Double standards
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Aug 06, 2003
Reporters who have been clamoring for full disclosure of sex-abuse allegations against Roman Catholic clerics seem awfully quick to accept the blanket clearance offered to an Episcopalian cleric after an investigation that took less than 24 hours. Hmmm. How do the following statements fit together?
"Isn't it terrible that Catholic priests molest children? They should never be forgotten, never forgiven. Keep up the pressure!"
"Let's not get obsessed about allegationsagainst an Episcoplian cleric. Innocent until proven guilty. It's not such a big deal, anyway."
"Sexual abuse of children is unforgivable. Those guilty can never be accepted by society."
"Let's go out to the movies tonight. Maybe something by Woody Allen? Or Roman Polanski?"
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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