The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a powerful, wealthy, and dangerous organization. They wield a great deal of influence over many politicians, affect the outcomes of various aspects of the legislative process, and pose a direct threat to the basic human rights of many Americans. Their priorities are skewed, their claims are frequently baseless, and they protect the Catholic Church over all else, no matter the cost. They get away with this because no one holds their feet to the fire and makes them answer the tough questions. Let’s ask those questions. Let’s shed some light on their tactics and actions and raise consciousness about the harm that they cause. They’ve gotten away with this for far too long.

Well, someone in the media is asking the tough questions, shedding light on their tactics and activities, and raising consciousness about the influence that they wield and the dangers that they pose. Rose Aguilar, an author, journalist, and the host of “Your Call“, a daily call-in show on San Francisco public radio, has been doing much-needed and important work on this issue, and is calling out the USCCB in a way that most in the media have refused to.

Last Monday’s episode of “Your Call” asked the question “How did the US Conference of Bishops become so powerful?”. It was an excellent episode, and I highly recommend listening to the podcast. And today, Rose’s op-ed, “The birth control bishops“, was published on Al Jazeera English. I’m honored and so happy to have been quoted/used as a source in it:

Speaking of damage control, over the course of my research, I ran across an analysis of a May 2011 USCCB 143-page $1.8m report [PDF] analysing the extent of the sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church titled: “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010″. The report was compiled by the research team at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York.

“It is important to note that, although the research was carried out by the John Jay College, the UCCSB had the final say on whether or not to authorise publication of the report,” writes Miranda Celeste Hale, an English professor at North Idaho College, who writes about politics and the negative effects of childhood religious indoctrination.

Hale spent her spring break reading and analysing what she calls a worthless and dangerous report, which blames the cultural revolution of the 1960s for the abuse.

Hale says one of the most egregious aspects of the report was that the researchers arbitrarily redefined paedophilia as sexual abuse of victims that were ten years old or younger at the time, despite the fact that the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) sets the cut-off age at 13.

Redefining paedophilia allowed the researchers to claim that 22 per cent of sexual abuse victims were age ten and under, while the majority of victims were pubescent or post-pubescent, but Hale points out, if the researchers had used the DSM’s definition, that percentage would jump from 22 per cent to 73 per cent.

“The redefinition of paedophilia was really shocking,” she says. “Normally, a high percentage of priests would have been considered paedophiles and suddenly it’s fewer priests. No media outlet bothered to mention that or the fact that the report was funded almost solely by Catholic affiliated organisations.”

Hale believes the report is a “major setback in the movement towards church accountability”. She writes: “No, we must not shut up. We must not allow the Church to dominate the discourse. Speak out in whatever ways you can. On its own, what you or I say or write may not have any effect on the Church or the discourse surrounding this issue. Taken as a whole, though, our words provide a clear indication that there are many of us who will neither blindly accept the Church’s domination of the conversation nor quietly sit by while they evade justice time and time again.”

Rose is doing really great work, trying to keep media attention & scrutiny on the USCCB and their destructive activities and attitudes, and I’m really grateful for that.

Anyway, please go read her article- it’s excellent & I hope that it (and all of her work on this issue) gets the attention that it deserves. ♥

And, as usual, I’ll probably be Twittering a bit about it. Find me at @mirandachale. :)

The description that I posted at YouTube:

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a powerful, wealthy, and dangerous organization. They wield a great deal of influence over many politicians, affect the outcomes of various aspects of the legislative process, and pose a direct threat to the basic human rights of many Americans. Their priorities are skewed, their claims are frequently baseless, and they protect the Catholic Church over all else, no matter the cost. They get away with this because no one holds their feet to the fire and makes them answer the tough questions. Let’s ask those questions. Let’s shed some light on their tactics and actions and raise consciousness about the harm that they cause. They’ve gotten away with this for far too long.

& My analysis of the USCCB’s “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010″ can be found here.

Reading two of my favorite poems: Anne Sexton‘s “With Mercy for the Greedy” and “The Black Art“

My friend, my friend, I was born
doing reference work in sin, and born
confessing it.

♥

]]> http://mirandaceleste.net/2012/02/02/reading-two-of-anne-sextons-poems-with-mercy-for-the-greedy-and-the-black-art/feed/ 2 mirandaceleste http://mirandaceleste.net/2012/01/05/a-step-towards-equality-in-washington-state/ http://mirandaceleste.net/2012/01/05/a-step-towards-equality-in-washington-state/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:49:02 +0000 mirandaceleste http://mirandaceleste.net/?p=3782 ]]>

Sometimes I really love living in Washington state. This is one of those times.

Yesterday, Governor Christine Gregoire expressed her support for a legislative bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Washington state.

I’m so grateful to her for doing this. Why?

