Santorum stands firm: liberalism to blame for Catholic church sex abuse

[Bluebear]

In July 2002, Santorum blamed sexual abuse in the Catholic Church on “academic, political and cultural liberalism.” Today on ABC’s This Week, George Stephanopoulos gave Santorum multiple opportunities to take it back. Santorum refused:

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s move on to another controversy you stirred up, the question of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church. You made a statement in July 2002 which has drawn a lot of fire.

You said, in a publication called Catholic On-Line, When the culture is sick, every element in it becomes infected. While there’s no excuse for this scandal, it is no surprise that Boston, a seat of academic, political and cultural liberalism in America, lies at the center of the storm.

You’ve reaffirmed that just a couple of weeks ago. Ted Kennedy, John Kerry say you have to apologize. Mitt Romney, Republican governor, says basically you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Do you still stand by that statement?

SANTORUM: Look, the statement I made was that the culture influences people’s behavior…



STEPHANOPOULOS: So you’re standing your ground…

SANTORUM: And I’m standing my ground because I tried to fight to change the church.

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/07/31/santorum-stands-firm/

[leeroysphitz]

1. IOW Clinton's fault... n/t

[radfringe]

89. seems to me that Santorum is calling

the Catholic Church a liberal organization?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Let me be the first to give you a HOLY SHIT! and a recommendation!

I don't believe this.

[Placebo]

3. And he really thinks that talk like this...

is going to get his poll numbers up?

Maybe he has resigned himself to the fact that he's going down in glorious rapture-like flames come '06 and is just going to go apeshit CRAZY until then.

[JohnKleeb]

11. yeah maybe

The thing I fear is though he may run for senate here in Ole Virginia when Casey beats him and when John Warner retires likely in 08, Santorum's defeat would not only be a huge moral victory but we would have sent the third in command of the GOP leadership in the senate out, Santorum is the Republican Conference Chair.

[Placebo]

16. oh no, pull a "Hillary Clinton"...

and run for the senate from another state?

that would just be the ultimate in slimy (when Santorum does it anyway)

[JohnKleeb]

25. He actually lives here

Out in Leesburg.

[FreedomAngel82]

28. Oh yeah

I've heard about this. He rips off the state.

[JohnKleeb]

31. Yeah

I am not gonna say John Warner is a good senator but he keeps us from having the worst senate duo if Santorum runs out here ever and wins with Allen still senator, well Virginia will be a laughing stock.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. Oh yeah

He's going to bring a lot of Catholics to vote for him. What an idiot! Can't someone get him for his slander of liberals? As a liberal I'm so tired of people blaming things on us! Why don't you look in the mirror?! Isn't Santorum the one who Malloy talks about who brought home a dead fetus to his other kids?

[Straight Shooter]

45. Not a fetus. The baby was born and lived a few days.

But it was typical Repub ghoulish behavior, only more extreme than most. Child abuse, if you ask me, but Santorum's not asking.

I think pedophilia has been in the RC church (and any other large organization) for hundreds and hundreds of years.

We should ask: Was Santorum abused by a "liberal" priest? :shrug:

[bettyellen]

48. 5 month old fetus, and he lived hours.

not days.

[Straight Shooter]

54. Really? My memory must be overloaded.

I guess I was trying to put things in the best light. I knew there were terrible problems with the pregnancy and they did the *cough* "brave and courageous" thing by letting both mother and fetus suffer as much as possible rather than terminating the pregnancy.

Five-month fetus? They took that to the children at home to caress? Gross. Definitely child abuse.

[bettyellen]

55. yep, and the kids were 1, 4 and 5 or 6 years old when they cuddled gabe.

as if they had a choice in the matter.
and you know the wife got a book deal out of it, right?
Letters to Gabriel. :puke:

[belle]

81. Santorum is a True Believer. also i think maybe not too bright.

but hey, bright enough to wangle himself into office, now wasn't he. whatever that says.

honestly, i'm starting to think an ambulatory slime mold would be an improvement over some of these people.

[mbee]

4. It seems like most abusers I hear about are usually pugs. There's been

a bunch of them lately. Remember the politician up in Connecticut with the Mother/Daughter thing? Does anyone have any stats because I would doubt that most abusers are Liberals?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

14. It was Mayor Giordano from Waterbury

http://www.armchairsubversive.com/Giordano.htm

[BOSSHOG]

5. I believe the Philadelphia Inquirer declared him

one of the greatest minds of the 13th Century.

