Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Why?
A Catholic girls' school in Farmington Hills, Michigan, abruptly cancelled a best-selling author's speech about the founder of Planned Parenthood and her pro-eugenics views because the "content could be misunderstood," according to the school's principal.
Daniel Flynn, author of Intellectual Morons: How Ideology Makes Smart People Fall for Stupid Ideas, was invited by the Pro-Life Club at Mercy High School to speak on the foundations of the abortion rights movement, said a spokesman for Young America's Foundation. [Sidebar: I've read Intellectual Morons. It is a quick and entertaining read, and I recommend it highly.]
Just days before the event, however, Principal Carolyn Witte cancelled the lecture, calling the subject "unsuitable for high school students." Witte added, "[The] content could be misunderstood."
"The principal didn't mention how information exposing Sanger's nefarious programs to sterilize large segments of the blacks, Italians and Jews - whom Sanger referred to as 'human weeds' - could be 'misunderstood,' particularly by a pro-life club sanctioned by a Catholic school," Jason Mattera, spokesman for Young America's Foundation told CNS News. Apparently, according to Mr. Mattera, Witte said her students - who're all high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors - were "too sensitive" to hear a topic about the founding of Planned Parenthood.
"While Mercy High School administrators didn't think their students were mature enough to hear a topic related to abortion, the school has brought in speakers to talk about chastity and shown videos regarding sexual abuse," Mattera responded.
My question is this: Why would a school affiliated with the Catholic Church, which espouses pro-life views as a matter of doctrine, cancel a lecture that would reveal the truth about the origins of the largest provider of abortions in the United States?
Why, indeed?
Daniel Flynn, author of Intellectual Morons: How Ideology Makes Smart People Fall for Stupid Ideas, was invited by the Pro-Life Club at Mercy High School to speak on the foundations of the abortion rights movement, said a spokesman for Young America's Foundation. [Sidebar: I've read Intellectual Morons. It is a quick and entertaining read, and I recommend it highly.]
Just days before the event, however, Principal Carolyn Witte cancelled the lecture, calling the subject "unsuitable for high school students." Witte added, "[The] content could be misunderstood."
"The principal didn't mention how information exposing Sanger's nefarious programs to sterilize large segments of the blacks, Italians and Jews - whom Sanger referred to as 'human weeds' - could be 'misunderstood,' particularly by a pro-life club sanctioned by a Catholic school," Jason Mattera, spokesman for Young America's Foundation told CNS News. Apparently, according to Mr. Mattera, Witte said her students - who're all high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors - were "too sensitive" to hear a topic about the founding of Planned Parenthood.
"While Mercy High School administrators didn't think their students were mature enough to hear a topic related to abortion, the school has brought in speakers to talk about chastity and shown videos regarding sexual abuse," Mattera responded.
My question is this: Why would a school affiliated with the Catholic Church, which espouses pro-life views as a matter of doctrine, cancel a lecture that would reveal the truth about the origins of the largest provider of abortions in the United States?
Why, indeed?
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Wednesday, February 07, 2007 