• First, the obvious: arguments against legalizing same-sex marriage are unjust, unfair, and untenable. Often, the only support offered for such arguments arise from personal emotional objections to the issue and/or an individual’s homophobia/bigotry. And, although this shouldn’t need to be said, unfortunately it does: gays and lesbians are not second-class citizens. They deserve equal treatment under the law. Period.
• Second: she’s taking a big risk here. Sadly enough, politicians who publicly support the legalization of same-sex marriage sometimes face a backlash that can jeopardize their careers.
• Third: as she explained yesterday, because of her religious beliefs (she’s a practicing Catholic), this decision hasn’t been an easy one for her:

“I have been on my own journey, I’ll admit that,” she said at a news conference announcing her support of a legalization bill that will be introduced next week.

“It has been a battle for me with my religion,” said Gregoire, who is Catholic.

The Democrat previously had supported efforts to expand the state’s current law on domestic partner rights for gay couples, but had not come out in favor of full marriage rights.

She obviously understands that civil rights should not be decided by public opinion (religious or otherwise) and has made it clear that her political position on this particular issue is not determined by either her religious beliefs or her private opinions. I admire her so much for that, and this quote makes me want to hug her:

“I’ve always been uncomfortable with the position I took publicly,” she said. “Then I came to realize, the religions can decide what they want to do, but it’s not OK for the state to discriminate.”

Yes, THIS. A million times this. In one brief quote, she both demonstrated her personal integrity and refuted the completely false claim that, if same-sex marriage were to be legalized, churches and other religious organizations would be required to approve, recognize, or perform these marriages. No: this is an issue of civil marriage rights and does not affect the freedom of religious groups in any way. Religious individuals and groups who oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage are and should be free to express their opposition in a myriad of ways, but their personal objections must not be allowed to impede the process of extending civil rights to all citizens, as Gregoire notes here.

Unfortunately, this bill will face many challenges, and, even if it does pass, there’s a possibility that it will be overturned through our state’s initiative and referendum process (I’m not a fan of initiatives/referendums, to say the least). In 2009, the domestic partnership law was almost overturned in a state-wide referendum (I wrote about it at the time).

Despite the challenges and the uphill battle to come, this is a big step towards equality, and I am extremely grateful to Governor Gregoire for the integrity, courage, and compassion she has shown. She’s awesome. :)

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P.S.: this quote from the above-linked Seattle Times article is so very moving. It brought me to tears:

“It’s about damn time,” said 75-year-old John McCluskey of Tacoma, who attended the news conference with his partner of 53 years, Rudy Henry. The couple registered as domestic partners the first year that they could, in 2007.

“At our age, we don’t know how long we’ll be around,” he said. “We’d really like to get married.”

♥

My parents’ super-tall tree

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An adorable little Santa candle

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A Santa ornament from the ’50s. (If I remember right, it once belonged to my grandparents.)

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The fireplace at my parents’ house

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I love this sweater to bits. It’s so very cozy. ♥

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I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas! :)

Christmas makes me rather melancholy. It has for as long as I can remember. The melancholy is a bittersweet poignant longing for things both tangible and intangible. But I’m no Scrooge, and I would never complain about Christmas. There’s something quite lovely about it, and I do enjoy giving gifts and such. The melancholy, though, is never far away.

So, in an attempt to cheer myself (and, I hope, perhaps some of you) up, I bring you a random collection of some of my favorite Christmas-related videos. :)

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I love Handel’s Messiah, especially when it’s performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It’s so very gorgeous. Here’s “Part II, No 44. Hallelujah” from a 2006 performance:

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“A Patrick Swayze Christmas” from MST3K is absolutely hilarious. I love it to bits. ”Well then grab hold of your socks and read on, Joel Robinson!”:

It’s my way or the highway, this Christmas at my bar.
I’ll have to smash your kneecaps if you bastards touch my car!
I got the word that Santa has been stealing from the till.
I think that that right jolly old elf had better make out his will!
Oh, let’s have a Patrick Swayze Christmas, one and all.
And this can be the haziest…
This can be the laziest…
This can be the Swayziest Christmas of them all!

Hee!

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“Another Christmas at Home” is a fun & sweet song from lovely indie-pop band Eux Autres:

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If you don’t like Slade‘s awesome and ridiculously charming “Merry Xmas Everybody”, then I probably don’t want to know you ;)

Look to the future now,
It’s only just begun…

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“Linus and Lucy” isn’t the most poignant or beautiful of Vince Guaraldi’s songs from  A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it’s definitely the most fun, partly because of this hilariously cute dance scene:

I’m pretty sure that I’ve imitated most of those dance moves at one point or another. When watching with friends, it’s almost impossible not to. I’m especially fond of the Frankenstein’s Monster Kid (WTF is he doing?) and the Kid in Orange, who has some serious game, am i rite? And Linus and Sally are adorable as always.

