Rap Sheet
Links on R&P from around the web
Counter-Protesters Targeting Westboro Baptist Church
posted on July 25, 2012This past weekend, members of the Westboro Baptist Church, the controversial church based in Topeka, Kansas, traveled to Columbia, Missouri to protest the funeral of “Army Spc. Sterling Wyatt, who was killed July 11 by an improvised explosive device,” Kellie Kotraba reports for Religion News Service. The protestors were met by a counter-protest that included “[t]housands of people wearing red shirts” who attempted “to surround the church” where the funeral occurred. According to Kotraba, “the [Westboro] protest was hardly noticeable” and that “many didn’t even see the protesters.”
The Mansion of Happiness
posted on July 25, 2012At The Point, Scott Spillman reviews Harvard historian Jill Lepore’s new book, The Mansion of Happiness. Lepore traces the origins of debates “over issues like abortion, stem cell research and end-of-life care.” Spillman is critical of Lepore’s historical approach to these contentious issues, calling it “too simple, too narrow, too mechanistic, too sure of its own sufficiency.” The book’s thesis, writes Spillman, “that excavating the history of our ideas about life and death will allow us to find our way through such ‘impasses,'” neglects the “moral or religious concerns … at the root of our differences.”
Romney Backs Olympics Moment of Silence to Honor Munich Victims
posted on July 25, 2012On Monday, Mitt Romney announced his support for a proposed “minute of silence at Friday’s opening ceremony for the [Olympic] Games to honor Israeli athletes killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics,” Mark Hosenball reports for Reuters. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has no plans for such a moment of silence. In a statement last week, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “We feel that the opening ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic incident.”
Sports Hijabs Help Muslim Women to Olympic Success
posted on July 25, 2012The Guardian’s Homa Khaleeli reports on the growing acceptance of women wearing hijabs, Muslim head coverings, while competing in sporting events. Khaleeli cites the decision earlier this month by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, to overturn a ban on women covering their heads during competition. Dr. Emma Tarlo, who teaches anthropology at Goldsmiths University of London, supports the decision to allow female athletes to wear hijabs. “I have done research that shows that women have been put off sport because of clothing,” explains Tarlo.
‘Chick fil-A Appreciation Day’ Announced by Mike Huckabee Amidst Gay Marriage Debate
posted on July 25, 2012After Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy voiced opposition to gay marriage, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee organized a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” slated for August 1st, reports The Washington Post’s Elizabeth Tenety. Huckabee, a Baptist preacher, supports the restaurant, which he describes as a “company run by Christian principles.” Huckabee writes, “Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we’re considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant.”
Mormons on Cusp of New Powerful Era
posted on July 24, 2012At The Hill, Cameron Joseph highlights the growing number of Mormons in Congress, who often fill their congressional staffs with Mormons. While there are currently 14 Mormon members of Congress, with a slate of Mormons running competitive congressional races, that number is likely to grow after November’s election. Additionally, if Romney is elected, Joseph writes, “a number of prominent Mormon Republicans might be selected for plum administration positions.”
Would Jesus Pack Heat? Is Gun Control a God Issue?
posted on July 24, 2012USA Today’s Cathy Lynn Grossman compiles a variety of responses to the Rev. James Martin’s faith-based argument for gun control. In a recent posting on America Magazine, Martin, a Jesuit priest, ties together gun control and pro-life issues, stating, “I am pro-life across the board. I’m against abortion. But I don’t think it’s antithetical to being for gun control.” Many readers posted responses on Martin’s Facebook page, including Sandra Canosa, who disagrees with the Jesuit priest’s stance. “Law abiding citizens are the only ones who will be impacted by gun control laws,” Canosa writes.
Colorado Muslims Wonder If Theater Shooter Might Have Been Noticed
posted on July 24, 2012At The Denver Post, Chuck Murphy suggests that if James Holmes, the alleged perpetrator of the Colorado theater shootings, were a Muslim, police would have taken notice of his recent suspicious behavior. Murphy writes, “If Holmes were Iranian-American, or Afghan-American, his purchases, his apparent withdrawal and his plans probably would have been noticed by neighbors, reported and investigated.” Imam Ibrahim Kazerooni, a Muslim resident in Denver, agrees: “There is the general feeling that exists in the U.S. Muslim community that they are marginalized and treated differently.”
Can Romney Reconcile His Wealth and His Faith?
posted on July 24, 2012The Washington Post’s Lisa Miller wonders if Romney can reconcile his “great, secret stores of wealth” with his faith. After all, Miller points out, “Mormonism, as much as conventional Christianity, decries the hoarding of riches.” Miller writes that while “Romney is committed to public service …[his] career at Bain suggests a lack of concern for people affected by his actions.”
Michele Bachmann Finds Plenty of Friends Back Home
posted on July 24, 2012Prominent Republican and Democratic congressional leaders criticized Michele Bachmann after the congresswoman suggested that two prominent Muslims working in the federal government might have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. But Bachmann still retains support back home in Minnesota, Politico’s Jake Sherman reports. “If anything, the uproar seems to have galvanized her base,” Sherman writes.