Bill Donohue's Moral Equivalence (catholic Caucus)

CREAtive Minority Reporta ^ | January 8, 2015 | PATRICK ARCHBOLD

[NYer]

Increasingly, the Catholic League's Bill Donohue is less a defender of Catholicism and more a defender of the sycophantic whims of his patrons.

First was his shameful defense of the St. Patrick's Gay Parade. Now his absurd moral equivalence with regard to yesterday's Islamo-nazi shooting massacre at Charlie Hebdo.

Here is the key part of his statement.

Killing in response to insult, no matter how gross, must be unequivocally condemned. That is why what happened in Paris cannot be tolerated. But neither should we tolerate the kind of intolerance that provoked this violent reaction.

While he perfunctorily condemns the killing, he calls the cartoons a provocation for massacre.

Let's get this straight. As Christians, we deplore mocking other people's religious beliefs and Charlie Hebdo's cartoon are understandably offensive. But to call such cartoons a provocation establishes a shameful moral equivalence between the act and the response.

An offensive cartoon may be a provocation for a sternly worded letter to the editor or even a boycott. But it is not a provocation to mass murder. A child's bad behavior is not a provocation to abuse. A wife's talkback is not a provocation to a broken nose. And an offensive cartoon is not a provocation to mass murder. To call it one is offensive to me. Maybe Bill Donohue just provoked me. Fortunately for Bill, I just write blog posts about such things.

[NYer]

Ping!

[ConservingFreedom]

A child's bad behavior is not a provocation to abuse. A wife's talkback is not a provocation to a broken nose. And an offensive cartoon is not a provocation to mass murder.

Bingo.

[RedStateRocker]

I think he projects.

[miserare]

Eh...the guy has to make a living somehow, even if he must be Miss Piggy to Kermy the Frog (Timmy Dolan.)

[reagandemocrat]

“Maybe Bill Donohue just provoked me”

Yeah, he makes me so angry I feel like committing violence. Then I’d be justified, right?

[usconservative]

Nice try, you cut out the part where he blamed the victim, and I quote:

Donohue criticized the publication's history of offending the world's religiously devout, including non-Muslims. The murdered Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier "didn’t understand the role he played in his [own] tragic death," the statement reads. "Had [Charbonnier] not been so narcissistic, he may still be alive," Donohue says, in what must be one of the more offensive and insensitive comments made on this tragic day.

Beyond "insensitive" or "offensive", Donohue BLAMED THE VICTIM for bringing his murder upon himself.

It's absolutely clear that Donohue blamed the victim for his own death, there's no mistaking it. There's no misinterpretation at all. He blamed the victim. You are pissing in the wind trying to defend him.

[GreyFriar]

It sounds like Bill is on the road to full Dhmmitude. How much longer will he call for Christians in the middle east to willing to convert to Islam for their lives. And eventually, turning St. Peter’s into a mosque?

[usconservative]

Yeah, he makes me so angry I feel like committing violence. Then I’d be justified, right?

If you apply Donohue's logic, offending any Catholic is justification for them coming after you and killing you.

If he justifies the "provocation" as the cause, then "provoking" any Catholic justifies the same action.

That's how moral equivalency works, and that's why moral equivalency always FAILS.

[cripplecreek]

I think we can count him out for leading the next crusade.

[wideawake]

Donohue has lost the plot. Charlie Hebdo’s editors’ sins should be judged by the Almighty, not by three greasy animals.

[Autonomous User]

Ole Billy is looking more and more like AL Sharpton. Out of touch thinking he speaks for all the crappy crunchers.

[Autonomous User]

My bad.....That would be Crappie. Although Bill is crappy.

[Straight Vermonter]

The author needs an English lesson.

prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprävəˈkāSH(ə)n/
noun
noun: provocation; plural noun: provocations

    1.
    action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately.

[Jeff Chandler]

Donahue’s usually on the money, but with this he is being a real horse’s ass.

[Straight Vermonter]

If you apply Donohue's logic, offending any Catholic is justification for them coming after you and killing you.

Except that provocation and justification have entirely different meanings.

[reagandemocrat]

You are right, of course.

And Donohue is wrong. Foolishly wrong.

(Tongue was firmly pressed against the inside of my cheek at my last post).

[Ted Grant]

I think he’s just inarticulate.

[usconservative]

Except that provocation and justification have entirely different meanings.

Ok, so let's try it this way and see if it reads any better, shall we?

"If you apply Donohue's logic, provoking any Catholic is justification for them coming after you and killing you."

Still not good, and still -- provocation is never justification despite what Donohue believes.

[usconservative]

I think he’s just inarticulate.

I think he's a horses ass, as is anyone who defends him.