Long before election day, I gave up trying to change anybody’s mind about politics. I jumped into conversations about it from time to time, but I always jumped right back out again before the muck on the bottom could rise up and envelop my ankles.
It wasn’t just that political wrangling is unpleasant, and it wasn’t just because I didn’t want to lose friendships, although both of those things are true. I have been thinking about a quote that I thought was by Winston Churchill. Someone allegedly asked Churchill about cutting arts funding to pay for the war effort, and he responded, “Then what are we fighting for?”
It turns out Churchill probably never said this; but the point stands. If you sacrifice everything to win, then what have you won? You cross the finish line in triumph, and you turn around and, oh dear, there’s nothing left in your wake but a wasteland.
This is what the political arm of the American pro-life movement did when they championed a man who clearly despises the weak and who has no understanding of the inherent dignity of human life: They hollowed themselves out. They made it abundantly clear to the world that it was victory they craved, and nothing more.
Some in the pro-life movement backed Trump cynically, calculating that they could enrich themselves this way; and many others did it out of fear, thinking there was no other way open to them. I think of a scene I saw once in a TV crime show: A terrified mother crouches under the table, hiding from her abuser. She’s so afraid her precious baby will cry out and betray them that she holds him tighter and tighter — and she ends up crushing him to death.
Read the rest of my latest for The Catholic Weekly.
For some reason, the link above is not working for some people! Sorry about that. Here is the correct link to the full essay:
Simcha Fisher: When fighting a war, don’t destroy what you’re defending
Image: Detail of sculpture from Frogner Park, Oslo via Needpix
Mark Shea is always claiming there is no prolife party, so since Biden is globalist shill who hates normal things like the fact that there are only 2 genders and national borders it was wiser to vote for trump even if he is not technically prolife by some peoples standard, not to mention the 3 justices vs who Hillary would have appointed and who Biden will if he wins.
please correct the link.
Link still not working for me eithet but when you get to Catholic Weekly, if you click on her name right under the article title it will take you to all the articles Simcha has written and the correct article will be listed there. Hope this helps!
Nailed it. Don’t fight evil with evil. The antidote to biased news coverage is not to become a right wing tabloid like Fox, it’s to strive for integrity and neutrality. The antidote to manipulative political arguments isn’t to return with lies and manipulation, it’s to speak with integrity.
FYI the link goes to a column from last year about treating retail workers decently.
Sorry! Should be fixed now.
Still goes to the retail story link!
What the heck? Sorry, it’s showing up for me. Here is the link:
https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/simcha-fisher-when-fighting-a-war-dont-destroy-what-youre-defending/