days'
      • I remember the 'good old days'
      • They weren't
  • I do think globalization
    • Is happening
    • Can hurt folks
      • If done without ethics
    • Can help folks
      • When pursued with
        • Ethical standards
        • Charity

(Not) Dealing with Change

Not all folks who are convinced that some vast conspiracy is making the feel bad yearn for a rose-colored 'good old days;' and not everyone who thinks the world was wonderful until change happened is a conspiracy buff.

But I've run into a fair number of folks who seem to really believe that the world was just fine before 1960, or 1850, or thereabouts: and that every development since then is 'somebody's fault.'

Change isn't always easy to deal with, but change happens. I think it's better to accept and deal with present realities. Nostalgia is fine: but I want to remember the past, not live in it.

Individuals Making a Difference

Like I wrote this morning, I think folks can't, as individuals, force everyone else to do things 'my way.' For starters, there are too many 'my ways:' they tend to cancel each other out.

These days, even established autocrats have trouble with their subjects. I'll get back to that.

I do think that each of us decides what we do: and what we do affects our part of today's global society. Bottom line? Individuals count.

Even if there are about 7,000,000,000 of us alive today.

Maybe particularly since there are about 7,000,000,000 of us alive today. Again, I'll get back to that.

'I Can't Help It?'

In a way, deciding that nothing I do affects present and future events lets me off the hook. If vast, impersonal, world-wide forces determine what happens: I can sit back, relax, and complain about 'globalization,' or whatever bogeyman is popular at the moment.

That'd be convenient, but the 'I'm helpless' attitude doesn't appeal to me. Or make sense.

Maybe strictly deterministic world views are mildly popular because they allow folks to violate ethics: and say 'I can't help it, it's the way things are.' Or maybe not.

Evaluating Globalization: a Human Approach

Back to Benedict XVI and "Caritas in Veritate." The Pope apparently thinks human beings can make decisions, and act on them. I think that's why he says it's a bad idea to use "a deterministic standpoint" for evaluating globalization:
"...As a human reality, it [globalization] is the product of diverse cultural tendencies, which need to be subjected to a process of discernment. The truth of globalization as a process and its fundamental ethical criterion are given by the unity of the human family and its development towards what is good. Hence a sustained commitment is needed so as to promote a person-based and community-oriented cultural process of world-wide integration that is open to transcendence...."
("Caritas in Veritate," 42)

Good News, Bad News, and Globalization

Is Globalization good, or bad? Benedict XVI says 'it depends.' I agree:
"...Despite some of its structural elements, which should neither be denied nor exaggerated, 'globalization, a priori, is neither good nor bad. It will be what people make of it'[104]...."
("Caritas in Veritate," 42) [emphasis mine]
My attitude toward globalization is cautious optimism. A few generations back, many folks depended entirely on whatever food they could raise. With a good harvest, they'd have enough until the next season. With a poor harvest: they didn't, with lethal results for the young, the old, and the ill.

Today, the children and grandchildren of those who survived drought and famine may have access to a global market: if their local, regional, and national leaders cooperate. I don't see the having the option of not starving as a bad thing: even if it does mean changes in lifestyle.

On the downside, greedy folks on various rungs of the economic ladder now have opportunities to swindle and cheat. Ethically-challenged people isn't new: what's changed is the methods we can use, and how many victims get hurt.

But I prefer to look at the benefits: and do what I can to reduce the risks.

"Protagonists, Acting in the Light of Reason..."

"...We should not be its [globalization's] victims, but rather its protagonists, acting in the light of reason, guided by charity and truth. Blind opposition would be a mistaken and prejudiced attitude, incapable of recognizing the positive aspects of the process, with the consequent risk of missing the chance to take advantage of its many opportunities for development...."
("Caritas in Veritate," 42)
'We've never done it that way' isn't, I think, a good reason for not trying some new process. I don't think ideas are good because they're new: but I don't think new ideas are always bad, either.

