The May 2010 Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter can now be found at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/Newsletters/Newsletter108(May2010)(RGB).pdf Bill C-384 was soundly defeated by a vote of 228 to 59. Check how the Members of Parliament voted at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/HowTheyVoted.pdf On June 5, 2010, we are co-hosting the US/Canda Push-Back Seminar at the Radisson Gateway Hotel at the Seattle/Tacoma Airport. The overwhelming defeat of Bill C-384 proved that we can Push-Back the euthanasia lobby in the US and Canada and convince people that euthanasia and assisted suicide are a dangerous public policy. Register for the Seminar at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2010SeminarFlyer(RGB)(LetterFormat).pdf The Schindler family are being attacked by a Florida television station and Michael Schiavo. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is standing in solidarity with the Schindler family. My blog comments: http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2010/05/att...
Hi Tim,
ReplyDeleteIt seems that there is now direct evidence linking the pope to the cover ups of sexual abuse:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8612457.stm
I am afraid that all of the Church's efforts to deflect attention from itself by moaning about the media, blaming the gays, or the victims, will thoroughly discredit the institution in light of this new information.
From a PR perspective the Vatican has utterly mishandled the situation. They should have come out early in the news cycle with all of the dirt as soon as possible. Full transparency - get all of the worst negative news out of the way all at once. Simultaneously, the Vatican should have rent their clothes, covered their faces in ash and cried huge crocodile tears of sorrow. They should have thrown themselves at the feet of the media in abject humility and promised immediate and sweeping reform.
Slowly, as the Church followed through on the promised reform the story would have turned to one of redemption and change. This is a tried (albeit tired) recipe that has worked for scoundrels everywhere.
I doubt that this will be the only direct link of Ratzinger to the scandal. At this point, I am beginning to suspect that His Holiness will be shuffling off this mortal coil sometime soon. The Vatican is a sovereign state, autopsies are not permitted on the pope's body, and quite frankly...there are no other 'respectable' options left. This would not be the first time in Church history when a pope has been nudged towards his heavenly reward.
Like many folks, I do not find this train wreck in slow motion easy to watch. Hang in there my friend. I think the worst is yet to come.
Cheers...Martin