Statements from Abp. Charles Chaput and the USCCB

regarding Charlottesville:

Racism is a poison of the soul. It’s the ugly, original sin of our country, an illness that has never fully healed. Blending it with the Nazi salute, the relic of a regime that murdered millions, compounds the obscenity. Thus the wave of public anger about white nationalist events in Charlottesville this weekend is well warranted. We especially need to pray for those injured in the violence.

But we need more than pious public statements. If our anger today is just another mental virus displaced tomorrow by the next distraction or outrage we find in the media, nothing will change. Charlottesville matters. It’s a snapshot of our public unraveling into real hatreds brutally expressed; a collapse of restraint and mutual respect now taking place across the country. We need to keep the images of Charlottesville alive in our memories. If we want a different kind of country in the future, we need to start today with a conversion in our own hearts, and an insistence on the same in others. That may sound simple. But the history of our nation and its tortured attitudes toward race proves exactly the opposite. – Abp. Charles Chaput

As we learn more about the horrible events of yesterday, our prayer turns today, on the Lord’s Day, to the people of Charlottesville who offered a counter example to the hate marching in the streets. Let us unite ourselves in the spirit of hope offered by the clergy, people of faith, and all people of good will who peacefully defended their city and country.

We stand against the evil of racism, white supremacy and neo-nazism. We stand with our sisters and brothers united in the sacrifice of Jesus, by which love’s victory over every form of evil is assured.  At Mass, let us offer a special prayer of gratitude for the brave souls who sought to protect us from the violent ideology displayed yesterday. Let us especially remember those who lost their lives.  Let us join their witness and stand against every form of oppression. – Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Florida, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development

Something like these perfectly reasonable and just statements could have been made by the President of the United States, but were not.  The reason is that Donald Trump, the President of the United States is a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer and therefore could not say to them what he is able to say clearly when he means to condemn ISIS or Rosie O’Donnell or some underling that has incurred his displeasure.  The Nazis got his message of support to them very clearly.

Here’s the test, articulated by the typically astute Simcha Fisher:

Thought experiment: An ISIS recruit mows down a crowd of Christian protesters, killing one. Trump responds by condemning “this degree of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides.” Reporters ask him about his thoughts specifically on ISIS, and he walks out of the room.
How’s that feel to you? Fine? Liberal press blowing things out of proportion? Eh?

Catholics are now divided between those like the bishops above, who can plainly condemn Nazis and stand with those counter-protesters who stood against them (and were murdered by them) and those whose first and last instinct is to make excuses, deflect, shift blame and support a man who will not clearly condemn Nazis and support those who oppose them.

National Review does the right thing.  Every Christian Trump defender who defends Trump or deflect (“But Black Lives Matter!  But abortion!  But Hillary!  But Obama!”) is a supporter of white supremacists and Nazis and stains the gospel.  The bishops condemned it.  NRO condemned it.  Where are the Christian Trump defenders?