When a presumably sane person makes an objectively insane statement, it’s hard to know how to respond. (Some of you may have experienced that very thing around the table at Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago.)
So when former first lady Hillary Clinton, whom I assume to be of right mind, equates rape as a tactic in warfare with protecting unborn babies, I was frankly at a loss.
Enter Bishop Joseph Strickland of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, who had just the words I was looking for.
“Please, please don’t listen to this evil woman,” he tweeted Friday evening over a picture of Clinton. “Her lies and immorality need to be silenced for the good of humanity.”
Please, please don’t listen to this evil woman. Her lies and immorality need to be silenced for the good of humanity. https://t.co/fZhp6bljnK
— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) December 3, 2022
Strickland, who has something of a reputation for calling out leftist politicians for their evil (that’s a strong word, I know, but it aptly describes most leftist policy), was responding to comments Clinton made the previous day during an interview with Christiane Amanpour on PBS’s “Amanpour and Company.”
“[W]e are also in a period of time where there is a lot of pushback, and much of the progress that has been, I think, taken for granted by too many people is under attack — literally under attack in places like Iran or Afghanistan or Ukraine where rape is a tactic of war, or under attack by political and cultural forces in a country like our own when it comes to women’s health care and bodily autonomy.”
There’s a lot of jargon and leftist dog-whistling going on there, so let me translate into the vernacular: Women’s bodies in war-torn countries are under attack by soldiers who rape them, and they’re also under attack in the United States by citizens who don’t want to allow them to murder their babies.
Should the faithful be wary of listening to Hillary Clinton?
Yes: 85% (11 Votes)
No: 15% (2 Votes)
I can’t begin to describe the false equivalency Clinton is positing here, or the thinking that underlies it. “Evil” is a pretty good summary. (I’d call it “deplorable,” but I’m not sure she’d catch the irony.)
Speaking of irony, the PBS interview is viewable only by subscribers — I guess the P in PBS stands for “paywall” now — but you can see the pertinent video clip at LifeNews.
Bishop Stickland’s tweet engendered thousands of likes and retweets, as well as replies that were overwhelmingly positive — though not unanimously positive, of course. We’re talking about Twitter here, after all.
Courage and obligation together. God Bless You Bishop Strickland, for speaking the truth when it matters most. And it’s time for all “Catholic”politicians who are pro-abortion to be denied the Eucharist.
— Eric Burkhart (@mukhabaratbaby) December 4, 2022
We continue to pray for her as we do for so many,for conversion of hearts and minds.
— Angie (@Ang_Ang72) December 5, 2022
I said a prayer for you Bishop.
May God help you to stand against the evils of abortion🙏🏻— Mikey (@_whatisaname_) December 5, 2022
In addition, there were a few who — reasonably, in my opinion — suggested the bishop be a little more careful with his language.
“Need to be silenced” – is that inciting violence @TwitterSupport
— Mary (@onward22) December 4, 2022
I don’t know if I’d go that far, but, especially given all that’s gone on at Twitter in recent months, I would certainly support the pro-free-speech position here, even if that speech is evil.
I say let her speak. Her words will convict her. What she says will shine a light on the lies and just how horrible a person she is….. if you let her speak history will know her for who she really is…
— Warren Johnston (@23wjohnston) December 3, 2022
Can’t argue with that. And however history judges Hillary Clinton, I know she’ll one day face a greater judgment even than that. “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned,” Jesus told His followers.
Clinton needs to heed the warning. So does Strickland. So do we all.
