Missing an Opportunity it on National TV

1. Fr. James Martin, SJ, editor of America magazine, flubbed what it means to be pro-life on national TV the other day. He hasn't gotten the memo about the uniqueness and centrality of abortion as a social justice issue, and the way he speaks about pro-lifers makes me wonder what kind of pro-lifers he knows ("for a lot of people in the pro-life movement, life begins at conception, but seems to end there" -- does this describe anyone any of us knows?). Perhaps he might find the time to re-read "Living the Gospel of Life" by the US Bishops, or visit the Sisters of Life to see what real pro-lifers are like. Or he might check into what Bishop Finn (you remember him, a strong critic of NDU) is up to -- leading a prayer vigil as Missouri resumes executions. (UPDATE: see my official ArchNY blog for some interesting correspondence I've had with Fr. Martin).

2. Article from the Times about the still-forming opposition to same-sex "marriage" in New York. Maggie Gallagher gives an overview of the effects of SSM -- not surprisingly, a decline in the belief that kids need a mom and a dad, and a growing belief that it is risky to express opposition to SSM.

3. The president of a school called Trinity University, which apparently considers itself to be a Catholic college, has pointed to two of their alums, Nancy Pelosi and Kathleen Sebelius, as models of the education provided by that supposedly Catholic school. She actually meant this as a positive statement. No, seriously. Really.

4. Opinion polls show that people want the President to appoint a "conservative" or "moderate" justice of the Supreme Court. But listen to what he said on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

5. If the President wants dialogue with pro-lifers and to find common ground, how about talking about the pain caused to unborn children by abortion. Yes, let's talk science for a while.

6. Buried deep in another opinion poll is yet another indication that more people call themselves "pro-life" than "pro-chocie". Another poll shows that American Catholics have a positive view of the Holy Father. That's pretty good since we are, after all, Catholics.

7. Interesting take on why modern debates are so awful -- "some people are jerks and some people are too nice". His advice -- speak the truth with love, even if that means you're not considered to be "nice".