More on Condoms and Common Sense

1. Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review Online sums it up on the controversy about the Holy Father's comments on condoms and HIV/AIDS. The bottom line is that the Holy Father has the issue just right -- handing out latex, while doing nothing to build virtue, is a disastrous policy that leads to the loss of life, the dehumanization of sex and of individual persons, and the destruction of souls.

2. A useful overview of the conscience threats to Catholic institutions (although one law professor is allowed to mis-state the potential reach of FOCA). I wish, however, that people would realize that the threats are also posed to our schools and charitable agencies as well, which could also be forced to teach about and refer for contraception and abortion.

3. Robert George debates Doug Kmiec in writing over the President's stem cell policy, specifically over whether it will permit federal funding for cloning embryos so that they can be destroyed for research. Kmiec relies on an artificial distinction between "reproductive cloning" (i.e., cloning for implantation) and "therapeutic cloning" (i.e., cloning for destruction). George calls this misleading, and clearly carries the day.

4. The new Administration foolishly agrees to endorse a UN statement on "sexual orientation and gender identity". This dangerous statement could threaten marriage laws around the world, and could lead to discrimination against those who hold to traditional views of sexuality. Whatever happened to the opposition to cultural imperialism?

5. In response to wide criticism, the University of San Francisco (a school in the Jesuit tradition) has finally dropped abortion referrals from its student health plan. They may have done it only under duress, but this still counts towards building the Culture of Life, one brick at a time.

6. How messed up is our culture that a survey of teens shows that most consider the singer Rihanna to bear either sole or joint responsibility for having been brutally beaten up by her boyfriend -- and virtually none hold him solely responsible. I know we're past the age of chivalry, but are we past the point of expecting even such minimally civilized behavior as never, never, never striking a woman?

7. Sen. Sam Brownback is going to do everything he can to block the appointment of an ambassador to Iraq. Could he at least lift the tippy-tip of his little finger and oppose the nomination of pro-abortion Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be HHS Secretary? Come on, Sam, do something!