Monday, June 27, 2005

Santorum blames liberalism for priest pedophile scandal -- really

You gotta hand it to politicians. Right or left, they can't keep their mouths shut. First Dick Durbin has the nerve to use the word "Nazi" in an otherwise legitimate point he was trying to make. Then Karl Rove essentially says that anyone who's a liberal cannot call themselves a patriotic American.

And now, today's candidate for dumb politician ... Rick Santorum. I couldn't believe it until I read it for myself. And it proves the old axiom of being careful to watch what you say, it could come back to haunt you, or others.

Sen. Santorum, writing an op-ed called "Fishers of Men" said the following in 2002 -- three years ago:

It is startling that those in the media and academia appear most disturbed by this aberrant behavior, since they have zealously promoted moral relativism by sanctioning "private" moral matters such as alternative lifestyles. Priests, like all of us, are affected by culture. When the culture is sick, every element in it becomes affected. While it is no excuse for this scandal, it is no surprise that Boston, a seat of academic, political and cultural liberalism in America, lies at the center of the storm.

If I am reading this correctly, what the Honourable Senator is saying is that Cardinal Bernard Law, who was forced to resign as Archbishop of Boston MA had no choice but to play the musical chairs game to make sure his priests would evade prosecution, because the political climate in Massachusetts allowed it to happen. Does Santorum really think we're that stupid?

It was the priests and bishops who were responsible for this, not because Boston and area just happens to be home to Harvard, MIT, the Boston Globe and the Christian Science Monitor.
Roman Catholics like myself have every right to feel outrage at what happened and what still may be happening. It's so disgusting that it's finally given us a voice, the voice that says we're tired of praying, paying and obeying. What Santorum is suggesting is that we just fall back in line. Message to Dick: Until the Vatican accepts a "one strike and you're out" rule regarding sexual misconduct, it won't happen ... at least not from me.

Thanks to Capitol Buzz for this one.

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