John Kerry Whacks Santorum on Boston “Liberalism” Comments

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry Whacks Santorum on Boston “Liberalism” Comments
13 July 2005



Rick Santorum recently took some swipes at Boston “liberalism” that have Massachusetts residents seeing RED.

Here is a whack from John Kerry to Rick Santorum, demanding an apology for Massachusetts residents:

"The families of Massachusetts soldiers who have given their lives for their country in Iraq know more about the mainstream American values of Massachusetts than Rick Santorum ever will.

As a prosecutor in Massachusetts putting criminals behind bars, I saw some of the worst criminals who had abused children and not once did I hear them hide behind Sen. Santorum's bizarre claim that the state was responsible for their acts.

Rick Santorum owes an apology to the families of abuse victims and an apology to the faithful who fill the pews of Massachusetts churches every Sunday." -- Senator John Kerry

MORE & LINKS - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?

[Mass]

1. Weird answer?

What about those who will not fill the pews? I am very confused here.

I dont understand why he had to refer to religion. All of Massachusetts was offended here. Not only the religious ones.

[TayTay]

2. There was an 'AND' in there

Rick Santorum owes an apology to the families of abuse victims and an apology to the faithful who fill the pews of Massachusetts churches every Sunday." -- Senator John Kerry


That made it clear to me. I belong in neither category, actually. But I still felt insulted by Santorum. (Okay, him speaking at all is sort of an offense. It is an offense to me as a 'fully-brained' resident of the great, fair and noble Commonwealth of Massachusetts.)

I liked Mr. Kerry's comment. It was shorter and much snider than Sen. Kennedy's and not very eloquent (there's a first!) but I really liked it.

[Mass]

3. I guess I reacted for the reason you pointed to

It excludes a lot of people to whom Santorum should apologize too.

This said, this is a good statement, after reading it again.

[JohnKleeb]

4. Great response on his part

[globalvillage]

5. OMG, I hadn't seen this!!!

I will have to think about the statement. On one hand, it seems to exclude many Mass residents who were rightly offended by the POS's remarks. As a Catholic, though, the scandal hit us right to the core of our faith, and we are outraged by it. But I have never associated the scandal with Mass or with liberals. In that respect, I agree that Mass Catholics should be especially incensed by Santorum's remarks.
I don't get the soldier thing, though. Context???

[kerrygoddess]

6. I think it was a hit

on National Security somehow. JK's way of saying Santorum is out of touch with American's who are serving this country because of W insane war.

[CBHagman]

7. Yet more links.

Get a load of what Barney Frank said (I knew I could rely on him :loveya:). JFK was downright tender by comparison.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/13/santorum_resolute_on_boston_rebuke/

And here's what Santorum said in the original piece. I've seen and heard similar things from other conservatives (i.e., claiming that pedophilia is the fruit of liberalism), who appear to be going around comforting themselves that they are not like those liberals. Sounds like the Pharisees, doesn't it?

http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=30

What's also painfully obvious Santorum has no real understanding of the roots of sexual abuse.

[rox63]

8. Victims Group Blasts Santorum

http://capitolbuzz.blogspot.com/2005/07/victims-group-blasts-santorum.html

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Victims Group Blasts Santorum

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis MO, National Director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP)

Abusive clergy and complicit bishops are liberal and conservative. The crimes they commit have nothing to do with political philosophy. It is reckless and dangerous to misdiagnose the causes of this horrific crisis by trying to blame any group of individuals, especially using false assumptions and self-serving ideological blinders. This is a deeply-rooted, long-standing, cultural and structural problem within the church and affects Catholics across the globe. To suggest anything less is deceptive or ignorant.

It is very hurtful when a politician tries to minimize the extent of the clergy sex abuse scandal. It is also very hurtful when a politician implies that some vague, larger societal defects somehow caused priests, nuns and bishops to assault innocent children and vulnerable adults, and then to work hard at keeping the crimes hidden.

We commend the brave abuse survivors and their families in Massachusetts who played key roles in protecting the defenseless, exposing sexual predators, and uncovering deeply-held horrific evidence of cover ups by the church hierarchy. We also applaud the caring Massachusetts Catholics who have patiently prodded the church hierarchy toward even piecemeal reforms.

In 2002, we gave Senator Santorum the benefit of the doubt, assuming he was not aware of the scope of the abuse crisis. In 2005, it's hard to understand how he could repeat and stand by such misguided and harmful comments.