I think we need new ideas today: because the status quo, 'the way it's always been,' isn't good enough. Encouraging change without direction won't do, either:
"...The processes of globalization, suitably understood and directed, open up the unprecedented possibility of large-scale redistribution of wealth on a world-wide scale; if badly directed, however, they can lead to an increase in poverty and inequality, and could even trigger a global crisis...."
("Caritas in Veritate," 42)

Wealth, Redistribution, and the Big Picture

"Redistribution?!" I'm an American, and spent my teens in the '60s. When I see "redistribution," I think of a workers' paradise: which looked good on paper, but hasn't worked out to well. I think Russia and it's old holdings will eventually recover: and that's not quite another topic.

But I'm also a Catholic, and realize that there's more to the world that American during the Woodstock era.

"Redistribution" doesn't necessarily involve turning the streets red with the blood of bloated capitalists. Given the radically unequal current distribution of wealth, I don't see an acceptable alternative to changing the status quo. (June 4, 2012)

"Correct the Malfunctions"

Globalization can be a good thing: giving more people in more places a measure of prosperity.

For example, I think we have opportunities to make droughts an inconvenience, not a lethal threat. But we also have opportunities to make life even harder for people.
The status quo, the way things are today, must change. Justice, if not charity, demand that. But we'll need to be careful about the changes.

Here's my last excerpt for today. I've put an even longer version at the end of the post.1:
"...It is necessary to correct the malfunctions, some of them serious, that cause new divisions between peoples and within peoples, and also to ensure that the redistribution of wealth does not come about through the redistribution or increase of poverty: a real danger if the present situation were to be badly managed. For a long time it was thought that poor peoples should remain at a fixed stage of development, and should be content to receive assistance from the philanthropy of developed peoples. Paul VI strongly opposed this mentality in Populorum Progressio. ... The world-wide diffusion of forms of prosperity should not therefore be held up by projects that are self-centred, protectionist or at the service of private interests. Indeed the involvement of emerging or developing countries allows us to manage the crisis better today. ... Globalization is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon which must be grasped in the diversity and unity of all its different dimensions, including the theological dimension. In this way it will be possible to experience and to steer the globalization of humanity in relational terms, in terms of communion and the sharing of goods."
("Caritas in Veritate," 42)

Hope, People, and Information Technology

Back in my 'good old days,' Americans got news from newspapers, magazines, and three television networks: four, counting PBS. Through a combination of deadline pressure, culture, and time zones, newspaper editors tended to look at what The New York Times editors had decided was "new" that day: and that's what Americans read.

Then along came cheap long-distance telephone connections, fax machines, communications satellites, and Twitter. Today, Americans can share information with folks all over the world: not just those whose opinions and social connections make their ideas acceptable to the elite of a small coastal subculture.

America has a sometime-grudging tolerance of ideas and people who aren't of 'the right sort,' which I think has helped my native land slide into the Information Age: instead of being thrown in.

Places like Tunisia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, and Syria, aren't finding the transition quite so easy: putting it mildly.

