George at it again
June 11th 2007 03:44
His Eminence in Full Sail
The recent brouhaha surrounding the Cardinal's comments about Stem Cell legislation in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the State of New South Wales is a classic example of media disinterest in the real news behind the story. It was put to me recently that Cardinal Pell, or his close aides, must have annoyed someone powerful in the NSW ALP. Surely even journalists are aware of how on previous occasions even recalcitrant atheist Premiers have been brought to heel on this issue by the agents of the Church of Rome (aka The Right). Arms were twisted. Careers threatened. Deep currents ran strong without breaking the surface. All very Sydney - an edict went out to all the world from Caesar Augustus (and noone knew about it).
It seems that the Left has got smarter too. Considering that Stem Cell Legislation already has Federal approval - in essence a lost cause - all that was needed was a bargaining chip which was provided in the form of the threat of a gay adoption Bill. Now gay adoption is nothing for which the average bogan in the suburbs gives a hoot. It will really only affect the very busy Clover Moore's electorate - and maybe a few doctor's wives in the deep North. So stem cells (already a bataille perdue) were sacrificed to prevent gay adoption legislation.
In comes the Cardinal, thinking in Victorian, pretending to be Archbishop Daniel Mannix, breathing threats of interdict, if sotto voce. Even the Doge of this antipodean Venice could not be convinced to side with the Cardinal. The Cardinal looked like a badly advised shag on a rock, especially when the vultures of the Fourth Estate got to work. The report in the Sydney Morning Herald this morning about the Corpus Christi procession yesterday was a disgraceful, undergraduate slur on the piety of ordinary Catholics. I was quite sickened by the lack of standards. The Cardinal really should make a formal complaint to the Press Council. (Far be it from me to give unsollicited advice to princes of the Church - even Machiavelli shied away from that).
But what were the union barons doing? Either they've lost their none too subtle touch (unlikely) or there is a communications breakdown with Polding house. The questions are why, about what and how long will it go on?
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Plus media lynchings bug the hell out of me.
Comment by Anonymous