Louisville, Kentucky – Whoa! The establishment press is in a lather over losing its ability to decide who gets to sit where for White House briefings. Perhaps it would not have come to this if the White House Correspondents’ Assn. (WHCA) had not used its power to keep organizations out it did not like rather than see that Americans were informed. Podcaster Joe Rogan, alone, has about as many listeners as the entire legacy media combined – yet his show did not measure up, according to the snooty popinjays at the WHCA.
I’m reminded of the situation I had in the mid-80’s as a columnist and managing editor of a group of local weeklies. I started in the advertising department and supposedly, would never get into the newsroom at all because I did not have the journalism degree the papers required for getting a job as a reporter. BUT, I broke several scoops on even the nearby Chicago dailies and had an exhaustive list of contacts – who would and DID talk to me. I like to think it is because of my obvious talent that the papers made an exception for me, but more than a few folks suggested it was more fear that I would end up at one of the regional dailies if they didn’t.
Mirabile dictu! Within a couple months of being brought on as a reporter, I was promoted to managing editor of all the papers. Though the publisher and I had more than a few political disagreements, it began a good run for both of us. The papers were in the midst of a five-year drought of awards, winning not even so much as a third place in the Illinois Press Assn. Contests. In my first two years, we won nine, including several Best in the State awards. Only three or four of those were for my stories, so I was not only doing well, but elevating the performance of those who worked with me.
All articles had to go through me for my approval before hitting any paper. Touchingly, despite our occasional disputes, the publisher even started putting his articles in my inbox for approval and editing, rather than directly giving them to the composition department. Our main point of contention was that he and another family member decided that the papers could be a political powerhouse, a mover and shaker to make what they wanted happen rather than reporting on what actually did happen. I would have had no problem if they had worked through traditional channels to build their personal political influence, though as I often told aspirants and small-time office-holders, serious politics is a LOT harder than it looks. On the one hand, it offended my sensibilities to use our press to try to create a narrative rather than just report the news. From a more practical standpoint, whatever early success such an effort might have, I was convinced it could only end in a drastic collapse of the paper’s credibility and influence entirely.
They tried targeting a couple of officials they did not like. Fortunately, I was able to blunt the attacks and keep the efforts relatively suppressed. But the publisher’s closest political ally was a man who was becoming my biggest political enemy. Eventually, I left the paper after being courted by a radio station (which worked out fabulously). I took a sabbatical from the radio station to run for the county board – against the chairman – who was my old publisher’s biggest political ally. Suddenly I was the guy being slandered and reviled by the paper – with no one there to ameliorate things. It went on for over a year – and I sued over some of the more libelous charges they had made against me. At that time, there had been only two suits by a public figure (legal definition – which I was) against publications in the entire state in which the public figure prevailed over the course of a decade. I became number three. The attacks had a dire impact on the paper. Its libel insurance skyrocketed almost an order of magnitude. Just over a decade after my suit was concluded, this mid-century group of newspapers was sold to another media group and became a group of local shoppers. You know – the sort of paper that is all ads they hand out for free in grocery store racks.
When you abuse the trust the public has invested in you to try to become a political powerhouse, however much success you get early on, you have already begun the process of your own demise.
The WHCA can reform themselves and begin the hard road back to credibility and relevance down the road…or they can stomp their feet and clutch their pearls over the hoi polloi invading what they thought was their exclusive, sacred space.
Don’t be surprised to find Jake Tapper hosting a Saturday morning “Swap Shop” program on a local radio station a few years down the road.
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Like the establishment press in America, feckless western European leaders have long loved to sniffily lecture Americans about how we should conduct our affairs. They arrogantly want us to enact their policy preferences on our dime.
In the Jimmy Carter years, I bristled as European leaders constantly told us how we should manage our economic affairs…and we just took it, sometimes even shame-facedly. I thought it was particularly arrogant puffery because we paid the entire cost of our own defense AND paid at least half of the cost of the rest of the western world’s defense, as well. I fumed as people who chose to be our dependents and, thus, had ample money because we were covering their tab, told us how to manage our money. Even worse, while we were carrying the bulk of their load on our backs, they couldn’t even manage to do much better than the, admittedly, terrible Carter economy. I cheered loudly when Ronald Reagan, at his first western economic summit, effectively told these sniffy countries to get back to him after they started paying for their own defense. They didn’t start paying their own way, but they got a lot less mouthy while Reagan was at the helm.
Insufferable as all this was, watching as much of the western world has retreated from guaranteeing basic human rights, targeting and sometimes jailing their own people for speech critical of their governments, and canceling elections in which far leftists do not win has been an order of magnitude more infuriating. President Trump has apparently appointed Vice-President Vance to be his Ambassador of Reality. Vance spoke bluntly to western European leaders at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, telling them that the greatest threat to Europe was not from Russia or China, “but a threat from within, the retreat of Europe from its most fundamental values.”
Most European leaders are merely snobs without portfolio. Unable to do things that matter, they turn their withering contempt on anyone who can, in order to defend their own neglect of their citizens and their rank incompetence. Naturally, the European glitterati has squealed like a White House reporter who just lost his press pass. (I call them glitterati rather than intelligentsia because no actual intelligence is involved in their bleating.)
