Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

Although his Papacy and his faith were very powerful, practically a renaissance for Catholics Pope John Paul the II had one weakness that I believe affected his ability to deal with the Pedophile scandal among primarily gay priests in the US.

Although the Catechism of the Catholic Church released and confirmed by John Paul II says the following:

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

…he grew up in an era where Homosexuality was considered scandalous, not just in terms of sin but in terms of society as a whole.

Now consider living 35 years in such an era under Communist Rule. False personal scandal was (and is) a basic weapon used to discredit foes of the state under communist rule. I’m sure over the years he saw it many times.

That experience that stood him in good stead when his actions combined with Reagan and Thatcher helped speed the demise of the soviet block but it left a blind spot when the scandals broke.

Consider Boston, the papers were hitting the church long before the scandals, and the pols were claiming to be Catholic while acting and voting nothing of the sort. When this stuff came out and was pushed by the Boston Globe of all places it must have sounded all too familar. It is significant that Pope Benedict has been much more effective in this situation.

And on that note we turn to today’s news and Jimmy Carter and Bill Cosbey…

Carter was born the same year as my mother (1924) he grew up in the Jim Crow South of the Talmadges and Russell the great defenders of segregation. Any pol in the mid 50’s who wanted to have a future in Georgia was unlikely to be too loud in his opposition to segregation.

But no matter what he actually believed his views concerning racism were shaped by those days and it that perspective that he brings to the table.

In the same way Bill Cosby born 13 years later than Carter has those same memories and naturally has the same reaction. That should not surprise anyone as he dealt with this same thing but what my fellow conservatives forget it’s for that very same reason and the pre-great society strength and independence of the black family that and his memory of it that causes him to preach the gospel of self reliance and personal responsibility.

As a person who was brought up by parents born in the 20’s this is more viable to me than perhaps most. My upbringing would have been typical for someone born in the 40’s and 50’s like my brothers and sisters but my experiences were shaped by the culture of the 70’s and 80’s where I grew up and I can tell Mr. Carter and Mr. Cosby that this just isn’t the way most people in their 50’s or earlier think.

I’m reminded of a comment in a thread at Riehl’s world view that was deleted along with others in that thread. LGF had a screen capture of it and it encapsulates this argument perfectly.

I was beat up numerous times as a kid in the 70s and 80s for no other reason than for being white,it made me a racist. I hate black people for the most part.

Posted by: jimmy | Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 04:16 PM

Reading that quote one can certainly understand Jimmy’s admitted racism, but just because one understands it doesn’t make it right or excusable.

As Jonah Goldberg would undoubtedly remember Spock addressed this very thing in A taste of Armageddon to quote:

Kirk is visibly horrified, but Spock notes that there is “a certain scientific logic” about the whole thing. “I’m glad you approve,” Anan 7 says, but Spock quickly corrects him: “I do not approve. I understand.” Anan 7 goes on to say that as a valid target, the Enterprise had been attacked by Vendikar—and classified as destroyed.

The full episode is here if you want to see the clip it is at about 12:20.

Part of growth is to be able to reach beyond limits. On this topic President Carter and Dr. Cosby have not, but there is a difference.

In Dr. Cosby’s case like Pope John Paul II it is a fault living in a long distinguished positive effect on. In Jimmy Carter’s case it is one more stone he has placed in the shoe of America.