Today, anyone with access to the Internet can:
  • Share ideas
  • Broadcast information
  • Dscuss problems
  • Suggest solutions
In my youth, only a few well-positioned people had that sort of 'voice.' Sure, quite a bit of what's online is silly. But I think many folks have a great deal more common sense than 'the masses' are imagined to have: and that's still another topic.
More posts about "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth)
"Caritas in Veritate"
Related posts:
More:
1 Excerpt from "Caritas in Veritat:"
"...It is necessary to correct the malfunctions, some of them serious, that cause new divisions between peoples and within peoples, and also to ensure that the redistribution of wealth does not come about through the redistribution or increase of poverty: a real danger if the present situation were to be badly managed. For a long time it was thought that poor peoples should remain at a fixed stage of development, and should be content to receive assistance from the philanthropy of developed peoples. Paul VI strongly opposed this mentality in Populorum Progressio. day the material resources available for rescuing these peoples from poverty are potentially greater than before, but they have ended up largely in the hands of people from developed countries, who have benefited more from the liberalization that has occurred in the mobility of capital and labour. The world-wide diffusion of forms of prosperity should not therefore be held up by projects that are self-centred, protectionist or at the service of private interests. Indeed the involvement of emerging or developing countries allows us to manage the crisis better today. The transition inherent in the process of globalization presents great difficulties and dangers that can only be overcome if we are able to appropriate the underlying anthropological and ethical spirit that drives globalization towards the humanizing goal of solidarity. Unfortunately this spirit is often overwhelmed or suppressed by ethical and cultural considerations of an individualistic and utilitarian nature. Globalization is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon which must be grasped in the diversity and unity of all its different dimensions, including the theological dimension. In this way it will be possible to experience and to steer the globalization of humanity in relational terms, in terms of communion and the sharing of goods."
("Caritas in Veritate," 42)
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Saturday, June 30, 2012

A Non-Event That Never Happened

I got back from another freedom rosary a few minutes ago. There weren't quite as many as on some previous nights: but there wasn't all that much space left over in the garden between Our Lady of the Angels church and the rectory, either.

The evening wasn't nearly as warm as I expected, either: which was a welcome surprise.

What one of the men there said wasn't, sadly, a surprise.

The Score So Far: Zero and Zero

He's been trying to get a response from the local newspaper, and a television station. His idea was that the local news media might want to at least mention what's been going on.

I see his point. This freedom rosary involves a serious issue, and is being done by several dozen folks. That doesn't sound like much, but the total population of Sauk Centre is around 4,000: and this is a local project.

So far, the score is zero telephone calls returned, zero emails responded to.

My neighbor is peeved. My response is more like resignation.

When I became a Catholic, I knew that I was throwing away most opportunities for respectability. At least in the eyes of America's establishment. Like the fellow said:
"There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church — which is, of course, quite a different thing."
(Bishop Fulton Sheen, Foreword to Radio Replies Vol. 1, page ix (1938), via Wikiquote)

"The Establishment?"

I think every society has a set of "who hold influential political positions, important posts in business or academia, and the many others who like things pretty much the way they are." (September 15, 2011) In my youth, "the establishment" in America was almost entirely male: and either WASP or trying desperately to seem sufficiently WASPish to get along.

Today's establishment looks different, and has a different preferred reality. But the old 'all the news we feel like printing' attitude is still there.

I can understand how a significant number of Catholics, gathering daily to pray about religious freedom, might be an event that 'establishment types' might like to ignore. We are, after all, threatening the status quo. Besides, there's always the danger that more Americans might catch on to what's actually happening.

Maybe I'm being unfair.

Or, not. It's like the fellow with the 'wrong' ancestry never finding the editor in his office: after a while, it stops looking like a coincidence. Still, it could be worse. After all, this freedom rosary is merely a 'non-event that never happened.'1

Related posts:
1 One of the 20th century's more noteworthy leaders is credited with having handled criticism of his administration by declaring the troublemakers "unpersons" who never existed. ("Joseph Stalin: An Annotated Bibliography of English-Language Periodical Literature to 2005," David R. Egan (2007) pages 227, 239, excerpted in Google Books)
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Friday, June 22, 2012

Supporting Freedom, and Other Subversive Activity

Americans have important decisions to make. I think they boil down to the sort of options Joshua presented:
" 'Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

"3 If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.' "
(Joshua 24:15-15)
A couple dozen centuries later, deciding whether or not to follow Joshua's example is just as important. And just as difficult. My opinion.

The reasons I became a Catholic are the same ones Peter gave for staying with my Lord:
"Jesus then said to the Twelve, 'Do you also want to leave?'

"Simon Peter answered him, 'Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

"We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.' "
(John 6:67-69)
I've been over that before. Fairly often. (April 1, 2012)

Religious Freedom and 'My End of the Boat'

I don't see the point in believing something and not acting as if the belief matters. That's part of why I think being free to practice religion is important. More to the point, the Catholic Church says I have to support religious freedom: for everybody. I'll get back to that.

