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If he were a CEO of some big company, wouldn't there also be a stampede to convict him? Or a federal judge? I don't think being part of the Catholic clergy, especially the hierarchy should give him a break ---I think it's right to hold our moral leaders to very high standards. It's not that they won't fail, they are only human and susceptible to sin just like everyone ---but if you choose to be (or believe God calls you to be) in positions over the rest of us, then you have a duty to live up to the expectations. I think it's even worse for a bishop to do this kind of thing than it would be for a Congressmen to have done it. God is the final Judge though ---and He might have more compassion than us.

Here is how it goes: Like the klintonista feminists who would never swallow bubba's behavior should it have COME from a pubbie, so the tribalist catholics here behave.

Only THEIR guy can do it. Now, that THE VERY SAME folks are OUTRAGED at what klintoon did, regarding coverups, rogering young honeys, will EXCUSE behavior far worse, in that it involved children and coverups SHOWS the operation of hypocrisy.

First, you need to possess tribal identity...this is MY gang. Second, you defer your morality or principle to the tribe. Third, you polarize the group to an outside force to induce cohesion of the group, and ensure conformity....

Like limbaugh yesterday. He had several callers who said they would not vote for bush due to his socialist policies. Limbaugh, tribalist extraordinaire, replied in kind saying, "well, who ELSE are you gonna vote for...the dems will ruin the country (sic)"...

Polarity. Keep the tribe in line by threating an outside adversary. Never mind that your tribe has done the very things that they threaten the OTHER tribe may do. The OTHER guys are the reason why you have to sell your principles down the river, why you have to accept socialism...cause it is better than...? This is called FRAMING A PARADIGM. You set the parameters. People then take on the perspective that serves those who install the perspective. The tribalist, polarity perspective of political parties serves BOTH parties, OBVIOUSLY. As long as the people have little choice between alternatives, BOTH groups ensure employment. As long as problems don't ever get fixed, you are guaranteed a polarity issue to exploit every four years. If both SOLVE problems, they lose power, money, and relevance.

An ounce of poison or a pound, we are only arguing about degree. Coke or Pepsi.

Frankly, no, I don't think this preternatural lynch mob would have organized itself so completely and so quickly if it were someone less cowed, both psychologically and legally. That goes for O'Brien and the church. And I haven't asked for a special break for O'Brien, just common, ordinary due process of law. I think Thomas Sowell was talking about people like you when he wrote 'The Quest for Cosmic Justice', and it wasn't an endorsement, either.