Gobsmacked that Brennan would offer, as I suppose he means that, a defence of abusers.

That, released from the church, they would offend against their own children.

Meaning what?

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/11/12/the-aftermath-of-of-hurricane-sandy/

2085
Laocoon

.......one of the benefits that accrues with incumbency is that people begin to identify the characteristics of the individual as being “primeministerial”, that this was starting with Gillard, and that this was very bad news for Abbott

I agree. I think it is fairly understandable that people want to identify with and show loyalty for their leaders, whoever they might turn out to be. This is a more or less involuntary behaviour.

In JG’s case, several things have happened that have freed up popular willingness to affiliate with her as “Leader”, though there was widespread refusal to accept her in this way until relatively recently. Partly, this has occurred just with the passage of time, with increasing familiarity and as the challenge from Rudd petered out. The stable performance of the economy and the sense of composure in the Government have also indubitably helped.

But beyond this, my thesis is the public have also now seen her as a “real person” – as more than a political construct. The shift in sentiment followed the death of her father when Jones and the Liberals breached one of the few remaining taboos in our culture by mocking the whole notion of filial pride, loyalty, love and grief.

The public identified with a woman-in-mourning and, in so doing, looked right past her political office. They saw, felt for and responded to a person feeling all the things they themselves feel and know. They then had the experience of seeing her in astonishing form in Parliament. She showed she was anything but demoralized. Rather she was highly energized, impassioned, indignant, acute and utterly authentic. She is becoming an “everywoman” and therefore signifies virtues that both invoke loyalty and are beyond politics at the same time.

There is such as a thing as “feeling one’s heart go out” for another. I have experienced this occasionally in my life. It is quite palpable and involuntary. I expect this happens very rarely to politicians while they are in office. But I think something like this has happened between JG and many Australians. To take this even further, they feel “for” or “with” JG the person, not just “about” JG the politician. The whole popular vocabulary used to describe and relate to JG has changed in the last few months. As a consequence, she will not now be measured and defined purely by political theatrics and polemics.

(By contrast, JG’s opponents are now mere game-players – just fakes, posers, hucksters and grizzling wannabes. They have specialized in fermenting and peddling contempt and now they must repeatedly swill their own noisome brew. Kanpai, I say, Kanpai!)

my say
Posted Monday, November 12, 2012 at 10:26 pm | Permalink
...

but i bet all of you celebrate christmas

My say what has happened is indefensible. Lay Catholics should be encouraging the exposure of this evil.

well i see the catholic bashing is still going on

you know who your are,

give a rest will you, it doesnt realy seem very educated

to talk about one institution alone,

no wonder state aid is an issue will that be next

some people are addicted to finding fault wth the catholic

church and chrstians as a whole

but i bet all of you celebrate christmas

Please give specific examples of ‘Catholic bashing’ or if you can’t then please stop your whingeing.