daily digest

Item: obama ditches Poland -- probably the most genuinely Catholic country in Europe, and, next to Israel, one that has paid its dues in history. Another really stupid move. Another blatant trampling on Catholics by the One.

Item: Listen to the drumbeats (from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for example) about "rhetoric leading to violence" -- listen carefully to every orchestrated, repeatedly-broadcast soundbyte. TV time is expensive -- in favors if not in dollars. So ask yourself, "why are valuable time and resources being expended to make me believe this?"

Then consider the principles of repetition in advertising and in propaganda ("repeat a big lie enough..."). Consider the moral responsibility of those in positions of authority to promote peace. Now then, why does the rhetoric invite (and by default, incite) social unrest?

The most charitable view is that it's misguided. Another, that it's massively poor judgment. Another view is that it's willful. Whatever its motive, it's an abuse of authority in any case.