What's happened with Michelle Malkin

No wonder Mark Shea calls Republicans "The Stupid Party". These fanatical, hate-filled, anti-Catholic comments that bashes the Pope and misconstrues Catholic teaching pretty much sums it up.

I expected something like that from an Ann Coulter. But Michelle Malkin? Who always seemed more reasonable and level-headed - that's a big, big disappointment. Apparently, this sort of thing happens quite often at her other site - HotAir - which I don't frequent.

So I've removed her from the sidebar and I'm no longer commenting there, because it's pretty clear that if you're a Catholic and don't toe the Republican party, you're not welcome.

********** Update ***********

Michelle has linked to my blog, wherein she says I called her "anti-Catholic", which I don't believe I did. I meant to say (and amended above) that the comments were hate-filled and anti-Catholic. They were. Apologies, Michelle, for that error. I do, however, hold Michelle and anyone moderating her blog accountable for not reigning in the unfounded, untrue, and unjust attacks on the Pope and the Church (until over 250 comments later, when see-dubya, another MM.com poster, threatened to close the comments).

Some likened Michelle to Bill Maher, and that's unjust. Some of the commenters sounded like him, especially those who repeatedly called him a Nazi, and I did call them on that. But Michelle and Maher are nothing alike.

While nowhere near as vitriolic as the comments, Michelle's insinuation in her original that the Pope is advocating open borders to "fill the pews" is hurtful. She is an intelligent woman and should know better. What's even more ironic is that Protestantism is growing faster in Latin America and Mexico than Catholicism - so chances are a good percentage of the illegal immigrants crossing the border aren't even Catholic anymore.

You cannot tell me that people repeatedly calling the Pope a Nazi, telling the Pope to STFU (look that up if you don't know what it means) and likening the Catholic church to the despots and fascist dictators (who killed millions of religious persons, including Catholics) of the 20th century is not hatred, or that the assertion the Pope seeks to undermine or overturn American sovereignty isn't a gross abuse of rhetoric. You cannot tell me allowing that post to mark over 300 comments - 90% of which show little if any understanding about Catholic teaching, and even less respect for the faith - isn't a major error in judgment.

I distinctly remember being corrected by Michelle herself on a post concerning last summer's wild fires in California - some of which may have been set by an illegal immigrant, if memory serves. Michelle cautioned me against making unfounded claims (no doubt to protect her from legal action, which is totally understandable) when I made a poorly worded comment.

So why couldn't someone caution those who call the Pope a Nazi and a shill for the Democratic party - equally as unfounded as the comment I was corrected on?

In that thread, I've not only been called a liberal (ha!) but likened to the Muslim fanatics who - you know - blow things up, burn flags, and threaten to behead schoolteachers who name a teddy bear Muhammed.

Nice, huh?

I'm all for having a reasoned, sensible debate. That didn't happen there and the comments thread should have been closed long before I - and a scant few others - had to step in to try and set the record straight.

Read my blog, Michelle, and many of the comments I've made on your site. I am hardly pro-illegal immigration and I do not favor open borders. Neither does the Pope, and Michelle rightly links to Matthew Balan, who explains the Pope's comments very well.

Michelle acknowledges her Catholic upbringing and her respect for Catholic pro-lifers. Those are very admirable things. But I would expect her to be equally as appreciative of those of us who will not cherry pick what portions of our faith we're going to follow and eschew based on politics, and to hold comments to standards above what took place in that thread. And I would expect her to fully explain a story - especially one written by the Associated Press.

I still think Michelle should offer one of the many admirable, knowledgeable Catholic bloggers out there (see my sidebar) an opportunity to post and explain things, because that wasn't done.

And, in the end, I am not going to turn my back on the the Faith I love (and believe to be true) to score political points. It isn't going to happen.

Michelle, I'm very and truly sorry things have blown up so. I hope you understand where I'm coming from, and I hope things can work out. I do enjoy your blog and perhaps it's rash to say I'll never post there again. But, for now, I'm very hurt because I respect you as someone whose blog above the childish antics of things like the DailyKos, and I've been disappointed.