I think that I could have made far more specific points if I didn't need to spend so much of my time trying to correct the spin that the Stupak Amendment merely banned the use of federal funds from paying for elective abortions.
That seems to be all I do these days.
[sigh]
Still, it was fun and as a former Catholic I did have a "Holy Shit!" moment when I saw that I'd be discussing abortion with a priest. I could not resist in the Green Room introducing myself to Father Almade by saying, "Hi, I guess we know why we're both here. I'm a pro choice feminist blogger." I'm guessing that he doesn't hear that a lot.
The conversation was all very civil, but I did have to resist doing a spit-take when Almade said that the Church considers men and women to be equal and I was compelled to rejoin with "some are more equal than others."
Sadly, I did not get across the point that there is a problem with tax-exempt churches using church resources for political purposes (such as issuing letters to Mass participants about the Stupak Amendment) and how the Catholic Church seems to only target Democratic pro choice Catholic politicians vs. their Republican, uh, brethren (think Kerry vs. Giuliani). Thankfully someone was able to make the tax-exempt point recently on MSNBC:
O'Neill: You know that's the first thing that I said. I don't know where
There does seem to be an awful lot of politicking going on by the Catholic Church lately what with them dictating amendment language to Congress, issuing an ultimatum to end social service programs if they have to follow the law, and contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the successful effort to prevent legalization of gay marriage in Maine.
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2 comments:
i'm damn proud ta know ya maria!
And Republicans were pissing their pants in fear when the Catholic JFK got elected. Oy, teh stoopid and crazie!
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