US Report Lists Religious-Freedom Troubles Worldwide

From Catholic World News

An annual report on religious freedom throughout the world, released by the US State Department, "sends a signal to the worst offenders that the world is watching,” according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But a former State Department official charges that the Obama administration has done little to promote religious freedom. 

Thomas Farr, the director of Georgetown’s Religious Freedom project and a former director of the State Department office, said that while the report lists various “dialogues” with representatives of other governments, “there is very little evidence of a unified US strategy to advance religious freedom.” The State Department report lists 8 “countries of particular concern” on the issue of religious freedom: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan. (The same 8 countries composed the same list for last year’s report.) The report notes that the “Arab Spring” protests raised expectations of greater freedom in some countries, notably in Egypt, but subsequent developments have shown that religious minorities still face grave dangers. 

Additional sources for this story
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• International Religious Freedom Report for 2011 (US State Department)
• Expert finds Clinton's religious freedom report not backed by action (CNA)

"Mr. Bean" Displays His Class and Smarts on the World Stage

Romney aide tells reporters to ‘shove it,’ ‘kiss my ass’

From National Post

By Josh Visser

WARSAW, POLAND - JULY 31: U.S. Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, prepares to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on July 31, 2012 in Warsaw, Poland. After visiting London, Israel, and the polish city of Gdansk, Romney traveled to Warsaw to meet with the Polish President and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

At least it wasn’t Mitt Romney who said it.

After an international tour highlighted by the Republican presidential nominee being verbally spanked by British Prime Minister David Cameron and then being accused of making “racist” comments in the Middle East, the last thing Romney needed was another flare-up in the media.

But a top Romney aide provided that Tuesday in Warsaw, Poland when he told reporters to “shove it” and “kiss my ass” as they hurled questions about the gaffes on the trip.

Cardinal George Responds to Rahm Emanuel's "Chicago Values"

By Francis Cardinal George, OMI

Recent comments by those who administer our city seem to assume that the city government can decide for everyone what are the “values” that must be held by citizens of Chicago.  I was born and raised here, and my understanding of being a Chicagoan never included submitting my value system to the government for approval.  Must those whose personal values do not conform to those of the government of the day move from the city?  Is the City Council going to set up a “Council Committee on Un-Chicagoan Activities” and call those of us who are suspect to appear before it?  I would have argued a few days ago that I believe such a move is, if I can borrow a phrase, “un-Chicagoan.”

The value in question is espousal of “gender-free marriage.”  Approval of state-sponsored homosexual unions has very quickly become a litmus test for bigotry; and espousing the understanding of marriage that has prevailed among all peoples throughout human history is now, supposedly, outside the American consensus.  Are Americans so exceptional that we are free to define “marriage” (or other institutions we did not invent) at will?  What are we re-defining?

Colosseum in Rome is Leaning, Officials Say

The Colosseum in Rome. Photograph: Ray Tang/Rex Features

From The Guardian 

The ancient Colosseum in Rome is slanting about 40cm lower on the south side than on the north, and authorities are investigating whether it needs urgent repairs.

Experts first noticed the incline about a year ago and have been monitoring it for the past few months, Rossella Rea, director at the 2,000-year-old monument, said in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

Republicans Not Seeking to Block HHS Contraceptive Mandate?

From Catholic World News

Although Republican political leaders have denounced President Obama for imposing a contraceptive mandate as part of his health-care reform, the Republican leadership has not taken action to overturn the regulation, Politico notes. 

House Speaker John Boehner said that the contraceptive mandate “must not stand and will not stand.” But no vote to block the mandate has been scheduled in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a majority. 

Additional sources for this story
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• GOP may let contraception rule take effect without a fight (Politico)

In the Long Run, Is the GOP Dead?

By Patrick J. Buchanan

Since 1928, only Dwight Eisenhower and George W. Bush have won the presidency while capturing both houses of Congress for the GOP.

 

In his 49-state landslide, Richard Nixon failed to take either House. In his two landslides, Ronald Reagan won back only the Senate. Yet Mitt Romney is even money to pull off the hat trick.

 

With this hopeful prospect, why the near despair among so many Republicans about the long term?

 

"All People That On Earth Do Dwell"