Just take a deep breath, folks and say it: "Kerry IS a Catholic." I know it's tough to admit, but for all his doctrinal folly, he is one of our own. Critique his abortion stance, not the man. Here's an dispassionate, measured article on the man's Catholicism from Pittsburgh's Post-Gazette. If the right-wing Catholics keep up their barrage, Kerry will really begin reaping sympathy credit, and not just from God-forsaken liberals. Wise, indeed, for bishops not to ban Kerry from communion.
Much of the disproportionate vitriol directed at Kerry derives from the fact that Kerry IS sadly the paradigmatic American Catholic. Otherwise, I really don't think we need to get this upset at the guy. Why are we sparing the laity (ourselves) and burning Kerry as the effigy of the laity? Of course, it's a lot easier to condemn one Catholic politician than 60 million layfolk.
