Blogging Around: HHS and Komen

Frank's petition is soaring.
There are 16,529 signatures so far. Needed: 8,471 to make the White House blink and take notice.

If you haven't signed, please get over there and do so!

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Lillian Hellman Sticks Up for Our Right to Not Violate Our Consciences

“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions. I was raised in an old-fashioned American tradition and there were certain homely things that were taught to me: To try to tell the truth, not to bear false witness, not to harm my neighbor, to be loyal to my country, and so on. In general, I respected these ideals of Christian honor and did as well with them as I knew how. It is my belief … that you will not expect me to violate the good American tradition from which they spring.”

Ok, she's actually writing during another time that the U.S. government tried to trample citizens' rights, to the The House Un-American Activities Committee investigation of communism in Hollywood. Without opening that can of worms, Deacon Greg's homily points out just how relevant Hellman's words are today and why they resonate (or should) with all lovers of freedom.

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The USCCB has a big post with lots and lots of links, including some national media who have covered the story in a responsible fashion.

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Media Genuflect Before  Church of Planned Parenthood: GetReligion gets down on media who hasn't covered the Komen/Planned Parenthood news well.

What we have embedded here is one of the worst pieces of journalism I’ve ever seen. I probably shouldn’t announce this, lest tmatt tell me to pack my bags, but I rarely if ever watch broadcast or cable news. I read my news online. The last time I watched ABC News was probably in the 1980s. But I was notified that the ABC piece was bad and so I searched it out. I almost wish I hadn’t. The performance of the mainstream media over this Komen funding issue has not reflected well on journalism in general.

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The Day of the Bullies:  The Anchoress has some good points on Komen and Planned Parenthood, especially now that Komen has caved in (disappointingly).

Understand what has happened, here. Komen did not break the news that they were defunding, Planned Parenthood — the “unpolitical” operation — leaked the news in order to sic their buddies in the senate and in the media on Komen. The assault was readied and rolled out, and damn near rabid — all out of proportion to what it should mean for one charity to decline to give $700,000 to another charity worth a billion! The message was clear: get back in line, or we will destroy you; we will bring the full power of the elite media and the government against you.

And so, like a good but weak soldier, Komen has essentially destroyed itself: hardline leftists will never forgive it; hardline rightists will never forgive it for caving. Neither side will trust it, and if no one trusts you, you’re gone.

Another thing that The Anchoress points out is that a lot of Catholics don't know the struggle for freedom of religion is going on (the HHS mandate issue) because mainstream media is not exactly covering it well. We had quite a discussion about it last night at RCIA and one person knew nothing about it. Despite our bishop's letter in the bulletin and a reminder to read it issued from the pulpit before we left Mass. Some people just don't read their bulletins.

So part of our job is to spread the word, be persistent, and above all be patient. If this isn't going to be a flash-in-the-pan struggle, then we must keep at it.