Current Events: May 2009 Archives

http://www.kansas.com/news/breaking/story/833730.html

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,”

~Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Pansy's commentary: Dubya tee eff?!?

HT: Roseblue

It's all about the photo op; the President got what he wanted. And as for "dialogue", what has Notre Dame as an institution done to clearly speak up for life, particularly in the actions-that-speak-louder-than-words line?

William McGurn:

In a letter to Notre Dame's Class of 2009, the university's president, the Rev. John Jenkins, stated that the honors for Mr. Obama do not indicate any "ambiguity" about Notre Dame's commitment to Catholic teaching on the sanctity of human life. The reality is that it was this ambiguity that the White House was counting on; this ambiguity that was furthered by the adoring reaction to Mr. Obama's visit; and this ambiguity that disheartens those working for an America that respects the dignity of life inside the womb....

With its billions in endowment and its prestigious name, Notre Dame ought to be in the lead here. But when asked for examples illuminating the university's unambiguous support for unborn life, [University spokesman] Mr. Brown could provide only four: help for pregnant students who want to carry their babies to term, student volunteer work for pregnant women at local shelters, prayer mentions at campus Masses, and lectures such as a seminar on life issues.

These are all well and good, but they also highlight the poverty of Notre Dame's institutional witness. At Notre Dame today, there is no pro-life organization -- in size, in funding, in prestige -- that compares with the many centers, institutes and so forth dedicated to other important issues ranging from peace and justice to protecting the environment. Perhaps this explains why a number of pro-life professors tell me they must not be quoted by name, lest they face career retaliation.

The one institute that does put the culture of life at the heart of its work, moreover -- the Center for Ethics and Culture -- doesn't even merit a link under the "Faith and Service" section on the university's Web site. The point is this: When Notre Dame doesn't dress for the game, the field is left to those like Randall Terry who create a spectacle and declare their contempt for civil and respectful witness.

It's very rare that a Saint calls me a saint...

This gem comes via The Dawn Patrol:

The Importance of Jack Kemp:

blockquote>...his lost presidential run in 1988 did land him in the unlikely spot of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. It was there that Reaganites huddled in what was generally viewed as one of the least important backwaters of the federal government, a place touched by scandal at that. Ignored by the powers of the Bush 41 administration, Kemp blew into this concrete box with the force of a category five hurricane. If you worked for him you were quickly a part of an ongoing tutorial -- done under the guise of a "brown bag lunch" -- that featured everything from Heritage Foundation policy wonks to Sir Martin Gilbert, the biographer of Winston Churchill, to Alex Kotlowitz, the author of There Are No Children Here. The last was a gripping tale of two boys growing up amid the abysmal failure of liberal urban policy, in this case Chicago's Henry Horner Homes. Also up for discussion was Assets and the Poor, a book about the failures of the welfare system.

It wasn't always tutorials, either. Kemp himself was not only out there in America's inner cities inspecting the failures of urban liberalism, he made damn sure his staff got out there too. I remember one particular tour of the Ellen Wilson project in Washington -- a serious disgrace surrounded in broad daylight by drug dealers that is, I believe, now gone. The entire department rocked, at times shell shocked, to Kemp's preaching of the gospel of capitalism and tax cuts.

This beautiful reflection from First Things comes to us via Amy Wellborn about the Notre Dame Scandal. Still the internal story is so lovely:

You see, I was three months pregnant.

That March, I had gone—alone—to a local woman’s clinic to take a test. The results were positive, and I was so numb I almost didn’t grasp what the nurse was getting at when she assured me I had “other options.” What did “other options” mean? And what kind of world is it that defines compassion as telling a young woman who has just learned she is carrying life inside her that she has the option to destroy it?

When I returned to campus, I ran to the Grotto. I was confused and full of conflicting emotions. But I knew this: No amount of shame or embarrassment would ever lead me to get rid of my baby. Of all women, Our Lady could surely feel pity for an unplanned pregnancy. I recalled her surrendered love to God’s invitation to become the home of the Incarnate Word. “Let it be done to me according to thy word,” she had said. In my hour of need, on my knees, I asked Mary for courage and strength. And she did not disappoint.

My boyfriend was a different story. He was also a Notre Dame senior. When I told him that he was to be a father, he tried to pressure me into having an abortion. Like so many women in similar circumstances, I found out the kind of man the father of my child was at precisely the moment I needed him most. “All that talk about abortion is just dining-room talk,” he said. “When it’s really you in the situation, it’s different. I will drive you to Chicago and pay for a good doctor.”

I tried telling him this was not an option. He said he was pro-choice. I responded by informing him that my choice was life. And I learned, as so many pregnant women have before and since, that life is the one choice that pro-choicers won’t support.

Still, I count myself lucky. I was raised by a mom and dad who marched for life—and who walked the walk when I needed them. However much I may not have wanted to embarrass them with my pregnancy, amid my troubles I always knew I had a priceless gift: a family that would welcome into their hearts the life that God had put in my womb.

It is a common and familiar story. People such as Fr. Jenkins do not understand that while they think they are not stepping on toes and being judgmental, they are not supporting the girls who look to the Church for comfort and support who choose to follow the Church's teaching.

My brother sent me this email yesterday which kind of freaked me out. Be warned, it is a bit disturbing, so if all you need to hear is "those guys really need our prayers and support"...you get the picture:

Viewing the other marines or other people is something you do because you want to see how everyone is doing.

Larry* came the other day, I feel real bad for him. They stuck him at this camp in the middle of no where with just him and this other marine. He told me he would go on top of the roof and he could see right outside the wire and it will be very quiet all the time. The marines back in 2003 plowed that whole village down and built a base on top of it. Larry got really affected from KV by being alone because he had to live and watch the post office that was his duty. So he told me he would get scared because the post office was an easy target and it was just him and the other marine. Larry will send the marine home to another section on base while he would stand duty every night. At that time he would get very lonely. Anyways they moved him to TQ where i am at. He comes to me and tells me all of his problems. I feel really bad because he looks very depressed.

Larry moved in with me and wouldn't leave me alone he followed me everywhere, needed someone to talk to we stayed up till 0200 talking. Finally he fell asleep and I am up writing this. Loneliness can be very hard and it affected Larry.

Please pray for George* he is having his first child in May and came here to support his family because Marines get paid more when they are out here. The other night George* had duty and the Marine living next door to him shot himself. George* was ordered to clean up all of his remains and it really affected him. He hasnt been the same and he needs our prayers.

Baghdad is getting hit real hard, real hard just look at the news. The other day I saw these Marines talking and one of the Marine was depressed because his mom is dying and he wants to be there with her. Anyways Billy Blanks came today the tai bo guy and this morning i saw him when I was walking to work, he looked at me and I looked at him. We both nodded at each other and I walked on to go to work. The other night this marine sang a song being out in the dessert. He was a grunt singing about his friends dying in front of him and being trapped in this hellish land. This Marine also sang about his son who is 5 years old and his son wrote him a letter. The letter said "I miss you daddy a lot, don't worry about us I am taking care of mommy for you and I love you." I hear a lot of people say well it is your choice that is why we are here right? Yes it is our choice but this choice is about sacrifice so you can sacrifice yourself so your loved ones wouldn't have to do what you do.

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*changed names to respect privacy