Peterr

It’s never been particularly easy for strong women to use their gifts within the Roman Catholic church’s hierarchical structure and their understanding of the separate roles prescribed for men and women. These days, though, it’s getting even harder — and the debate is not something that affects solely Roman Catholics.

Look at the ongoing health care battle, where the USCCB continues to fight inside and outside the church, to impose their beliefs on the entire US medical system.

In today’s election in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats took it on the chin. The big winners? The Left Party, which gained enough votes to take seats in parliament for the first time, and especially the Greens, who are waiting for the CDU and SPD to come to them with offers to join a governing coalition.

After describing progressives who ran ads against Blue Dogs who opposes health care reform as “f—ing retarded,” Rahm tried to make nice with Tim Shriver and the Special Olympics folks. They listened, but were not impressed.

Maybe if Rahm did a PSA for them it would help. Here’s a possible script . . .

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama asked for anyone with “a better approach” on health care reform to let him know.

Mr. President, I’ll give it to you in two words.

It’s hard to imagine two pastors spending weeks and weeks preaching and testifying about protecting against same sex marriage in their churches, but then being reluctant to do the same in court. On the other hand, as a pastor, I can imagine a very interesting question-and-answer session between the plaintiff’s lawyer and the pastors about their unwillingness to preach. . .

There’s only one word that comes to mind: obscene.