But dear god, Charlie Brown is such a damn killjoy (in every manifestation of Peanuts, not just the Christmas special). Seriously, kid, stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. No one wants to hear it, and that’s why you don’t get any Christmas cards. It’s not because the universe is unfair to you or whatever. You’re not Job. You’re not living in squalor. You’re just insufferable. Life is short and beautiful and glorious, Charlie Brown. I understand what it’s like to feel unhappy (and far worse), I do, but, kid, the world is not your therapist. Just stop it. Be more like Linus, or Sally, or even Lucy, okay? God.

(I can’t be the only one who feels this way about Charlie Brown, right? :) )

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This is total WIN: Dean (swoon!) and Frank performing “A Marshmallow World” on a Christmas episode of The Dean Martin Show, being their charming dapper drunken goofy darling selves:

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Oh how I adore the wonderful Love Actually. Even though it makes me sad, I can’t help but watch it at least twice every Christmas season. Picking a favorite scene is pretty much impossible, but this is definitely one of the best. It makes my heart ache in a bittersweet lovely way, and I never want to get to the point where it doesn’t make me cry, if that makes sense:

Oh, my…
♥

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Now he is scattered among a hundred cities
And wholly given over to unfamiliar affections,
To find his happiness in another kind of wood
And be punished under a foreign code of conscience.
The words of a dead man
Are modified in the guts of the living.

From W.H. Auden’s “In Memory of W. B. Yeats“

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Harold Bloom, in The Anxiety of Influence, writes:

The precursors flood us, and our imaginations can die by drowning in them, but no imaginative life is possible if such inundation is wholly evaded.

All writers know this flood, this beautiful terrifying flood, whether we realize it or not. It is a flood of words so gloriously brilliant and so achingly gorgeous that they make us both shudder with pleasure and wince with pain. It is a double-edged sword, like that dreadfully thrilling moment when we first realize that lust and anxiety are almost indistinguishable from one another. It is like looking into the face of one whose beauty renders us speechless with both desire and fear. It is a flood of pleasure, of admiration, of love, of pain. After the flood, we are exhausted, inspired, and hurt, in love with a beauty that, try as we might, we can neither possess nor emulate.

And Bloom is right: if, reeling with desperation, confusion, awe, or pleasure, we refuse to fight against this chaotic intoxicating maelstrom, if we chose to drown, we surrender. We render ourselves incapable of engaging in the joy and the toil and the torturous thrill of writing, depriving ourselves and others, leaving too many words unsaid.

Yet, as with all maxims, there are exceptions and caveats to Bloom’s claim. There are those few writers, those glorious few, whose flood of words we cannot help but surrender to. We must let the dizzying awe and the terrifyingly ecstatic thrill that we feel in the presence of their words render us silent with admiration, with love.

In the words of Eliot, their “human voices wake us, and we drown”.

This is especially true when one such voice is extinguished too soon, a voice that refused to “go gentle into that good night“, a voice that, like a benevolent Ozymandias, towers over us, leaving us to ask ourselves what we could we possibly say that would do them justice.

A voice like Christopher Hitchens’s. A voice like no other. A voice that has been silenced all too soon. A voice of staggering brilliance that has now left us with the haunting and heartbreaking question of what might have been.

Many will try, but few possess the words, the knowledge, the personal insight, or the rhetorical talent to give him the remembrances he deserves. For those of us who do not, this is a day to surrender to our awe, our admiration, and our sadness. It is a day to listen to others. It is a day to surrender to our memories of the voice of Christopher Hitchens, a human voice that woke us if ever there was one.

Today it is okay to drown, at least for a little while.

]]> http://mirandaceleste.net/2011/12/16/today-it-is-okay-to-drown-at-least-for-a-little-while/feed/ 13 mirandaceleste A voice like no other http://mirandaceleste.net/2011/12/08/please-adopt-me-bill-donohue/ http://mirandaceleste.net/2011/12/08/please-adopt-me-bill-donohue/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:41:18 +0000 mirandaceleste http://mirandaceleste.net/?p=3316 ]]>

The Catholic League has started an “Adopt An Atheist” campaign.

Bill Donohue explains:

[Let] them know of your interest in “adopting” one of them. All it takes is an e-mail. Let them know of your sincere interest in working with them to uncover their inner self. They may be resistant at first, but eventually they may come to understand that they were Christian all along.

If we hurry, these closeted Christians can celebrate Christmas like the rest of us. As an added bonus, they will no longer be looked upon as people who “believe in nothing, stand for nothing and are good for nothing.”

I hope that Donohue will consider adopting me as his personal atheist. Fingers crossed, you guys!:

Pretty pink bracelet:

Having a milkshake today. I have a milkshake like once or twice a year, max, so it was quite the occasion ;) (And yes, I really really need to re-paint my nails soon. Egad!)

A lovely light fixture in a grocery store parking lot:

♥