Off the Record

common ground By Diogenes | May 19, 2009 5:16 PM

I see nothing wrong with swatting flies.

Let's say that you have a different opinion. You think the lives of flies are sacred, and therefore you think that swatting flies is grossly immoral. You hold this view with the utmost sincerity. Unfortunately for you, I'm making the rules. And I say:

• You can't refer to fly-swatting as "murder." That would be "hate speech," inciting others to violence.
• You can't interfere when I swat flies.
• You must contribute to the purchase of fly swatters.

Now, with those ground-rules established, let's begin a civil discussion of the morality of swatting flies. There's no need for anger, recrimination, or name-calling. We have a sincere difference of opinion. Let's-- oh, wait, excuse me a moment [thwack!]-- find some common ground.

 

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Sound Off! Comments

• Posted by: TheJournalist64 - May. 19, 2009 11:04 PM ET USA

  I think the objective of Obama and his fellow-travelers, including Jenkins, is quite clear: they know that the Catholic Church in the U.S. has been on the brink of schism for two decades. They want to catalyze that split-up so they can ignore us as a political force. We provided Bush the victory in two elections and they think they can make certain that never happens again.

• Posted by: Charlie742 - May. 19, 2009 7:24 PM ET USA

  Right on. Did any of the graduating students notice the flaw in this argument? Not many in the media did, they thought his speech was brilliant.

• Posted by: Exaudi nos - May. 19, 2009 6:48 PM ET USA

  All we would have to do to end this argument about flies is to line the dead ones up on the side walk in front of the establishment that brought on their demise and after the pile gets pretty deep, I think the common ground would be found.

• Posted by: Hal - May. 19, 2009 6:09 PM ET USA

  That was my reaction too, for what it's worth. Having now carefully read and re-read both Father Jenkins "introductory" comments and the address itself, it's apparent to me that we witnessed a carefully orchestrated media event and the nadir of a type of public Catholicism, the decline of which began some 40 years ago to result in the sad spectacle we saw Sunday. I'm not sure where we go from here.