When I read a few days ago that President Obama's first choices of ambassador to the Vatican had all been turned down by the Holy Fathers, I asked the question of an on line group I belong to; who started this habit of sending an official American representitive - an ambassador - to the Vatican? And today I got my answer.
Geo. Wahington? Hardly. Though right wing extremists, like the Texas teabag mobs who want to secede from the union, think that he should be right up there on Mt. Rushmore with GW, Honest Abe, Teddy and Tom.
Mt Rushmore? I think the SOB belongs on a new monument dedicated to
such as American "luminaries" as TGDSOBGWB, his daddy, Buchanon and Harding. Perhaps we could use one of those stinking mountains of cow or pig shit that pile up near animal holding pens in Nebraska, Iowa and Texas! Call it Mt. Moredung or Mt. Shitmore.
More below:
This morning, I got my answer from The Times of London.
://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/graham_stewart/article6http114577.ece
April 18, 2009
Past notes: historical irony of the Vatican's stance
Graham Stewart
Even the most devout ultramontanist might wonder whether the papacy
has the right to veto the US's choice of ambassador to the Holy See,
but reports that the Vatican has made clear its displeasure at all
three of the President's first choices "because they are pro-abortion
Catholics" present Barack Obama with a headache.
...
The Times of London has seen fit to investigate this story. Not the Times of NY or LA, or even of Fort Smith, AR. London. What does this say about American's investigative journalists? Too busy investigating the latest celebraty scandal, I suppose.
The Vatican?s presumed rejection of Caroline Kennedy as ambassador is certainly historical irony. When her grandfather, John F. Kennedy, stood for the presidency in 1960, he tried to reject claims that as a Catholic he would be bound to obey the Pope by making clear he opposed sending a US ambassador to the Holy See.
Indeed, the US survived for 200 years without an ambassador to the
pontiff.
...
So, since we survived 200 years without an ambassador, it must have taken an extremely serious threat to our democracy to creat the need for such an appointment. Right? Wrong! It was the extremely cunning right wing campaign strategists involved in a presidential race who thought of this jewel.
It was Ronald Reagan who finally ensured full diplomatic recognition by appointing the first ambassador in 1984. In Pope John Paul II, the Republican Party had found an ally against communist rule in Eastern Europe and against abortion all over the world. The legacy of Reagan's action is such that even the Kennedy clan can be deemed insufficiently Catholic.
Graham Stewart
So let's place Ronnie's carved face right where it belongs. Right beside the other faces that surely belong there on Mt. Shitmore! Down here on the western edge of El Dorado, TX. On a mountain of stimking cow dung. Right where Buchanan, Harding and our two "Texas Oil Men" presidents deserve to be.