I agree 100% with the thrust of the column. Opposing abortion, while supporting an UNJUST war just drips with heavy hypocrisy. It's funny how easily the enemy du jour of the Church and conservative catholics shifted from Communism to "Islamo-facism." Despite the Pope's efforts to distance himself from the warmongerers among Conservatives here, he has engaged in enough sabre-rattling antics toward Islam to belie the Church's true position.

I come from a strong catholic family, and attended Catholic school from 1st to 12th grade. I have been exposed to this nonsense all my life. Happily, I started to wake up from the confused haze of catholic doctrine in my late teens, and am a free man now!

What eventually became apparent to me was how readily Catholics could accept conservative doctrines that were totally opposite to what they should adopt in their own self-interest. I mean, these people were initially despised in Protestant America; their spiritual leader, the Pope, was seen as the Anti-christ. They themselves were certainly not wealthy or established, yet they willingly bought into all the nonsense about gov't social programs, family planning, social welfare, (things they NEEDED to get established in a foreign country) as being evil attempts by the satanic communists to establish "control."

ANY sort of secular social authority was linked to COMMUNISM. Now, without regard to the merits of communism as an economic system (I don't think there are any), few (if any) of my relatives were able to see beyond this to the truth of the matter: Communism was evil solely because it threatened the existing material wealth of the Church and the Upper Classes it served. And conveniently, anything that threatened the ECONOMIC well-being of the Church was COMMUNIST!

How the Pope must've shuddered when the Berlin wall fell...

Fortunately, they were saved by 9/11. These days, the enemy of the faithful is "Islamo-facism," the 21st century version of Christianity's old foe from the Crusading days. They've had to take a couple small pains to keep from encouraging violence against Muslim Americans, but it's been easy to keep the focus away from our relatively peaceful neighbors, and on to relatively peaceful people far enough away that we can support killing them without suffering a crisis of conscience...

Therefore, it's no small wonder when you read such propagandist garbage by Conservative Catholic authors as Harry Crocker and note how they relish re-writing history, and holding up the Crusades as some sort of moral victory that defended "Civilization" from the privations of the evil Muslims.

Just the enemy du jour. No logic or reason behind it, other than the fact that "the faithful" need some sort of persecution to feel motivated. Could you imagine willingly spending your Sunday morning sitting on an uncomfortable wooden bench, listening to illogical ramblings of a lonely single man, listening to a tone-deaf audience belt out inane songs, eating a wafer of stale unleavened bread, and drinking wine from a communal cup harboring all sorts of contagious bacteria and viruses...? NO THANKS!!

Great question. Certainly, all REAL Americans would choose a Republic. The tendency toward Empire seems fundamentally Unconstitutional, according to that "piece of paper" in the Nat'l Archives. Despite those who say otherwise, a nation can look out for its own self-interest without picking fights with everyone around it. Just maintain a navy to protect our shipping and commerce, an air force to protect our skies, and a reasonable plan to draft and enlarge the army should we be threatened on land.

I think of Thomas Jefferson, who despite his writings against Federal (and sp. executive) power, knew enough not to let Louisiana pass by. Another way to think of the empire or republic question is a matter of being assertive vs. aggressive.

But what to do with all the violent maniacs in the Pentagon who won't stand for this? Those who are now addicted to the cause of the American Empire, and the police state required to support it? Could a moderate man ever be president again? Look at how hard they went after Bill Clinton toward the end of his term.

Pulling back and toning down the rhetoric of slavish worship of the military would drive these people nuts.

Then again, maybe they are fattened and satiated enough from gorging on defense contracts in Iraq that they are willing to take a breather?