Update: pro-USD Petition surpasses anti-USD numbers

In the words of Brian McDaniel "Catholics Lead Feminists 2,159 to 2,158!"

Actually, make that 2,750+.

Released: Names of the 61 "dissenting" USD faculty & staff

Amidst all the headlines about House Speaker Pelosi, I don't want an important, developing story to get lost in the mix...

Brian McDaniel recently undertook the herculean effort of examining, line-by-line, the 2,158 signers of the pro-Rosemary Radford Reuther petition.

Some of his ensuing observations:

• The petition supporting Dr. Ruether contained about 100 duplicates and 50 anonymous signatures. The vast majority of signatures (75%) were female.
• Even with tenure, the faculty was smart enough to keep their mouths shut and not fill in comments. A few did, but didn’t say anything that others already said.So many members of the Theology and Religious Studies Department signed the petition that we decided that their unofficial motto would be “Where Academic Freedom is God.” Read through the petition comments and you’ll understand.
• There are no priests or Catholic religious in the USD Theology and Religious Studies Department. They have a few adjunct professors, but no faculty.
• We encountered a sad number of religious among the pro-Ruether signatures—Franciscans, Benedictines, Piarists, Dominicans, Jesuits, and other Orders. The number probably is between 75-100.
• Somewhere, there has to be an indulgence for checking 2,158 signatures in one weekend.

I'm sure of it.

Remember, our counter-petition is going strong at almost 1,500 signatures. Let's break 2,000!

Weekend project: Sign the USD Petition

If you haven't yet signed the petition to support USD's correct decision, please consider doing so. If you have, tell a friend. It only takes a few seconds and requires an email address (no spam I promise).

I promote this not only because it's a good cause in itself, but also because I'd like to see the online Catholic community become better organized when it comes to petitions like these. They do make a difference.

Today, LifeSiteNews joined the news organizations which have mentioned our efforts:

Although the Catholic University of San Diego (USD) came under fire for reversing their decision to appoint a radical feminist to an honorary chair in Theology, it has stood firm, and now two opposing petitions either supporting or attacking the decision are gathering support.

Thomas Peters of American Papist, with fellow blogger Brian McDaniel of the Ora et Labora blog, has organized a petition to support the University in its decision.

Previous AmP coverage of this story here.

Update: More coverage of USD's decision to reject pro-abortion professor

The Associated Press has picked up on it (update: and CNA), making the story national:

The Catholic school withdrew its appointment of Rosemary Radford Ruether in July because she serves on the board of Catholics for Choice.

Administrators reaffirmed that decision Thursday despite a petition with more than 2,000 signatures, including 54 faculty members, organizers said. The petition asked the school to restore the offer or allow Ruether to visit campus for a week and give a lecture on academic freedom.

Remember, you can sign the counter-petition we've organized here. All it takes is a few seconds of your time and an email address (no spam we promise).

And I've got an inside tip that our counter-petition might be mentioned in future coverage of this story - so please, go sign it and help us reach 4,000 signatures - double what they collected.

update: From today's news briefs in the San Diego Union-Tribune:

Two Catholic bloggers out of Washington, D.C., and Chicago recently started a petition in support of USD. Thomas Peters' blog is called American Papist and Brian McDaniel's blog is Ora et Labora. –S.S.

I'm targeting for 300 signatures a day.

Please Sign the Petition to Support USD!

Brian McDaniel took up my challenge to collect 4,000 signatures supporting the University of San Diego's recent decision to rescind a prestigious position to heretical theologian Rosemary Radford Reuther.

If ever there was someone who clearly deserves no place of honor in a Catholic school of Theology - she's it. Beyond her long membership in the offensive "Catholics for Choice" organization, she also advocates women priests, homosexual marriage, and a litany of positions not in harmony with Church teaching.

The original San Diego Union Tribune article claimed that "Two national women's religious groups have sponsored a petition with more than 2,000 signatures demanding that she be allowed to assume the post."

I'd like to demonstrate to the University of San Diego that there are even more faithful Catholics who support them, and are with them attempting to live up to the challenge Pope Benedict has given to Catholic academe.

Please, go sign the petition and spread the word!

update: UPI has picked up on the story.

Developing: USD revokes invitation to feminist theologian

Biased reporting from the San Diego Union-Tribune, but enough to go on:

A University of San Diego decision rescinding a prestigious position to a Catholic feminist theologian has thrust it smack in the middle of a national debate over academic freedom versus adherence to church teachings.

Faculty and Roman Catholics are divided over USD's decision to withdraw the appointment of Rosemary Radford Ruether to an endowed chair. At issue is Ruether's position on the board of directors for Catholics for Choice, an abortion rights organization.

Two national women's religious groups have sponsored a petition with more than 2,000 signatures demanding that she be allowed to assume the post.

USD is standing by its decision.

GOOD FOR USD!

I really want to get a counter-petition started, supporting USD's decision. Anyone know how? I'll link to it.

update: Brian McDaniel has risen to the challenge and has given us our online petition. Go sign it!

Catholic University nixes lectures at last minute due to charges of antisemitim

Forwarded to me by a CUA student, a bit of a situation is developing, and the WaTi has the scoop:

Catholic University abruptly canceled an 11-part lecture series, "Building Catholic Communities," on Monday, after the Southern Poverty Law Center complained that two of the scheduled lecturers are anti-Semites.

But look who was found to be offensive:

Mark Potok, director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, called the school to complain about the participation of E. Michael Jones, editor of the South Bend, Ind.-based Culture Wars magazine, and John Sharpe, founder of the Norfolk-based IHS Press and the Legion of St. Louis, an Internet-based forum.

