Thursday, April 27th, 2006


Politics & News & Energy27 Apr 2006 07:55 am
by karma432

Democratic senators Richard Durbin, Barbara Boxer, Debbie Stabenow, Charles Schumer and Maria Cantwell held a media event criticizing Republicans and oil companies over high gasoline prices. They held it at an Exxon station one block away from their Senate offices.

The Democrats were brimming with outrage at Republicans and oil companies.

“Since George Bush and Dick Cheney took over as president and vice president, gas prices have doubled!” Senator Boxer fumed. Senator Schumer demanded that the administration “Get tough on big oil!”

Then, when it came time to make the one block trek back to their offices, Senator Boxer hopped into her Chrysler LHS (18 mpg). Senator Schumer had a waiting Hyundai Elantra (27 mpg). Senator Cantwell, who had a staffer idling in a Volswagen Jetta (24 mpg), told the staffer to return without her as she went to a nearby sushi restaurant for lunch.

No word on how she made the one block odyssey after she ate. Maybe she took a cab.

OK, show of hands. How many people think that Democrats would really be an improvement if they were in charge?

Didn’t think so…….

j'accuse & In Appreciation & Social Justice & Grassroots Democracy & Decentralization & Personal and Global Responsibility27 Apr 2006 02:26 am
by Angry White Liberal

Catholic Priest Who Was Victim of Sex Abuse Draws Fire After Speaking Out
This just reinforces my prejudice against hierarchical religions…

The Catholic Church hierarchy’s treatment of clergy sex abuse victims was disgusting, the patient told him.

“Believe me, I’m not trying to force Jesus down your throat,” answered Moran, a beefy 60-year-old with an agonizing secret he had only recently started to let out: “I’m a victim of a priest myself.”

The patient stared at him from the bed. A question came, point-blank: “Then how can you be a priest?”
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It was time to leave, he decided soon after that conversation, and he arranged to retire May 31 on a medical disability. But first, he wanted to let loose the whole secret — not just the abridged version. He wanted people to know that the fallout of clergy sex abuse is not over, even if it has waned from headlines. And he wanted to do it during Holy Week, the week before Easter, the time when priests renew their vows. The decision would bring more pain than liberation.
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He railed against church leaders who protect abusers and care more about money than victims. He talked about therapy and the “rationalizations” that kept him in the ministry. Copies of his comments were in the back of the chapel, he said. And when it was over, a burly man came over to hug him. No one else seemed to know what to do.

The next day, a Washington archdiocese official called, telling him that the hospital thought his actions were inappropriate and that the church felt they were accusatory. His priestly credentials were being pulled immediately, he was told, something that usually wouldn’t have happened until he retired six weeks later.
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Moran feels he is being punished for speaking out: “My gut feeling is that I have been raped again.”

Advocates of clergy abuse victims who know Moran are livid and say that because he was leaving his position anyway, removing his credentials was unnecessary.

Click here for link.

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