Catholics are the obvious targets of an attack on religious freedom in America. I think quite a few folks who aren't Catholic realize that 'my end of the boat isn't sinking' isn't a sensible attitude. 'The masses' are getting uppity. Or are waking up, depending on your point of view.

My take on the week's news:
  1. "The Faith Community" - But Whose?
  2. Knights of Columbus Partisan? Yes and No
  3. School Bus Firebombed? Ignore it, They're Catholic
My views, and values, are counter-cultural. These posts may explain what I believe, and why:

1. "The Faith Community" - But Whose?

"Leaked e-mail shows media campaign against US bishops"
Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News(June 21, 2012)

"A leaked e-mail shows that the Democratic-leaning organization Faith in Public Life is running a behind-the-scenes media effort to undercut the U.S. bishops and the 'Fortnight for Freedom' events intended to rally opposition to the HHS mandate.

"Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, released the e-mail detailing the campaign on June 18. He said a copy of the e-mail had been leaked to him.

"Donohue said 'fair minded persons' may disagree with the religious freedom effort 'but there is something unseemly going on when those who work for a George Soros-funded group are quietly providing talking points to the media.'..."
I don't have a problem with folks "quietly providing talking points to the media." Providing press releases, and touching base with reporters and editors, us one way to 'spread the word' in this culture.

I'm not offended when a dairy company tells editors about a new kind of butter, and I don't think it's unethical for someone who's concerned about public safety to prepare a list of 'talking points' about pot holes, or whatever specific issue they're aware of.

Freedom of speech is important, and "providing talking points" cab help get discussions going.

'The Pothole Plot'

Let's imagine that the 'important' folks in some city assume that 'those people over there' like pot holes. It's 'well known' that 'they' go out at night and make pot holes.

That's a hypothetical - and ridiculous - situation. But if a city's mayor, newspaper editors, and influential citizens, were convinced that pro-pot-hole people were a menace: I think that providing talking points to unmask the malefactors might not be a good idea.

Catholics and America's Cultural Baggage

America has a long tradition of distrust, at best, toward Catholics and the Catholic Church.


(From Thomas Nast Portfolio, Ohio State University, used without permission.)

More recently, America's 'important' folks have embraced a way of life which devalues the very young, the very sick, and the useless. That's contrary to Catholic teaching: which makes the Catholic Church an enemy of America's establishment. (September 15, 2011)

In this sort of situation, I don't think establishment news media needs help. They're doing a fine job of attacking the Catholic Church on their own.

"Adversarial" - No Surprises Here

"...The June 7 e-mail from John Gehring, Faith in Public Life's Catholic Program Director, is addressed to reporters, editors and columnists. It describes itself as a 'backgrounder' and contains talking points, adversarial questions for Catholic bishops and recommendations of experts to interview.

"It appears aimed at shaping a narrative skeptical towards Catholic objections to a Department of Health and Human Services mandate that requires employers, including many Catholic institutions, to provide insurance coverage for sterilization and contraception, including some abortion-causing drugs...."
(Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News)
Like I've said before, the Catholic Church has counter-cultural ideas about who is a human being, and killing innocent people. I think that's starting to change, now that some folks started noticing gaps in the population. (June 6, 2012)

You Won't Kill? How Selfish!

"...'Are you willing to sacrifice Catholic charities, colleges and hospitals if you don't get your way on the contraceptive mandate?' reads one proposed question for a bishop.

" 'Are you willing to drop all health insurance for your employees?' reads another.

"The e-mail encouraged journalists to 'ask critical questions' about the bishops' 'sweeping claims' in light of a 'charged political backdrop' ahead of the 2012 election. It noted that both the June 8 'Stand Up for Religious Freedom' rallies and the June 21-July 4 'Fortnight for Freedom' campaign include Catholic dioceses.

