Kennedy Rips Santorum for 2002 Column

[sunnystarr]

/snip

In a rare personal attack on the Senate floor, Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) accused Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record) on Wednesday of being self-righteous and insensitive for a column he wrote three years ago linking Boston's liberalism to the sex abuse scandal in its Catholic diocese.

Santorum, R-Pa., wrote in the July 2002 column for Catholic Online that promoting alternative lifestyles feeds such aberrant behavior as priests molesting children.

"Priests, like all of us, are affected by culture," Santorum wrote. "When the culture is sick, every element in it becomes infected. While it is 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."

In a speech, Kennedy, a Democrat, called for Santorum to retract his remarks and apologize to the people of Boston and Massachusetts.

"The people of Boston are to blame for the clergy sexual abuse? That is an irresponsible, insensitive and inexcusable thing to say," said Kennedy.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050713/ap_on_go_co/kennedy_santorum&printer=1;_ylt=Ahs6YtlRS3JHbNwP0qF5UReMwfIE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

Link was through www.rawstory.com

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

1. Oh, Ricky

I might just miss your ridiculous comments, past or present, when the Dems in PA get their act together and vote you out of office next November.

If the Catholic Church had been so "infected" by liberalism I very much doubt they would still be such a repressive institution, now led by a man who was a member of the Hitler Youth.

Thank you, again, Senator Kennedy for speaking the truth and standing up to the destructive forces represented by Ricky and the Republican Congress.

[KnaveRupe]

2. Ricky will be ejected by Dems, Indy's and sane Repubs.

The guy's an anomaly in PA senate history, and he'll be gone next year.

We've got a Democratic governor and secretary of State, so he can't even count on any Ken Blackwell-style shenanigans to save him.

Back to ol' Virginny with you, Ricky!

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

5. I hope you are right

I wish the frontrunner, as of the last time I heard, wasn't anti-choice as well. Still better than Santorum but maybe in 2012 PA can elect a solid Dem to the Senate. And maybe replace Specter by then also. I wish the man no harm and hope he recovers from cancer but wouldn't mind taking his Senate seat.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Casey's actually decent on everything but abortion

And from his statements and what people have said about him, he should be on our side when it comes to judges.

[brigidshine]

3. Ratzinger

membership in the Hitler Youth was compulsory at the time of Ratzinger's membership. additionally, his father was strongly anti-Nazi.

*edited for typo*

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

4. He didn't have to stay in as long as he did.

He stayed in the group until after people's lives were seriously threatened.

[brigidshine]

6. hmmm

link plz?

[brigidshine]

7. however

i take issue with anyone attempting to paint Ratzinger with a Nazi brush. he may have his faults (as i believe he does, along with the Church), but that's not one of them.

for reference, though i'm not sure it's needed:

When Ratzinger turned 14 he was forced by law to join the Hitler Youth (membership was legally required since December 1936<4>.) According to the National Catholic Reporter correspondent and biographer John Allen, Ratzinger was an unenthusiastic member who refused to attend meetings. Ratzinger has mentioned that a Nazi mathematics professor arranged reduced tuition payments for him at seminary. This normally required documentation of attendance at Hitler Youth activities; however, according to Ratzinger, his professor arranged things so that he did not have to attend to receive a scholarship.

**

In late April or early May, 1945 days or weeks before the German surrender, Ratzinger deserted. Desertion was widespread during the last weeks of the war, even though punishable by death (executions, frequently extrajudicial, continued to the end); ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI

peace.

[AuntiBush]

8. Link to Story: Boston Channel Online

I read about this online last night on a Boston Newspaper. Funny, googled it and it's not coming up. Try google.

Edited: Found the link
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/politics/4718059/detail.html

[kerrygoddess]

10. Kennedy Calls on Santorum to Apologize

Kennedy Calls on Santorum to Apologize
13 July 2005


Earlier today I posted a statement from John Kerry on Santorum’s base, outrageous comments on “Boston Liberalism.”

While, John Kerry whacked Santorum with his statement, Ted Kennedy had Santorum up against the wall with his statement on the Senate floor…

"Rick Santorum owes an immediate apology to the tragic, long-suffering victims of sexual abuse and their families in Boston, in Massachusetts, in Pennsylvania and around this country. His outrageous and offensive comments – which he had the indecency to repeat yesterday – blamed the people of Boston for the depraved behavior of sick individuals who stole the innocence of children in the most horrible way imaginable.

Senator Santorum has shown a deep and callous insensitivity to the victims and their suffering in an apparent attempt to score political points with some of the most extreme members of the fringe right wing of his Party. Boston bashing might be in vogue with some Republicans, but Rick Santorum’s statements are beyond the pale.

Three years ago, Senator Santorum said “While it is 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.” When given an opportunity to apologize yesterday, he refused and instead restated these outrageous statements. The people of Boston are to blame for the clergy sexual abuse? That statement is irresponsible, insensitive and inexcusable. Rick Santorum should join all Americans in celebrating the accomplishments of the people of Boston.

Apparently Senator Santorum has never heard of the enormous contributions of our universities and industries to our quality of life, our economic strength, and our national security."

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