Rap Sheet
Links on R&P from around the web
A Different Intersection of Church and Politics
posted on May 1, 2012On May 1, 1933, Dorothy Day and a handful of like-minded Catholics fanned out in New York City’s Union Square to sell the first edition of The Catholic Worker. Marking this 79th anniversary, The New York Times’ Ginia Bellafante profiles a few of Day’s spiritual descendants who, during the Great Recession, continue to live by the Catholic Worker’s ethos of creating “‘a new society in the shell of the old’—peace, less disparity of wealth, an end to economic exploitation, violence, racism.” Day’s newspaper, which is still sold on the streets of New York City, “delivered the message of compassion and justice at the cost of one penny; the price has never gone up.”
Attack on Christians in Nigeria Kills at Least 15: Witness
posted on May 1, 2012Reuters reports that Islamic separatists continued their attacks on Christians in northern Nigeria. Gunmen on motorbikes threw homemade bombs into a university theatre in Kano, where Christians had congregated to worship, and then shot worshippers who fled the building. With some 10-15 reportedly killed, these are the latest in a spate of killings in northern Nigeria, targeted at the region’s minority Christian population. The militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram, hopes to topple Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s government and create an independent, Islamic state in the north of the country.
Mr. President, What Do You Think of ‘Girls’?
posted on May 1, 2012At Tablet, “The Scroll” editor Marc Tracy tells President Obama that he wants to be “doubly pandered to.” Tracy is, after all, both a Millennial and Jewish, two constituencies that the president “overwhelmingly won in 2008, but who lately have feinted toward straying toward the Republicans (in the Jews’ case) or staying home (in the Millennials’ case).” The difference between the two, Tracy suggests, is that Jews are “iffier on Obama because of things he has done (pressured Israel, not fully backed Israel on Iran),” while the politically liberal Millennials are upset by things left undone “(Guantanamo Bay is still open, he hasn’t done all that much high-profile on the environment).” In either case, “endless emails about George Clooney aren’t going to cut it. George Clooney is, like, old.”
Why are Romney SuperPac Donors Shy?
posted on May 1, 2012At Religion Dispatches, Joanna Brooks explains why Mitt Romney’s wealthy Mormon donors have exploited SuperPacs to remain out of the spotlight. According to Brooks, such campaign donation anonymity fits into broader Mormon cultural norms about wealth and philanthropy. “Wealth means status in the world of Mormonism, as it does just about everywhere else,” Brooks writes. But in Mormon communities there are “no plaques bearing donor names affixed to Mormon chapels or temples … People may know who the big givers are in Mormon communities, but it would be a breach of cultural etiquette to advertise one’s own contributions.”
Will Obama’s “Cool Kid” Strategy Backfire?
posted on May 1, 2012Commentary‘s Jonathan S. Tobin wonders if all the “pandering” to the “cool kids” will be the winning strategy it was for Obama’s first presidential campaign. Romney, by contrast, is seeking the adult vote. “That’s a good idea,” writes Tobin, “because although Obama may not be as cool as he or his idolaters think he is, the incredibly square Romney isn’t likely to convince anyone that he is hip. The real question is whether coolness will matter as much in 2012 as it did in 2008.”
Paul Ryan Defends His Interpretation of Catholic Teachings
posted on May 1, 2012Last Thursday at Georgetown University, GOP congressman and chairman of the House Budget Committee, Paul Ryan (R-WI), responded to his Catholic critics. Lately, some of Ryan’s co-religionists have condemned the congressman’s attempt to apply his brand of Catholicism to the U.S. federal budget. Before the lecture, members of the Georgetown faculty sent a letter to Ryan, criticizing him for his “continuing misuse of Catholic teaching to defend a budget plan that decimates food programs for struggling families, radically weakens protections for the elderly and sick, and gives more tax breaks to the wealthiest few.” Citing Pope Benedict XVI, Ryan declared that governments amassing huge debts are “living in untruth.” Ryan also called for greater “civil public dialogue” on these issues.
Busted! #mitt2012 Sneaking a Peek at Twitter during Sunday School
posted on May 1, 2012Mitt Romney’s oldest son, Tagg Romney does some exposé Tweeting. This past Sunday, Tagg posted a photo of his father checking out his Twitter feed during Sunday school. Perhaps Tagg shouldn’t throw the first Tweet here. If he was snapping pics of his dad scrolling his feed, he must not have been following the gospel lesson too closely either.