"CNA sought comment multiple times from Gehring and Faith in Public Life but did not receive a response...."
(Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News)
The lack of response isn't surprising. Today's establishment has as much trouble making its preferred reality seem reasonable as the WASP nest of my youth did. My opinion.

It's much easier to be a staunch defender of 'women's health care' against those 'sexist,' 'racist,' 'homophobic' 'oppressors' if the 'oppressors' keep quiet.

'It's Okay: They're Not Real People'

A major problem with "contraception," as practiced in America, is that the process often kills very young people. Euphemisms like 'plan B,' or 'morning after' pills describe drugs which take the life of a unborn baby.

This is legal in America, since we're supposed to believe that human beings don't become people until we get to an arbitrary age.

On a related topic, what the Catholic Church says about sex and related topics isn't what you may have read in the papers:
Maybe you know someone who's Catholic at the top of his lungs, and hates everybody who isn't just like him. Some of the world's billion-plus living Catholics are jerks. That doesn't change what the Church teaches. Moving on.

Getting a Grip About "Progressive"

"...On its website, Faith in Public Life describes itself as 'a strategy center for the faith community advancing faith in the public square as a powerful force for justice, compassion and the common good.' It runs strategic communications and 'narrative-setting' campaigns. The organization says it can identify 'moments of opportunity when a targeted event or campaign can effectively broaden or shift the values debate.'

"It works to insert its perspective into political debates and to highlight 'progressive and moderate people of faith at key moments.'..."
(Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News) [emphasis mine]
I'm a practicing Catholic, so I'm not "progressive." I'm not conservative, either: and I'm certainly not "moderate." I'm Catholic. (November 3, 2008)

The Catholic Church isn't "progressive" in the contemporary political sense. For two millennia we've been passing on the same message:
Folks seem to be realizing, slowly, that 'those people over there' are people. (May 6, 2012) That, I think, is "progress."

"Deep Pockets" - Those Nasty, Rich, Catholic Oppressors?

"Deep pockets" is a nifty little phrase, appealing to the notion that 'anybody with more money than I have is greedy and dishonest.' 'Otherwise, how could he have more money than I do?'

I don't think wealth, or poverty, are indications of virtue or vice: and that's another topic.
"...Reporters should consider asking about the Knights of Columbus, an organization with deep pockets,' the e-mail advised. Gehring tried to paint Supreme Knight of Columbus Carl Anderson as a political partisan, noting his work in the Reagan administration and his time as a legislative assistant to Republican Sen. Jesse Helms in the late 1970s and early 1980s....

"...The Catholic League's Bill Donohue was critical of the media effort, saying Gehring's e-mail encouraged the media to 'the victim' and target those who refuse to compromise their principles."
(Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News)
In a way, the "progressive" Faith in Public Life is upholding a fine old American tradition: hostility toward the Catholic Church.


(from H.E. Fowler, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"Crowley, Jeremiah J. (1913) 'The Pope: Chief of White Slavers High Priest of Intrigue,' p. 430"

That sort of thing makes me glad that 'the good old days' aren't coming back. More topics.

2. Knights of Columbus Partisan? Yes and No

"Archbishop Lori: labeling Knights of Columbus partisan is an 'injustice' "
Michelle Bauman, CNA/EWTN News (June 14, 2012)

"Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore argued that it is an 'injustice' to imply that the Knights of Columbus' support for defending religious freedom creates a sense of partisanship.

"At a June 13 press conference at the U.S. bishops' spring general meeting in Atlanta, the archbishop was questioned by Jerry Filteau of the National Catholic Reporter about funding for the bishops' campaign to defend religious liberty.

"Filteau said that he had heard 'rumors' that much of the funding for the bishops' effort is coming from the Knights of Columbus, whose head, Carl Anderson, is a former Reagan administration official.

"He suggested that there may be 'a partisanship aspect to the whole thing.'

