Meanwhile...
I called the local diocesan newspaper. "Hey, are you guys following the Da Vinci Seminar story?'
"Oh yes. Yes we are. In fact I'm going to the lecture myself."
"You're kidding."
"No no. Tonight at 7 pm."
"Um-- this lecture isn't until April."
"Oh."
I read her the catalog description.
She could not get her mind around the basic issue. "I don't have any problem with people calling them frightening. A community college-"
"Community center, " I corrected.
"-- is not a church institution, they don't have to be in line with church teachings."
"But that's the point. This is a tax-supported center. A public program. I dont' have any problem with people teaching this stuff either, but not on my dime."
[Full disclosure: actually I have a big problem with teaching myth and prejudice and passing it off as fact-- ignorance is a BIG problem - but that gets us back to the public education debate.]
"People can make a choice to go or not go," she said, playing the sacred "choice" card. She probably thought I'd drop dead from the weight of its sheer awesome power.
"They can't make a choice about paying their taxes," I said.
"We are not the Catholic Defense League," the woman said huffily, and the conversation ended.
I love the Catholic press....
"Oh yes. Yes we are. In fact I'm going to the lecture myself."
"You're kidding."
"No no. Tonight at 7 pm."
"Um-- this lecture isn't until April."
"Oh."
I read her the catalog description.
She could not get her mind around the basic issue. "I don't have any problem with people calling them frightening. A community college-"
"Community center, " I corrected.
"-- is not a church institution, they don't have to be in line with church teachings."
"But that's the point. This is a tax-supported center. A public program. I dont' have any problem with people teaching this stuff either, but not on my dime."
[Full disclosure: actually I have a big problem with teaching myth and prejudice and passing it off as fact-- ignorance is a BIG problem - but that gets us back to the public education debate.]
"People can make a choice to go or not go," she said, playing the sacred "choice" card. She probably thought I'd drop dead from the weight of its sheer awesome power.
"They can't make a choice about paying their taxes," I said.
"We are not the Catholic Defense League," the woman said huffily, and the conversation ended.
I love the Catholic press....
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI found you via Anchoress and am enjoying the writing. It's amazing what schools fly under the radar on our dime. Good on you for following up!
I especially loved, "We are not the Catholic Defense League!" One can almost hear the woman snort.
I'll add you to my blogroll and check back for updates on the class.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI read the whole article over on NRO today (http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/vigilante200601260813.asp for those wanted to look), and loved it. It's sad that Catholic newspapers seem so...un-Catholic. What's even sadder is how proud some of them seem to be about it.
By the way, I corrected yet another oversight and added you to my blogroll this morning. But don't feel too badly. I also forgot the esteemed K of C until my father mentioned yesterday that I might want to include a link to them! D'oh!!
God bless you!