[RagAss]

7. HAHAHA

:rofl:

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Do you have the personal expertise to make that

judgement? Or are you just lashing out at Santorum?

[whistle]

13. No personal expertise, just speculation, any harm in that?

[DemBones DemBones]

34. Yes, there is always harm in

beating Catholics (Catholic DEMOCRATS here at DU in particular) over the head with comments about priest pederasts.

Catholics know that some priests abused altar boys; hell, we knew it before the scandal. Anytime men and young boys spend time together, some of the men are bound to abuse some of the boys. It's happened throughout history, in all cultures.

Being surprised about it is like being surprised when men and women who work together become involved romantically and/or sexually. (Priests and nuns also fall in love and/or become sexually involved, probably much more often than priests abuse boys.) Seducing young boys is NOT a normal type of sexuality but it is an obsession of some men. Those men often go into work that puts them in contact with young people.

Catholics also know that priests who abuse are a small minority of all priests. We know that priests who sexually abuse are a small minority of abusers.

And we know that most seminaries and dioceses have always tried hard to keep men with such tendencies out of the priesthood entirely. Some seminaries did become more relaxed (Santorum would say "liberal") after Vatican II and we got some bad priests. Most of the abuse allegations were of events that supposedly happened many years ago; more than a few accused priests were already deceased.

[Fiona]

52. How could some Catholics

have known about it "before the scandal" without making it a scandal?

Didn't you go to the police?

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemBones DemBones]

23. Excuse me, I've been a Democrat since

I first voted, in 1968. Back off, pal.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[arwalden]

57. Very Observant. -- Of Course You're Correct...

If I live to be 100 years old, I doubt I'll ever understand how it is that some people around here will always equate anyone being harsh or critical (or even blatantly insulting) to a SINGLE Catholic (who is a public figure, by the way) as being a personal affront to the ENTIRE RELIGION and all those who practice it.

As predictable as it is... even though I KNOW it's coming... It really gets old.

[stepnw1f]

67. The Danger of Religion Being Used for Politics

Thou to holy to criticize. Absolutism may belong in a church, but it does not belong in the political realm for dictators are made from that same cloth.

[arwalden]

73. Are You Quoting Someone?

Or did you just make that up on the spot, that very moment? -- Nice work.

[stepnw1f]

101. Me Own Words Mate

Thanks!

;)

[greatauntoftriplets]

50. This isn't exactly the first time....

that anyone at DU has made a judgement with no personal expertise on the subject at hand. Jeez, if that was required, there might be 100 or so members and maybe 2,500 posts after 4+ years.

:rofl:

[bvar22]

70. Are YOU qualified to ask that question question?

Do you have "personal expertise" at lashing out at Santorum?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

98. Wow, that was revealing II, the sequel.

Lashing out at Santorum = bad. Hm.

[Swamp Rat]

99. Oi cara!

Bom dia! :hi:

I just finished "lashing out" at Santorum. Here is my latest, hot off the press!: :D

[Bernardo de La Paz]

77. Sanrorum is a boy who has been "alter"ed?

[stepnw1f]

8. Needle Nosed Political Opportunist Scum

I must say the Republican Party is truly fucked in the head. This guy pretends he is above pedophelia. Take home another dead fetus, Santorum.

[etherealtruth]

Scummy opportunistic politician ...

OR
Desperately insane


(I guess he actually merges the two)

[Kerrytravelers]

10. And I stand by my opinion that santorum is an idiot.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. Consider the source............

:crazy:

[mrdmk]

15. I have a few accusations also

The Church community is in place so type "A" addictive personalities have some place to go other than to hell.

Just in-case someone does not believe me:sarcasm:

edit: hit the wrong dam button, the devil made me do it!

[whistle]

17. Not the devil, Satan is very conservative....it was liberals

[Son of California]

19. SO GOING DOWN IN 2006

SO GOING DOWN...

[tomg]

20. Santorum is just so batshit crazy.

That's it. Now I know why Jon Stewart was letting him hang himself on the Daily Show. Really, who wants to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

[YOY]

94. That was an interesting Daily Show

John just playfully and amicably handed him the rope and Rick hung himself with it.

