Morally, intellectually and financially bankrupt.
Posted on 03/29/2009 1:39:50 AM PDT by Zakeet
If the Los Angeles Times' Tim Rutten is determined to establish himself as one of the nation's worst journalists when it comes to writing on the issues of abortion and Catholicism, he's doing a helluva job. His latest column on the Obama-Notre Dame controversy unfairly characterizes pro-lifers and misrepresents the scandal.
Here's how Rutten portrays pro-life Catholics who are protesting President Obama's appearance at Notre Dame:
Some people just won't be happy until the Inquisition has office space again and kindling is being piled up around the local stakes.
Puh-leeze. Rutten is completely ignorant to the fact that those who protest Obama's appearance are simply seeking to uphold what the full body of United States Catholic bishops declared five years ago:
The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.
And if Rutten or anyone else is unclear as to what those "fundamental moral principles" include, the very same document states:
[T]he killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and can never be justified.
Got it?
As the bishops' statement five years ago clearly indicates, Notre Dame's invitation clearly defies the Church in the United States. Yet that doesn't stop the dishonest Rutten from repeating an awful smear published by the National Catholic Reporter against the Cardinal Newman Society, a leading voice in opposition to Obama's appearance at Notre Dame. The Newman Society is a Catholic group that is "dedicated to renewing and strengthening Catholic identity at America's 224 Catholic colleges and universities." But as Rutten reports, the Reporter newspaper has accused the Newman Society of wanting Catholic universities to become "Catholic madrasas."
Rutten characterizes the Reporter simply as an "influential" newspaper. In fact, it is unquestionably an outspoken liberal newspaper that frequently provides a forum for dissident Catholics, including losers like Fr. Richard McBrien. While Rutten has no hesitation in slapping a "conservative" label on anything representing what is traditional, he flat-out refuses to label anyone "liberal" in this debate.
Morally, intellectually and financially bankrupt.
He's not looking at me, right?
No, I didn't vote for him; I warned them and if it's your will Lord, it's pilgrimage to Notre Dame.
I am afraid you are right. The problem is that the bishops are split, with a virtual Talleyrand in charge of the archdiocese of Los Angeles. Would not surprise me that Rutten got his talking points from some priest in the archdiocese. or some feminist in the central office.
Unfortunately, an article like that could go a long way towards establishing Tim Rutten not as one of the nations worst journalist but as one of nation's top "journalists".
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
Lying about Catholics?
Take a number.
The difference is they care more about the animals.
Practicing catholics are really Uprising it is the Cafeteria catholics that think Obama is great more and more catholics are not sendin their kids to ND. I was out in front of an Abortion Clinic this Morning (sunday) 40 days for life and people were all outraged.
Well, I wouldn't be sad...
Tim Rutten.
"Now, I'm a tolerant kind of guys, so just get that damned Inquisition off our backs so we can get on with the baby killing!"
"There's nothing wrong with inviting speakers to campus who disagree with the university. I don't think that's the issue here. Here, you have a combination of a commencement address and an honorary doctorate. The honorary doctorate is more troubling than the commencement address because to give him an honorary doctorate in law is to say that he's accomplished something in the field of law that the University of Notre Dame wants to honor. In the past three weeks, we've seen a number of different events, one of which was the change in policy on embryonic stem cell research. The problem is, the areas in which he's been involved with legislation on the issue of abortion have been contrary to Catholic teaching.
"... If places like Notre Dame took it seriously, an invitation to be the commencement speaker and receive an honorary doctorate would not have gone out. For instance, I would welcome Barack Obama to speak at Baylor. But in this case, the honorary doctorate doesn't go to the office of the President. It goes to Barack Obama, even after he ceases to be president. In a way, that gives an imprimatur on him and his views that I don't think Notre Dame should give him. I think if he were just the commencement speaker and not receiving the honorary doctorate, it would tone down the criticism. How can Notre Dame give him an honorary doctorate for excellence in something that our own theology teaches he isn't excellent in?"
...and in related news...
Cardinal Newman Society’s petition to UNINVITE Obama. Sign here.
212,488 signatures as of posting time. People, this is phenomenal!
ND will HAVE to disinvite. All they have to say is, "We cannot provide sufficient security, and we don't want the graduation to look like an armed camp."
Or they can tell Obama, "Sorry, YOU just realized you have a scheduling conflict. Something real, real important having to do with some ---uh, job related to the, uh, Presidency."
List of all Notre Dame Fellows:
http://www.nd.edu/leadership/fellows/
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops created the policy 5 years ago that NO Catholic organization is to offer a platform or honors to a person opposed to basic norms of morality. Ask them if they are going to enforce this:
Cardinal Francis George
President, USCCB
phone: 312-751-8200
email: mfox@archchicago.org
DO IT NOW--- Bring whistles, kazoos, bagpipes and tambourines – and organize a carpool to Notre Dame!
#216,123
Only one thing will influence the ND admin. Money. Alums, start sending requests back unopened. Sports fans, call your local NBC affiliate and try to get Irish football replaced.
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