The Dear Leader at Notre Dame stirs more controversy

Mr. Phil Downs wrote letter to the local fish wrap (AKA the Journal Gazette) condemning Bishop D’Arcy for sitting on stage during President Bush’s commencement address at Notre Dame while boycotting the Dear Leader’s commencement address. Lex fired back:

As an ordinary Joe, I try not to lecture an expert who knows far more about a subject than I do about the finer points of that subject. I wouldn’t lecture Bill Clinton on politics. I wouldn’t lecture Bill Parcels on the utility of the “Wildcat” offense. I’d never presume to lecture Bishop D’Arcy on the Catholic position on life. Apparently Phil Downs, an expert himself perhaps, feels very comfortable lecturing Bishop D’Arcy on the Catholic position on life.

First, I suspect that Bishop D’Arcy opposes the death penalty. But to equate sitting on stage with a man who signed the executive orders for the executions of criminals with a man who supports and is actively expanding the murder of innocents is a bit much.

For most of us, it’s rather easy to draw a thick bright line between the murder of innocents and those who do the murdering. Most of us can understand why the state finds it necessary to rid itself of human debris like Tim McVeigh. While we support the sanctity of life, we don’t place evil like McVeigh into the same moral bin as those he murdered.

Also, if Catholics can develop an entire doctrine around “just wars” and all of the unintended consequences surrounding that activity, including the death of innocents by the score, it doesn’t seem an unreasonable leap that Catholics might agree that it is necessary for the state to protect itself from its own citizens from time to time.

Last, while on trial for his life, Jesus himself never argued against the death penalty:

"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"

Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

Notice Jesus does not use the occasion to lecture Pilate on the death penalty by saying, “You have no right to take my life. Only my Father has that right.” Jesus only points out that any power that Pilate has over him has been conferred to him from above.