He doesn't need to make an ass out of every guest when the guest will obviously do it himself. He really doesn't take the attack but one in a blue moon.

The show was even nice enough to take out the "boos" when Santorum came in.

[DemBones DemBones]

21. OK, there have allegedly been seminaries that

have allowed promiscuous sexual activity. Promiscuity is always associated with free love and with liberal thinking. Liberals are, in fact, more likely to say that they have no concern with what others do sexually. So in that sense, Santorum has a point.

HOWEVER (BIG however), Santorum is ignoring the fact that conservatives who claim to oppose all sorts of sexual immorality are frequently being discovered to have had sex with prostitutes, paid for girlfriends' abortions, committed serial adultery, etc. Conservatives are also often exposed to have had homosexual experiences while railing against gay rights. Many conservatives are also found to be pedophiles.

Conservatives TALK a more restrictive moral code than liberals, but they do NOT live up to their code any more than liberals do, often not as well as liberals do.

Santorum is focusing on liberals' greater tolerance of people's sexuality as an explanation of the priest scandals in Boston, rather than on the incompetence of Cardinal Law and those who worked with him in Boston.

[NashVegas]

29. Promiscuity Does Not Equal Coercion & Manipulation

Promiscuity is a matter generally between equals, or at least more so.

The most I'll give you is to say that perhaps those who are/were unable to give love freely saw what was going on and thought that meant they had a green light for stealing.

[DemBones DemBones]

37. I didn't make clear that there was a lot

more going on in some seminaries than simple promiscuity. Think about the seminary in Germany a couple of years ago.

[NashVegas]

42. I'm Unware of What Went on in Germany

But I've had enough already.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

40. Hi, I'm from Boston. And I'm Catholic.

Santorum is focusing on liberals' greater tolerance of people's sexuality as an explanation of the priest scandals in Boston, rather than on the incompetence of Cardinal Law and those who worked with him in Boston.

How can you confuse tolerance of sexuality and pedophilia? Cardinal Law should be in jail for conspiring to cover up the crimes of pedophilia. And if it weren't for us liberal, vocal Catholics in Boston, the scandal would have gone on a lot longer.

You defend Santorum solely because he claims he's Catholic. Frankly, in my very Catholic area, I've never seen anyone as twisted as he is.

[arwalden]

46. "Twisted"... That's A Perfect Word To Describe Him.

:tipofthehat:

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[arwalden]

74. Indeed. You Are Correct On BOTH Points.

[sonicx]

78. "You defend Santorum solely because he claims he's Catholic."

Bingo.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

79. It really gets old

Santorum is no more a Catholic than Bush is a Christian. There are Catholics on this board that defend the Church despite the scandals. It's like an Irish American defending the IRA because they share a common heritage.

[Skittles]

91. YOU KNOW IT, KATHY

these guys deliberately mix up sexuality with pedophilia to appeal to their racist, sexist ignorant base. And it works very well.

[YOY]

95. I have...

but holy-rolling RW politico Catholics are the apex in hypocracy...and many other Catholics (from what I have seen) let them know about it.

[JohnKleeb]

43. Pedophila is a crime

Santorum was trying to put a political face on pedophila. Thats what makes his statement outrageous. I am very liberal on sex issues but I believe in often than not no parole sentances for pedophiles. The victims rights network had it right about Santorum I think, the priests who molested those kids were liberals and conservatives, pedophiles come from all backgrounds. Thats what made Santorum's statement outrageous. Hes one of the worst right wing offenders when it comes to refering to the democrats as nazis, whats ironic is that he criticized Byrd for comparing Bush to Hitler, yet he does it all the time himself. I hate it when all sides do that.

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kcr]

85. This displays a horrible lack of undersranding of Catholocism

and liberalism. I seriously have to wonder if you have made any effort to understand either.

First, Boston was not the center of abuse. It was simply the first place in this country that parishioners were able to force the media to pay attention to the systematic failings of the Dioseces. So the the premise is flawed form teh start: Boston's liberalism could not be the reason for Boston's Dioseces' failings since the sexual scandals did not start there and where not limited to there and where not worse than in other dioseces over the country.