"'Oh my goodness, Jerry,' Archbishop Lori responded...."
Please bear with me: I think it's important to know what words mean, and how they're used. Here are 'dictionary' definitions of "partisanship" and "partisan:"
  • Partisanship (Noun)
    • An inclination to favor one group or view or opinion over alternatives
    (Princeton's WordNet)
  • Partisan (Noun)
    • A fervent and even militant proponent of something
    • An ardent and enthusiastic supporter of some person or activity
    • A pike with a long tapering double-edged blade with lateral projections
      • 16th and 17th centuries
  • Partisan (Adjective)
    • Devoted to a cause or party
    (Princeton's WordNet)
Words have at least two sorts of meaning. One is the 'dictionary' meaning: what the word literally means. Another is what the word implies:
  • Denotation (Noun)
    • The act of indicating or pointing out by name
    • The most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression
      • The class of objects that an expression refers to
    (Princeton's WordNet)
  • Connotation (Noun)
    • What you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
    • An idea that is implied or suggested
    (Princeton's WordNet)
For example: if I said that a dachshund was a dog, I'd be using "dog" in it's literal, or denotative, sense; but if I called another person a dog, I'd be using the word in one of its connotative senses. In that case, I'd either be complimenting the person's unswerving loyalty; or, more likely, insulting the person.

I've noticed that "partisanship" is what 'the other party' does. "Partisanship" has negative connotations, implying that 'those partisans over there' care more about some nasty idea they've got, than about putting a chicken in every pot, saving the environment, sustainable tofu, or whatever the 'right-minded' folks prefer.

Supporting Freedom, and Other Subversive Activity

"...'Think of what the Knights of Columbus does for the Catholic Church and for many other humanitarian causes,' he [Archbishop Lori] said. 'To try to say that is in some way partisan is, in my opinion, sort of an injustice.'

" 'It seems to me the Knights have been very generous to a whole variety of causes,' the archbishop observed.

"He acknowledged that the organization has contributed to the bishops' religious freedom efforts but added that 'other groups have as well,' including Our Sunday Visitor, the Order of Malta and many others.

" 'So it is not just one group,' he said. 'It is not in any way partisan, either in its spirit or in its funding.'..."
(Michelle Bauman, CNA/EWTN News)
I think it's clear that Archbishop Lori was using "partisan" in its connotative, negative sense: and that he clearly understood what the reporter was doing.

I'm part of the Knights of Columbus, and agree with the archbishop. I do not think that Knights of Columbus are "partisan," or exhibit "partisanship" in the conventionally negative sense.

On the other hand, I think Knights of Columbus is "partisan," in the literal sense of the term.

We favor the view that God exists, and matters. We also support freedom of religion: even though the establishment doesn't approve. In both cases, we don't have many options. We're a Catholic organization. We're stuck with the values that go with being Catholic. I've already mentioned some of these counter-cultural values:

Religious Freedom, Acting Like God Matters

"...Recent months have united Catholics from across the country in efforts to defend religious liberty from numerous threats, including a federal mandate that will require employers to offer health insurance that covers contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs.

"The mandate has drawn widespread criticism for violating religious liberty. The bishops have worked with individuals and groups of various faiths to speak out against the regulation and ask the Obama administration to respect the rights of those with religious objections...."
(Michelle Bauman, CNA/EWTN News)
I think what "religious freedom" means depends on who you listen to.

The establishment seems to think that "religious freedom" means letting those religious people go into a building once a week, where they do religious stuff.

I think that "religious freedom" should include letting folks who think God exists act as if God matters: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year. It looks like quite a few folks see "religious freedom" the way I do: and this has the establishment worried.

I can see why.

