This video (in case it wouldn't play for you), is a of a Gay Liberation Network protester outside a Chick-Fil-A. A priest joins them praying the rosary and they gang up and shout him out. The video is short and the there may be more context that has been edited out, so my comments are based on what is seen here, subject to change should more footage arise
A few observations:
1. I don't know why the protesters are angry. My first impression when seeing the priest walk among the protesters is that he is supporting their claim. He carries no sign. Qui tacit consentit ("Silence implies consent") Unless he was protesting against them and then walked in their midst, I would think that having a Catholic priest with you would strengthen your support. (granted he probably came from the band of counter-protesters next to them. But if I'm walking down the street, and see a priest in the protest line, I think he's on their side)
2. At 1:10 is the most Nelson Muntz-ian laugh I have ever heard in real life. Seriously. Watch it again and imagine the protestor is wearing an orange shirt and a blue vest. It is a joyless laugh meant only to mock.
3. The protesters appear irony free. "Go back to where you're wanted!" Isn't that something that gay individuals have had shouted at them by anti-gay bullies? Also, SHOUTING "Hateful Bigot" at someone simply because he is a Catholic priest as he quietly mumble prayers kind of makes you look like a hateful bigot. Shouting at anybody does. This is why so many people readily believed that the N-Word was hurled at members of congress as they walked to vote on Obamacare and Tea Party people shouted at them. Shouting at people makes you look hateful.
4. My observation is that the Chick-Fil-A controversy has backfired on the gay community. Not only did Chick-Fil-A win with record sales but their opponents have come off very poorly. I think what happened was that something which should have been moral/social became political. If you do not want to support Chick-Fil-A because you believe them to be a hateful group, that is absolutely your right as an American. Vote with your dollars. And you have every right to encourage others to do so as well. But when mayors of cities began to talk tough against a private business and imply a threat to their ability to do work in those cities, people took more notice. The biggest advantage that the gay community has in our ongoing social debate is that they can appeal to the positive emotions of tolerance and compassion. Who hasn't been singled out because they are different? And what compassionate person wants others to feel that way? If gay activists has simply appealed to Americans' sense of compassion instead of the issue being politically hijacked, the result may have been much different.
5. I have never seen a more direct example of the ad ignominum fallacy. Not only did they not engage him in any kind of dialogue, but they sought to shame him by shouting "Shame" at him.
6. "We don't want tolerance. We want equality." This is an important distinction, because the Catholic Church preaches tolerance of homosexual persons. No one has the right to attack, bully, or engage in unfair discrimination against them because of their sexual orientation. But the Catholic Church will never recognize "gay marriage." Some may see this as a contradiction, but the Church does not, since God has designed marriage to be between one man and one woman. So I wonder if "gay marriage" is legalized in this country, what will happen to the Catholic Church? Will these protests come to our churches? Will the full force of government push us towards violating our consciences? Or will there be a solid wall that will differentiate marriage by the state and marriage by the Church? I don't know.
7. I have attempted to avoid politics as much as possible on this blog. It is not because they are controversial. I have not shied away from tough topics here. But my reluctance is that while I can rely on the truths of the Church with the certainty of faith, I cannot do so with my political leanings. When speaking about your religious convictions as they relate to politics, it can be so easy to instead baptize your political beliefs, raising them the level or your religious beliefs. But one has certainty and the other does not. Why am I bringing this up?
Because my interest in this video is not so much political (though point 4 has may political observation), but religious. A Catholic priest is a man set apart for work of the Lord. As far as I can see, he did nothing offensive and he was verbally attacked. The basis of the hatred spewed on him was simply THAT he is a priest. This repels me. He is acts In Persona Christi. He is a priest of the Catholic Church. That means he is my priest too.
I am a Catholic. Every priest is my priest. When they do something wrong, I must seek justice for that situation, because every priest is my priest. When they need support in their daily mission, I must give it because every priest is my priest. And when someone insults and hates them all because of the Lord, I must defend them.
Because every priest is my priest.
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