Second your statemant that "Liberals are, in fact, more likely to say that they have no concern with what others do sexually." is a lie by omission. You leave out the very, very important fact that the sexual content in question must be between consenting adults. Unless and until you can provide evidence of liberal acceptance of, for example, NAMBLA, you are citing evidence that does not exist. Since the sexual contact was non-consensual and involved minors, liberals would disapprove of it just as greatly as any other group of people. IN fact, sadly, several conservative Church organizations resisted the calls for reform and attmepted to hide behind calls of anti-Catholic bigotry when confronted with the systematic failure of the Church in this country to protect its parishioners in this country. Whatever evidence that exists to argue that one group would be more likely to ignore the kinds of abuse that took place points to conservatives being that group.

Finally, how can a Catholic ever seriously argue that the sin of this magnitude has anything to do with the culture? The fault for falling to temptation, the Church teaches us, is entirely and completely the province of the person who sinned. The Church is very clear on this: trying to excuse your own failing on the actions of others is an additional sin, on top of the one you originally committed. God will always forgive, but the Catholic Church is very clear that you must be sincere in your repentance -- and blaming others for your failings is not a mark of sincerity.

Before you smear an entire class of people, you should make some effort to understand the issues, the facts, and, in cases like this, the theology of the situation.

[Bunny]

90. Well said, thank you.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

100. Excellent post

:applause:

[whistle]

22. Sorry, don't have a link to the original article by Father Boyle....

<snip>
22 Oct 2003
"We Have Met the Monster, and It Is the Church"

Last year, during the height of the LAPD Rampart corruption scandal, Jesuit Priest Gregory Boyle wrote an article for the Los Angeles Times titled, "We Have Met the Monster, and It Is Us". The article was very critical of Chicana Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina because of comments she made during a press interview concerning Chicano youths who were being arrested, beaten up and framed by the LAPD. One of her comments was, "after all, they aren't exactly the pillars of the community." Fr. Gregory Boyle went on to give a story about two nurses who were transporting a dead Chicano "Gang Banger" full of tatoos to the organ harvesting ward of the local hospital. One white nurse looks at the deceased "Vato" and turns to the other and says "Who would want this monster's heart?"

The article made some waves in Los Angeles because the Catholic Church rarely speaks out against LAPD police brutality cases involving Chicano youths. La Voz de Aztlan was very happy to hear that the Catholic Church was finally showing some courage and standing up for our oppressed barrios and for justice. We went out of our way to link Fr. Boyle's article in La Voz de Aztlan but then two Catholic Church related "bombshells" exploded in the Los Angeles area. The first was involving Cardinal Roger Mahoney and numerous corrupt Chicano elected officials. The Los Angeles Times wrote about Cardinal Mahoney lobbying for the notorious crack cocaine dealer Carlos Vignali for a pardon with President Clinton. Many prominent Chicano politicians were implicated as well. Congressman Xavier Becerra took $25,000 dollars and was on the phone with Bill Clinton on the day he issued a pardon to release Vignali from prison. Cardinal Mahoney was then collecting money to build his enormous cathedral in downtown Los Angeles and it is believed that he may have received money from Horacio Vignali as well. The Archdioecese has been very quiet about the whole matter. La Voz de Aztlan published a political cartoon by Sergio Hernandez on the incident that may have angered the Church because we received two e-mails from Jesuit Priest Gregory Boyle requesting that we remove his article.
<more>
<link> http://www.secularislam.org/visitors/61.htm

[mrdmk]

61. Cardinal Mahoney is part of Los Angeles History

But if you want to read some real dirt on Mr. Mahoney check out, "City of Quartz", by Mike Davis.

[warrens]

24. This is playing really well in PA

NOT. He's going down next year. Keep talkin', Ricky Boy. Tell the voters again how it's none of their fucking business where you live and where you send your kids to school at your so-called home-town's expense, you crook.

[Somawas]

26. So who's to blame for raping 15 year old Iraqui boys by US troops?

Liberals? Nah.

[FreedomAngel82]

33. Knowing Santorum

He'll find SOMEWAY. He'll say the guards were liberals or something moronic like that. Or before we know it Rummy will be a liberal or something.

[Rex]

30. Insanitorum is a closet dog fucker.

I bet he gets off when Boosh blows horses!

[FreedomAngel82]

32. My question is

does this mean the Pope is a liberal? Cause he knew about the child molesting and he did nothing to stop it and let it continue. And wow a republican is even going against him.

[MichiganVote]

36. I seem to recall that Bush and the last Pope were tight buddies

Doesn't everyone call upon the Pope to give him some help in the election? Never heard of old sinner Clinton doing this.