3. School Bus Firebombed? Ignore it, They're Catholic

A tip of the hat to Patty Garza, for the heads-up on this article. ("Anti-Christian Terrorists Bomb #Prolife Bus in Rockford,ILL;Media silent" Patty Garza, Google+ (June 18, 2012))
"Pro-life Catholic school bus allegedly firebombed in Illinois, media silent"
Joe Newby, Spokane Conservative, via examiner.com (June 18, 2012)

"According to a report at the Pro-Life Corner, a Catholic school bus belonging to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy was allegedly firebombed Friday night. The bus is well known in the area for its pro-life messages and calls to end abortion.

"Pictures posted by the Pro-Life Corner shows windows broken in on both sides with extensive fire damage inside the bus.

" 'It has been speculated that this bombing of a pro-life Christian school bus is in retaliation for the closing of the Rockford abortion mill that is located not far from where the school bus was attacked,' the Pro-Life Corner said, however, that has not been corroborated.

"Adding insult to injury, the local media has so far refused to report on the incident, but the Rockford Register Star managed to report on an incident that took place twelve years ago...."
I'm not surprised that a Catholic school bus getting firebombed is a non-event that never happened - as far as establishment news is concerned.

Maybe it's an intentional effort to skew pubic perceptions by filtering out 'irrelevant' information.

Maybe editors and reporters have mental blinders keeping them from seeing what doesn't fit their preconceptions. Maybe it's both, plus other factors.

Whatever the reason, the results are the same. (April 1, 2010)

Criminal Investigation: Maybe

"...On Monday, the Rockford Fire Department confirmed the attack with The Blaze.

" 'An employee also said that when authorities arrived at the scene to put out the fire, a bottle was found nearby. This fact, teamed with footage of broken windows and damage inside of the vehicle, seems to corroborate the notion that a firebomb (i.e. molotov cocktail) was employed,' Billy Hallowell wrote.

"The Department also confirmed that authorities arrived on the scene around 3 a.m. Saturday and Hallowell suggested that the attack 'may not yet be on reporters' radar,' as it was first reported early Saturday morning.

"The Pro-Life Corner, however, says that is not the case, and notes that the paper reported on another vehicle that had been set afire early Friday morning.

" 'Arson is the suspected cause of a car fire around 1 a.m. today in the 600 block of North Winnebago Street,' the Register Star reported Friday...."
The term "Molotov cocktail" is in the Register Star's headline:
I think the implication that public officials are acknowledging the attack - and apparently investigating it as a possible crime - is a hopeful sign. Authorities don't always view violent attacks on folks who don't have the 'right' ideas as criminal. Or even unreasonable. (March 23, 2011)

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Coney Island School, 'Offensive' Song, and 'Foreigners'

I understand how deeply offensive "God Bless the USA" can be. I've lived in this country all my life - and grew up two blocks from a college campus. "Understanding" isn't "agreeing," though, and I think this principal made a mistake:
"School pulls patriotic song at graduation, but Justin Bieber's 'Baby' is OK"
Susan Edelman, New York Post (June 9, 2012, Updated June 10, 2012)

"A controversial Coney Island principal has pulled the plug on patriotism.

"Her refusal to let students sing 'God Bless the USA' at their graduation has sparked fireworks at a school filled with proud immigrants.

"Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School, won't allow kindergartners to belt out the beloved Lee Greenwood ballad, also known as 'Proud to be an American,' at their moving-up ceremony....
I've gotten the impression that what upsets some Americans most about foreigners is that the foreigners - well, they're just not "American." They haven't learned the conventional establishment attitude yet. I'll get back to that.

"We Don't Want to Offend - - -"

"...It was to be the rousing finale of their musical show at the June 20 commencement. The kids, dressed up for their big day, would wave tiny American flags - which, as the lyrics proclaim, 'still stand for freedom.'

"But Hawkins marched in on a recent rehearsal and ordered a CD playing the anthem to be shut off, staffers said.

"She told the teachers to drop the song from the program.

" 'We don't want to offend other cultures,' they quoted her as explaining...."
(New York Post)
Not wanting to "offed other cultures" is, in my experience, a fairly common reason cited by the establishment. It's almost as popular a reason for suppressing unwanted behavior as "un-American" was in my teens.

