"They're just molesting the kids another way"

That's the conclusion of American Thinker as it analyzes the inexplicable tardiness of the Catholic Diocese of Covington in failing to withdraw its untrue and dishonest condemnation of students at its High School.  I'd like to say up front that I support AT's conclusions.

Nobody should be all that surprised that leftist mobs and their mainstream media allies perpetrated a false story about Covington Catholic schoolboys ... But what isn't good is the embrace of the dishonest narrative from the kids' own school and their own Catholic diocese, falsely condemning them in some amazing public calumny they have yet to retract.  It's shocking, actually.

We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general, Jan. 18, after the March for Life, in Washington, D.C.  We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips.  This behavior is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.

We know this incident also has tainted the entire witness of the March for Life and express our most sincere apologies to all those who attended the March and all those who support the pro-life movement.

The clerics and their educators haven't retracted that statement, although both websites – that of the diocese and the school itself – are now down.

So much for the Church's teaching on "dignity and respect of the human person."  Based on that statement, they've made an exception for MAGA-hat wearing kids even if they're inside the Church's own educational care.  Talk about not loving your own kids.

The full video has since shown that in fact, the kids were the ones being provoked...

. . .

This is sick stuff, because the facts show that the kids acted with admirable restraint in the face of a genuine provocation to violence.  They should actually be drawing praise from their diocese.

But there they go, condemning their own kids, publicly threatening to expel them, and apologizing to a professional agitator who tried to provoke a fight, all in the name of appeasing the rabid left.

What weakness.  And that's the best scenario ... To condemn [the kids] without the full facts and then slink away with a broken website, saying nothing, is rather insect-like.

. . .

Did Brett Kavanaugh's Jesuit Catholic school come out and condemn him when false accusations were lobbed against him during his Supreme Court hearing?  Not in the slightest.  It correctly recognized that the attack was groundless, with a secondary aim to discredit all Catholic education.  The school stood up for itself and its values, knowing full well what was at stake.

Not so Covington.

. . .

... the clerics persist in condemning the boys and sticking to their story.  Not even the prospect of a lawsuit scares them.  Maybe one of them should look up "calumny" on the "sin" scale and see if it registers.

If they don't, they're just molesting the kids another way.

There's more at the link.

The Web site of the Diocese of Covington is, indeed, down at present.  All one sees at the time of writing is a revised statement, which reads in part:

Concerning the incident in Washington, D.C., between Covington Catholic students, Elder Nathan Phillips and Black Hebrew Israelites the independent, third-party investigation is planned to begin this week. This is a very serious matter that has already permanently altered the lives of many people. It is important for us to gather the facts that will allow us to determine what corrective actions, if any, are appropriate.

We pray that we may come to the truth and that this unfortunate situation may be resolved peacefully and amicably and ask others to join us in this prayer.

We will have no further statements until the investigation is complete.

Again, more at the link (at least for the present).

I think this is yet another example of the malevolent infestation of secular humanism at work.  Back in the 1970's, Pentecostal evangelist Bob Mumford defined secular humanism as "what happens when the world evangelizes the church".  I saw precious little of anything except worldly considerations in the Diocese's first statement, and I see little improvement in its current stance.  What happened to defending and upholding the teaching of Him who said "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life"?  If Christ is Truth, why are his (alleged) followers in the Diocese of Covington not standing firmly in defense of the truth?

I'll let Tucker Carlson put things in perspective.  If you prefer to read his words, rather than watch the video, you'll find them here.

Oh - and in case you were wondering about "Vietnam era veteran" and "Recon Ranger" Nathan Phillips' claims concerning his military service . . . wonder no more.  (Language alert - the guy who unmasked his true military record has exposed many military wannabe posers, and isn't polite about them.)  Quelle surprise!




Peter

EDITED ON 2019/01/26 TO ADD:  The Bishop of Covington diocese has apologized to the parents and school pupils concerned for his erroneous initial condemnation of what happened in Washington D.C.  I think it's too little, too late, but others may differ.  At least he made the effort.