Santorum doesn't know or respect the first thing about clergy abuse. Most of the reported cases were prior to Vatican II, the period of the so called liberalized church.

He is getting this shit from his Opus Dei buddies. They spew the same bullshit.

[DemBones DemBones]

39. WHAT??? The Pope was completely opposed to

Bush going into Iraq.

If you believe Wayne Madsen's stories, which many at DU do, Pope John Paul II literally thought Bush was the Anti-Christ.

[MichiganVote]

103. He may have voiced disapproval about Iraq but that doesn't mean

JPII didn't support Bush in other ways. Or, more to the point, Ratzi and the other cardinals. And no, I don't think that Madson has any particular "in" with whatever is really going on in the mind's of the men at the Vatican. Anyone can speculate.

[walldude]

38. Actually, if you look closely Psycho boy is not

going against the Church, he's absolving them because it's not their fault, it's those liberal folks and their loose morals who caused the Priests to molest young boys... But it's Ok, they are restoring honor and dignity and responsibility back to the WH... :eyes:

[havocmom]

35. Santorum & wife bring a dead infant home for their other kids to cuddle

and sing to for several hours, but liberals are the reason there are priests abusing children? :wtf:

[roguevalley]

44. he can beat two drums at the same time with this spew:

1. sex is dirty, dirty, dirty. Even in marriage. (Hello, St. Augustine)
2. liberals get all the best girls so they suck.

A twofer.

[HockeyMom]

41. Pedophilia has NOTHING to do with SEX

Santorum may as well be saying heterosexual RAPE is about sex.

Both are about POWER, CONTROL, AND HUMILIATION.


Go back to the 17th Century, Mr. Santorum, and take your DEAD FETUS with you.

YOU are just as SICK.

[Raksha]

87. He probably thinks it is!

Re >>Santorum may as well be saying heterosexual RAPE is about sex.<<

And has probably said more than once: "She was asking for it." (Because of that tight dress, low-cut tank top, whatever).

[Warren DeMontague]

47. Breaking: Rick Santorum responsible for ring-around-the-collar

and the heartbreak of psoraisis.

[Donailin]

51. Sphincter Boy

is standing his ground because to admit gross error would mean he may not be taken seriopusly the next time he makes outrageous statements.

He's an ass in any case.

[marbuc]

53. I'm not saying ideology played any role but

in my opinion (and many others I'm sure) this heinous crime was a manifestation of sexual repression, which of course, is characteristic of the Republican Party, particularly the Fundie Right.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[smoogatz]

58. Yes, the Catholic Church is a hotbed of rampant liberalism

Its hard-left stance on birth control, extra-marital sex, homosexuality and abortion are well known. There's no doubt about it--the wild eyed, devil-may-care liberalism of the church is what caused priests all over the country--and indeed, around the world--to molest young boys for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, liberal enclaves such as Boston are known breeding grounds for pedophilia, which keeps cropping up in all walks of life, far outstripping the incidence of such crimes in God-fearing conservative "red" states like Kansas, Texas, Utah and Alabama.

Not.

[Stirk]

59. More of that "personal responsibility" stuff you love so much.

When conservatives commit crimes, it's the liberals' fault.

[Octafish]

62. "Santorum" is Latin for "Asshole."

...Is how Bob Kerrey put it.

"Liberal" means a lot of things: progress, idealism, bravery, commitment, patriotism, freedom. All of them good. The root word comes from "liberty." It doesn't mean pervert.

Wish more Democrats would use the opportunities the pukes give us to peg these conservative turds with what they are when they belittle iberals, like Mussolini said "fascism is really anti-liberal." Thus, at every chance we should peg them like their forbears as NAZIs and fascists.

[Swamp Rat]

80. Amen!

:yourock:

[Matariki]

84. Santorum: the frothy mix of lube and fecal matter...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savage_Love#Santorum

[Darranar]

63. Our culture IS sick - in no small part because it's been decided...

that profits for the ruling class are more important than lives, moral values, and human dignity.

As a right-winger opposed to recognizing legally the human dignity of gays and women and supportive of murderous aggression in the pursuit of power and domination, Santorum should look in a mirror before he criticizes anyone else.

[Pushed To The Left]

64. He needs to lose in 06!!

His opponent should state that the molesters are responsible for their crimes, not "the culture".