The Establishment: New Faces; Same Old Attitude

'The establishment' has changed in some ways. In my 'good old days' Americans who held positions of authority and influence were almost exclusively white men. That's a photo of Principal Greta Hawkins, from the New York Post article. Obviously, it's not 1965 any more.

Today's establishment doesn't look like it did a half-century ago, and has a new set of hang-ups. But the old notion that "freedom" means "doing things my way" is still there.

Let's see how the foreigners feel about being, ah, protected by the principal:

"Move to America to Live Freely"

"...'A lot of people fought to move to America to live freely, so that song should be sung with a whole lot of pride,' said mom Luz Lozada, whose son, Daniel, is in kindergarten.

"The song has been sung at previous school events. Last year's fifth-graders, including another Lozada child, performed it at graduation.

" 'Everybody applauded and whistled,' the mom said. 'They gave it a standing ovation.'

"Parents - many immigrants from Pakistan, Mexico and Ecuador - 'love it,' Lozada said.

"A teacher agreed: 'It makes them a little goosebumpy and teary-eyed. I've never come across anyone who felt it insulted their culture.'..."
(New York Post)
When I was an 'English as a second language' tutor, I got to know a few folks who had recently moved to America. One of them was rather emphatic about preferring America to the country he'd escaped from.

Folks who grow up here don't, I think, always have opportunities to learn why, for almost 236 years, people have been moving to America. On the whole, I like being a country that folks try to break into, and that's another topic.

"Too Grown Up"

The local Department of Education backs up Principal Hawkins. In a way, it's nice to see higher levels of management back up staff decisions.

On the other hand, I'm not sure that the government school bosses are on quite the same page as parents, when it comes to what's "too grown up" for the kids:
"...Department of Education spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti gave The Post an explanation staffers said they never heard - that Hawkins found the lyrics 'too grown up' for 5-year-olds.

"The song starts: 'If tomorrow all the things were gone, I'd worked for all my life. And I had to start again, with just my children and my wife, I'd thank my lucky stars, to be livin' here today.'

"Scaperotti said the department supports the principal's decision. 'The lyrics are not age-appropriate,' she said....
(New York Post)
"...But Justin Bieber's flirty song about teen romance, 'Baby,' was deemed a fine selection for the show. Hawkins had no problem with 5-year-olds singing lines such as, 'Are we an item? Girl, quit playing.'..."
(New York Post)
I'm familiar with the idea that a song is "too grown up" for five year olds if it expresses love of country, contains the word "God." That sort of belief has, in my experience, often been associated with the belief that kindergartners should start thinking about teenage romance. 'It's never too early to start,' and all that.

I don't agree that it's 'cute' to think of little girls as prepubescent sexpots: but I'm familiar with the idea.

Heavy-Handed Suppression, and Remembering the '60s

What's at issue here is not, I think, the Justin Bieber song's lyrics. It's the heavy-handed suppression of an 'offensive' song.

I don't see a problem with kids saying 'offensive' things like "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free...." (anysonglyrics.com)

I do see a problem with someone in authority marching in and banning what kids and their parents enjoy singing. The establishment did that sort of thing in my youth: and now we've got a new establishment.

Come to think of it, maybe Hawkins's heavy-handed suppression of free speech will help this country in the long run. Particularly if more Americans start thinking about 'not what you can do in this country, but what this country's doing to you.'

Immigrants, 'Foreign' Ideas, and Hope

I hope today's immigrants hold on to their 'foreign' ideas, at least for another generation or so. They have the new ideas, old appreciation of freedom, and enthusiasm it takes to make a new start: and help make America better.

Home Schooling, the Government Schools, and Me

Not all school administrators I've dealt with are like Principal Hawkins. But America's government school have a culture and attitudes that I think are good for the establishment: but not good for kids.

That's a major reason why my wife and I home schooled our kids, starting when they entered seventh grade.

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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.