Better Stiffen Your Spine...

...because our time to stand up and be counted - or discounted - is coming.

I took this passage from Dawn Eden's blog, it refers to the outrage many Catholics are feeling over Notre Dame's invitation of President Barack Obama - staunch abortion activist - to give this year's commencement address.

Nevertheless, I think it speaks on a number of levels:

"Those of us Catholics in the under-40s...are inheriting the wasteland of the culture wars that have decimated Western society. Like appeasement makers of old, we are led by Catholic priests who announce that a Catholic university is 'honored' by the presence of an individual who intends to persecute Catholic institutions that do not bend to his will. We are soft, and we are too willing to shrug our shoulders and say, 'What can I do?'"

If my experience over the past several days provides any wisdom to anyone reading these words, it is that each of one of us must raise our voice in alarm when the moment is right to do so. Oftentimes it is our lot to remain silent, or unheard, because we cannot chase every monster, defend every outcropping. Let it not be said, however, at the end of our lives when an accounting is called for, that when the battle came to our turf, we failed to stand up to be counted."

Indeed. And there is a battle coming to our turf as we speak. Will we give a Gallic shrug and accept our fate, as Europe has done? Or will we "stand up and be counted".

We have often told ourselves we are diferent than Europe, and the things that are happening - and have happened - there, could never, ever, occur on this side of the pond.

Interesting test of national character. We'll see...