TO THE EDITOR:
Finally, the R.I. Catholic editors have called out the President for his anti-Christian behavior and speech. This is long overdue, and it is shameful that it required five deaths in a riot provoked by Trump. Too many Catholic leaders have given the President a pass, believing that he supports Catholic principles -- a dubious and Faustian bargain.
Even while rebuking President Trump for his connection to the Capitol riot violence, the editors hedge, noting he was “not entirely to blame,” words deserving more explanation.
The other hedges are more serious:
1. The editorial asserts that “Democrats did not balk this summer over violent protests on racial justice.” This is (a) inaccurate -- racial justice protests were largely nonviolent, and many DID condemn incidents of violence, and (b) an invalid comparison -- the summer protests had a very legitimate basis and for the common good. The Capitol events were protesting a false premise of “Stop the Steal” and allegations of widespread voting fraud, concocted and promoted by the President despite being disproven (often by his own party). This was all in an overt effort to overturn the expressed will of the American people, and to retain his personal power and position. No comparison.
2. The editors persist in stating that President Trump’s anti-abortion position proves him pro-life. The USCCB 2019 document “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” makes clear that support for life involves much more than an anti-abortion “pose.” Even if one believes his abortion stance is sincere (which is uncertain), Trump’s positions on racial injustice, religious tolerance, the death penalty, poverty and immigration certainly do not “square eminently with Catholic social teaching” as the editors claim, nor do Biden’s positions stand “diametrically opposed.”
I’m happy that your editors finally see some need for accountability by the President, but they also shirked their full duty.
Paul McKenney, M.D., Warwick