E. Michael Jones isn't happy:

Mr. Jones, who was to speak today on the nature of community, called the cancellation "outrageous."

"We were Catholics talking to other Catholics about community. The SPLC has veto power over what Catholics say to each other, all because of the cowards at Catholic University. Don't you think they owed me the courtesy of at least calling me up? Wasn't there any due process here?"

Mr. Jones also denied the SPLC's accusations against him.

"Everything I have said is totally consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church," he said. "There is nothing anti-Semitic about anything I have ever said. And I reject racism."

The topics appeared harmless enough:

The lecture series, described at www.building catholiccommunities.org, covered topics such as Catholic doctrine and co-housing, a form of clustered housing that originated several decades ago in Sweden. Mr. Jones was to speak today on the nature of community; Mr. Sharpe was scheduled to speak April 23 on property ownership. [update: more information on the lectures and presenters here.]

Action by CUA was swift:

The SPLC contacted the university at about 3:30 p.m., he said, right in the middle of the first lecture of the series, featuring Alan C. Carlson, president of the Howard Center in Rockford, Ill. By 5 p.m., the series was canceled.

The Washington Times article concludes:

The university's sudden cancellation Monday afternoon left organizers scrambling yesterday for a venue. Today's lecture will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Catholic Information Center, downtown at 1501 K St. NW.

In other words, this radical and rapid change of venue at a Catholic institution was brought about by the sole protest of SPLC (see SPLC in the news). Can you imagine any other complaint receiving such prompt attention?

And what abou the SPLC? Their wikipedia entry, for instance, does not paint a glowing picture of the organization, most notably, the center has often been characterized as "controversial, liberal", and often sides with the state against the church. It has also "been criticized for its tactics financial practices."

On the SPLC blog today ("HateWatch"), they give their version of the lecture cancellation:

A lecture series featuring presentations by two virulently anti-Semitic “radical traditionalist Catholics” was cancelled by The Catholic University of America on Monday after Hatewatch contacted the university to ask about the events. Radical traditionalist Catholics (read a major investigation of this theology here) deny certain Vatican teachings, particularly the Second Vatican Council’s reforms of the 1960s, and most hold anti-Semitic views that are rejected by the Roman Catholic Church. Many radical traditionalists have been excommunicated by the church.

... According to Victor Nakas, associate vice president of public affairs, the university was unaware of Jones’ anti-Semitic views. Shortly after Hatewatch contacted him to inquire about the lecture series’ sponsorship, [VP of CUA public affairs] Nakas sent an E-mail saying, “The individuals you reference below will not be speaking on our campus.”

Heidi Beirich, who authored the above post, also wrote "The New Crusaders: The radical traditionalist Catholics, who reject the teachings of the modern papacy, may form America's largest group of anti-Semites" (warning, harsh quoted language).

In the article she identifies SSPX as a "font of anti-Semitic propaganda" which (she elsewhere says) has "little in common with the modern Roman Catholic Church and its universalistic theology." For the record, the Catholic Church is not "universalistic."

She also claims that some radical traditionalists are "movers and shakers in important right-wing Republican circles". An example of this? "[T]he lawyer for Terri Schiavo's family, Christopher Ferrara."

Anyway, you get the picture, and are more than welcome to read the rest, I only had time to skim.

My concluding thoughts:

• Antisemitism, it goes without saying, is wrong, and a Catholic university should not countenance it.
• It is not clear to me, however, that the charge of antisemitism leveled against these two men has been validated. On this point, I call into question the objectivity of SPLC (watch me get on their list).
• At any rate, this situation seems to have been handled hastily, poorly, and lacked transparency.
• Furthermore, if the CIC did pick up the program, it seems they disagree with CUA's assesment.

Now here's how you can help: do you have independent experience of E. Michael Jones (and Culture Wars) or John Sharpe (and IHS Press)? I have heard of Culture Wars before, and have heard that E. Michael Jones certainly has his quirks, but nothing so damning as him being a raging anti-semite. I seem to remember hearing some decent things about IHS Press, but have never heard of John Sharpe personally.

I'd like a second take on these men (or several).

Ahmadinejad and the limits of free speech in academe

The president of Columbia University Lee Bollinger has invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak today [AP report]. Ahmadinejad had also planned to visit Ground Zero during this trip until his request was denied using the excuse of security concerns [Reuters].

Surveying the situation, it's ironic how categorical the condemnation of this invitation has been, while the (I would argue, parallel) situation of inviting pro-choice politicians to speak at Catholic universities is considered legitimate.

Columbia President Bollinger didn't help matters any when he stated publically that he wouldn't have a problem inviting Adolf Hiltler to speak (video).

Of course, when secular society is faced with this kind of attitude, it's quick to threaten financial penalties: and sure enough, state and city lawmakers are contemplating witholding public funds in protest of Columbia's invitation.

I haven't had the chance yet to really think through this whole question, but in these events I'm trying to imagine, for a second, what the world would look like if it universally admitted that pro-choice politicians are proponents of infanticide and treated them as such when they were given pulpits by universities.

I think it would look much like the resistance we are seeing to Ahmadinejad's invitation at Columbia.

Update: Diogenes, with his characteristic brevity and wit, co-posts on this topic.

Update 2: To give credit where credit is due, President Bollinger evidently excoriated Ahmadinejad (and rightly so) on his human rights track record, as the AFP and Reuters reports. And 25,000 people protested Ahmadinejad's UN appearance. I'm happy to see that America still has enough moral integrity to call some forms of evil, well, evil.

Also, via commentor John V, via the Dawn Patrol, a clip from an upcoming documentary that looks at "tolerance, Columbia-style":