[stepnw1f]

65. He Is Trying to Keep His Base Ignorant

He's not just crazy... he's cleverly splitting the public on purpose. And yes. there are those that believe the shit he spews, as long as he says he goes to church, they listen to his crap.

[Zen]

68. Jesus the liberal was at fault for creating a church where abuse occured?

Jesus would be pissed if he saw these ornate idol worshiping houses that people have built using his name. No, it's evil uptight conservatives who try to make sex a bad thing that are responsible for sex crimes. Santorum mine as well rape a baby because that't the effect evil monsters liek him have on our culture.

Santorum = evil

[gulfcoastliberal]

69. Too bad jon setewart didn't mention this on TDS

Sad that a hack like Stephanapolous had to be the one to ask him about it. I wisj Jon never invited Santorum on if all he had planned was a fluff session with no real questions. I'm still confounded by it. Boggles the mind.

[struggle4progress]

71. s4p blames Santorum for Catholic sex abuse cases. eom

[deadparrot]

72. Fuck you, Mr. Santorum.

Coutesy of a lapsed-Catholic liberal.

My friend's (of twelve years) brother was molested by a priest. How DARE you bring politics into such a tragedy? How DARE you say that my political views are to blame for what happened to this kid, an innocent child!? Three liberals (myself, my mother, and my grandmother) were finally completely drven from the church after these events. Yet the conservative Catholics at my school defend the priests. Constantly. There's your politics, if you want to being poltics into it. RAPE IS NOT ABOUT SEX.

And here's some info on your nutcase far-right Pope's stand on the molestation of children:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1469055,00.html
http://www.ezilon.com/information/article_3902.shtml

The man's all talk. I haven't seen him take ANY action against such sick fucks. I, however, would be more than willing to inflict my own brand of punishment.

In short, fuck you, you sick, pandering son of a bitch. May you burn in hell. :rant:

[Bluebear]

75. Good rant, parrot. n/t

[deadparrot]

76. Thanks.

Placing of the blame of such actions squarely on the shoulders on one political philosophy gets me more than a little hot under the collar, especially when it's shown that, on the whole, it's the completely opposite, at least from my personal experience. I have to good friends who are agnostic liberals, and they're the ones who are most upset by what's happened.

[Matariki]

82. Santorum is right in a way

it's the "academic, political and cultural liberalism" that has allowed victims to speak the truth without misplaced shame. This crap goes *way* back, at least as far back as when 'father knew best'.

as demonstrated here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1667113

[KarenInMA]

83. This bastard owes me an apology.

I did not contribute to this tragedy. asshole.

[rman]

86. Liberals have hidden powers that cause perversion in RW-ers.

So RW-ers are not responsible for any perverse behaviour on their part.

[bobbieinok]

88. Newt said liberals to blame for the woman who killed her 2 sons...then

it was learned that her (step?)father was the state head of the Christian Coalition and had sexually abused her for years

that fact was not publicized much

[Tesla]

93. He's so wrong, he will hang himself !!

The front of the Philadelphia Daily News....http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/

Keep talking Senator!!!

[Fla Dem]

92. Santorum is a sleaze ball of the first class. This was his attempt

to paint Kennedy and Kerry with the academic, political and cultural liberalism brush and to make the connection of the priest scandal to them.

[YOY]

96. In that pic he looks like an incredibly stupid version of Sienfeld...

"and I ask you Kramer, what's the deal with these homos?"

[markus]

97. So, it was liberal views of homosexuality and others issues

that led families to use the religious orders as the dumping ground of the sexually-incorrect and a lot of other people deemed unfit to carry on the family business?

That's the real problem, IMHO. During my 12 years in Catholic school I came away with the impression that the religious orders were where people went to try to escape their "perversions" (like gayness) through celibacy. Instead, they fell into Pedophilia School (rather like prison is crime school). That and a lot of other people who felt like social misfits who also fled into that life.

I've never seen such a collection of losers and oddballs anywhere else in my life (except perhaps my old neighborhood behind the French Quarter, but at least those folks knew who they were, mostly).

In part the shortage of vocations is (proudly and rightly)a result of liberalism. People no longer need to find a place to hide.

[LynneSin]

102. LynneSin stands firm: Rick Santorum is a bigoted,homophobic,sexist asshole

:grr: