"I am for religion against religions." (Victor Hugo)

.....The other day I read a column on the op-ed page of our newspaper that I found to be bigoted, intolerant, and offensive. It was written by Kathleen Parker a member of the Washington Post Writers Group--whoever they are. She lauded a decision by Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard University law professor who "quietly" declined Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, whatever that is. Parker contends that "principled people are so rare as to be oddities" which implies that Glendon and Parker are part of that rare principled group and that the rest of us are unprincipled. In actuality, Glendon's rejection of the medal was unprincipled. Her reason for rejecting it? President Obama was invited to be the commencement speaker and to receive an honorary degree. According to Parker, Obama is more radical than all previous presidents on the "life issue" because he is loosening federal funds for abortion and embryonic stem cell research, as well as his campaign promise to pass the Freedom of Choice Act.

.....Glendon's snub of Notre Dame's award to her was not only insulting to the Board who nominated her, to the University that proffered it to her, but also to the President of the United States. How "principled" is that? This was not an act based on her principles--as Parker contends, but an act based on her intolerance of those who do not adhere to the beliefs she would like all of us to believe. Parker goes on to ask ".....is there ever a time when we should be comfortable with the ratification of abortion?" And, ".....we've somehow managed to convince ourselves that life is a mistake"; and, ".....it is consoling that there are still those who relentlessly defend life's sanctity." What terrifying arrogance! To me, and to many other Americans, it is consoling that there are still those who relentlessly believe stem cell research will eventually learn how to save millions of lives around the globe by finding cures for diseases that destroy lives; that we, not of Glendon's persuasion--and many who are, find that kind of research to be a scientific attempt to sanctify life--not a religious one.

.....Ms. Parker notes the U.S. bishops' opinion that Catholic institutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles." However, she fails to mention the fact that our former avid pro-life president, defied just that when he sent over 4000 of our young men to die in a war based on the flimsiest of reasons. How "moral" was that? How "sanctifying of life was that?And speaking of morals, Ms. Parker needs a reminder that our Constitution guarantees our fundamental freedoms, and one of them is freedom of choice. In America, at least, women have the right--and thankfully so--to decide what is in their best interests when it comes to decisions about their bodies.

.....In America, Jews don't flagellate the government to hold the sabbath on Saturday instead of Sunday; Muslims don't march in the streets protesting the fact that women are not required to wear burkas; who are also permitted to drive; that we dishonor the Koran by not praying several times a day; and so Ms. Parker ought to hesitate before writing columns lauding the morals of those who hold to her beliefs, and in no uncertain terms implying that all the rest of us non-believers are Yahoos.