CONSERVATIVE CATHOLICS AT ODDS WITH POPE FRANCIS' CALL FOR CHANGE OF PRIORITIES

When the Catholic Church abandoned the Christ-given moral imperative of caring for the poor and oppressed in favor of crusading against abortion, contraception and homosexuality, the Church ceded its soul and moral legitimacy to the Devil in exchange for political wealth and power. Bishops and priests denied communion to faithful Catholics with opposing political views, all while cozying up to politicians who sought to deprive the poor of food, shelter and access to health care. It's no wonder Pope Francis has taken his Church to task for its misplaced priorities, nor is it surprising that many conservatives in the Catholic Church are opening criticizing the Pope's call for a change in focus. There's no political power or prestige to be gained from caring for the poor and less fortunate, whereas opposition to abortion, contraception and homosexuality guarantees a steady stream of supporting and adoring fans. When a Roman Centurion asked Jesus how he could gain salvation, Jesus told him to give all his possessions to the poor and then follow him. It was written that the Centurion walked away despondent, because the man prized his possessions. The same can be said about conservatives in today's Catholic Church. They have amassed great power and a large following through their crusade against abortion, contraception and homosexuality, with little capital spent in the process, but Francis' call for a change of focus means jettisoning much of that power and having to expend material wealth as well. It's no wonder Catholic conservatives are despondent. They prize their power and possessions, too.

GREEN EGGS AND SPAM

I do not like the sick and poor;
I'll state that on the Senate floor.
I would not like them in my house.
I would not feed them beets or souse.
It's not my fault they're in a jam.
Senator Cruz is who I am.

I would not give the poor some pills,
To help them overcome their ills.
It's not my job to bring them health.
I'm all about protecting wealth.
Helping the poor is just a scam.
Senator Cruz is who I am.

I don't care about hungry kids,
They can lick their jelly lids.
It's just not right to give them hope,
You know they'll go right back to dope.
My party pals don't give a damn!
Senator Cruz is who I am.

I loathe the senior's monthly check,
I'd like to break Obama's neck.
I would not care if grandma dies,
At fairs back home, we'll still have pies.
It's time to jam-up Uncle Sam.
Senator Cruz is who I am.

They say that Jesus liked the poor,
But didn't he forgive a whore?
He never held a steady job,
And now, my taxes he would rob.
My friend is FOX, his pet's a lamb.
Senator Cruz is who I am.

Let's not be nice or hold the punch,
My schedule says I've got a lunch.
The funding source, it needs a stroke,
So what if government is broke?
The poor can eat green eggs and Spam.
Senator Cruz is who I am!

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

It's a shame that fifty shades of grey has become synonymous with hot, steamy sex, because it's the perfect phrase to describe the dilemma over what to do about the current Syrian crisis. Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad deserves a place in Hell for authorizing the use of chemical weapons on his own citizens, hundreds of them innocent children, but tens of thousands of innocent women and children have suffered just as agonizing deaths, via rape, mayhem and dismemberment, in various African countries over the past two decades and scarcely little has been done by this country to stem those atrocities. Are the lives of African children worth less than Syrian children? We invaded Iraq to prevent Saddam Hussein from using weapons of mass destruction; now we hesitate to take action against a brutal dictator who actually used that weapon. The stench of our hypocrisy wafts in the wind. It's no wonder that a majority of countries across the globe want no part of our efforts to make al-Assad pay for his depravity. After the debacles resulting from our invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, they recognize that America has lost its moral authority, and it's hard for me to see how bombing Syria will help us get it back.

That said, doing nothing against al-Assad would be just like doing nothing against Hitler, which is exactly what we did at the beginning of WWII, despite the atrocities Hitler was committing against European Jews. We should feel equally ashamed now if we fail to act as we should have felt back then.

In the movie Ben-Hur, Esther chides Judah by remarking that violence begets violence, just as dog begets dog. I know in my heart she's right, but figuring out a proper response over Syria is still fifty shades of grey.

THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN'S ACT HITS A ROADBLOCK

The United States Senate passed the Violence Against Women's Act this week by a 78-22 margin. The Senate's action was a bipartisan effort to correct Congress' egregious failure to renew the Act last year. It was House Republicans who derailed the Act's renewal last year, and though Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) has indicated that he will allow the House to vote on some form of legislation on the matter, it remains unclear whether Boehner is simply playing lip-service to the women in his party or is genuinely serious about working towards a cease-fire in the ongoing Republican War on Women. Time will tell.

Linda Rubin, a counseling psychology professor at Texas Woman's University wrote an editorial that appears on the AlJazerra Internet website at the following address:

www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/02/20132111438741599.html

Rubin's editorial is a "must-read" for those interested in stopping violence against women. Contact your local Congressional Representative and demand that he or she vote to reenact the Violence Against Women's Act. There is simply no excuse for saying 'yes' to violence!

THE PASSING OF A GOOD BARBER

Ernie Barber died yesterday, on the eve of the feast of Saint Valentine, a third century Roman whose mission it was to spread a message of love. While millions around the globe celebrate Saint Valentine's life with traditional red hearts, Ernie's children and family will mourn his passing with broken hearts. Neither cards, candy nor presents will ease their pain, but Ernie's love for them will never die. That's because love is its own legacy, and the warmth it spreads lasts far beyond the boundaries of a single earthly day.

Ellen & Frank, you have my deepest sympathy at the passing of your father.

THE GUY IN THE WHITE FORD F-150

On most mornings during the academic year, I drive my teen-aged daughter, Rachel to the high school she attends. She could ride the bus, but the fifteen minute commute gives us time to chat about any number of topics and I treasure the time we spend together. I know how time flies, and before I know it Rachel will be skipping off to college and our daily chats will become a thing of the past, so I'm taking advantage of every opportunity I can get. It's my own version of carpe diem.

The junior high school that Rachel previously attended is located next to her high school, but each of the schools has a separate access road that empties onto Bannister Street. Junior and senior high school students ride the same bus, so every morning a bus drops off junior high students first and then proceeds to the high school to drop off the older students. As a bus leaves the junior high school, the bus makes a left hand turn from the junior high school access road onto Bannister Street and then makes a second left hand turn into the high school access road. The result is a log-jam of buses attempting to make left-hand turns against a solid stream of traffic flowing in the opposite direction. It's not unusual for seven or eight buses to be stacked in a line waiting to make a left-hand turn at either intersection.

Whenever I'm driving on Bannister Street and the buses are stacked up waiting to make a left-hand turn across my lane of traffic, I've gotten into the practice of stopping at the intersection and signaling the line of buses to make their turns before I continue through the intersection. The practice saves the bus drivers a lot of time and energy and insures that the students get to school safely and on-time. I'm sure the bus drivers appreciate my gesture and I think a lot of driving parents do too, but the guy in the white Ford F-150 pick-up truck doesn't appreciate the gesture and he's let me know on several occasions exactly how he feels.

At least twice, maybe three times a month I've found myself driving in front of the same white pick-up truck, and the truck's driver has cursed out his window at me, flipped the finger at me and given me several loud blasts from his horn whenever I've stopped to let the waiting buses make the left-hand turn in front of me. Last week, he started blasting his horn before I even made it to the intersection or slowed down. I figured it was a preventative blast. The driver of the Ford F-150 is in a big hurry and my good deed apparently sends him over the edge.

I wonder if I'm being rude by delaying the pick-up truck driver, even though my act facilitates the prompt arrival of students at their own destination. Do I have a right to do a good deed at the expense of someone else? I'll have to give the matter some thought.

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

~~Does how the world got started matter half as much as where this world is headed?

~~If we can't be honest about our past, is there any hope for being honest about our future?

~~Which is a greater moral failure: leaving our children swamped in debt or leaving them swamped in ignorance?

~~If government is so awful, why are so many anti-government zealots running for public office?

~~If every religion dictates that all non-believers are destined for Hell, who will keep God company in Heaven?