I have no problem with situational security treaties with nations that do not fundamentally share our values. It’s a dangerous and unpredictable world. It would be foolish to eliminate any effective implements from our tool chest. But permanent collective security agreements, such as NATO, are based on the defense of shared values. As European countries get increasingly authoritarian and jail people for bad Facebook posts or praying silently in front of abortion clinics, we don’t share many values anymore.
For me, Vance’s takeaway line was, “If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you nor, for that matter is there anything you can do for the American people…” Vance’s speech in Munich will ultimately trigger the revival of European democracy or the death knell of NATO.
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Pope Francis has condemned America for working to secure its borders and allow only legal immigration, while still maintaining generous terms for it. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have filed suit against the Trump administration for the cancellation of funds to help resettle illegal aliens. There is all sorts of virtue-signaling to justify our broken – and absolutely immoral immigration system. – and I have added my share as well. I wrote a piece on it, myself, in the last issue of the CORAC Newsletter. But the finest, most thoughtful piece I have seen comes from Bishop Joseph Strickland on his Substack.
I am reprinting it below in its entirety:
Immigration: The importance of both charity and justice
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As I have watched the situation unfold with Catholic Charities and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), I feel I must speak out as a shepherd in concern for the flock. Our new Vice President, Vice President J.D. Vance, stated that he was heartbroken over the response of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding immigration and this Administration’s policies. As many of the American bishops have attacked this new administration which has so far made immense strides in protecting life, I am also heartbroken at the bishops’ response.
As I am sure you have all seen, President Trump took steps to freeze the funds of grant, loan, and federal financial assistance programs which run contrary to the Administration’s Executive Orders in certain areas such as the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as well as ensuring the US immigration infrastructure was facilitating lawful and legal immigration. This funding freeze included funding for many organizations including Catholic Charities. Regarding Catholic Charities specifically, we are not talking about a small amount of money that has been received by this organization and these bishops. Today, about two thirds of Catholic Charities’ annual spending comes from government sources, which totals more than half a billion dollars of federal grants alone. Spokespersons for the organization as well as various bishops are protesting this freeze, stating that Catholic Charities does good work and performs many works of charity. However, the fact is that it has been known for some time that Catholic Charities is involved in funding immoral and even potentially illegal activities as far as the immigration laws of this country are concerned, and that in fact their activities have in many cases hurt rather than helped vulnerable populations.
Many might ask, though, does not the Church teach that we should help those who are less fortunate? And many might point to Scripture, “And the king answering shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40). However, behind this mask that many of the bishops wear that seems to broadcast caring for the “least brethren” are the true issues that motivate them that they do not want you to see.
The Church has always taught and advocated for the sanctity and dignity of every human life and has always advocated for compassion in the treatment of migrants and refugees. However, Catholic doctrine also emphasizes the importance of both charity and justice, with respect always for just laws. One of the greatest concerns about these funds having been used for illegal immigration resettlement activities is that not only has this served to bring many criminals into our country who have the potential to harm citizens, but in many cases these activities have served to place very vulnerable people, especially a great number of children, at risk to be abused and exploited. As we learn more about this situation with the bishops and Catholic Charities, it is becoming evident that in many cases children have not been adequately safeguarded from potential exploitation including human trafficking. In fact, many bishops—and in some cases the very bishops who are protesting the freezing of funds—have had a very poor record of safeguarding children in recent times. And as much as it fills with me dismay to have to say this, there is good reason to suspect that some of the American bishops have contributed to, rather than safeguarded against, the exploitation of these children who have been brought into our country illegally.
Something else that can easily be overlooked is that all of this is happening in an atmosphere in the Church which, in the name of social justice, has brought in the Marxist and non-Catholic movement of Liberation Theology. I like Dr. Taylor Marshall’s definition of liberation theology – he called it “Marxism with a blanket of Catholicism over it” and that is an apt description. Liberation Theology has been pushed forward in the Church in great measure by the Order of the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits). I will remind you also that Pope Francis is a Jesuit, and he has many friends and professional contacts who are open supporters of Liberation Theology. This theology focuses on class struggle and reforming unjust earthly systems, and a key tenet of that is the redistribution of wealth. Sadly, this branch of theology has also been used by many of its proponents even to justify violence. This pernicious theology is now firmly entrenched within the Church, including within the current Vatican hierarchy. In this climate, Catholic doctrine falls by the wayside, and instead a religion that worships man is heralded. Instead of proclaiming Jesus Christ as King, the current Vatican mindset seems to be that man is king, as we see reflected in the Vatican’s push for the so-called “Synodal” church where instead of trying to hear God’s voice, we are encouraged to listen to one another and devise man-made solutions to all the world’s problems.
How this figures into the situation with Catholic Charities and the American bishops is that many in the current climate in the Church would argue that bringing poor immigrants into the country and allowing them access to services funded by American taxpayers is a just way to “redistribute the wealth.” However, although social justice is indeed an integral part of Catholic doctrine, the Church’s social doctrine is rooted in Scripture, and does not mean what many in the Church have redefined it to mean, which is in fact socialism. The term social justice has in essence been hijacked. I would encourage you to read an article by Deacon Keith Fournier entitled: “Social Justice: Take Back the Term from the Thieves and Build a New Catholic Action” (October 4, 2010) if you want to understand this subject better.
The truth is that having a secure border and an orderly and lawful immigration process is indeed the most compassionate approach for migrants, and it helps to safeguard against the chaos and mass suffering that is happening at our borders now. However, it is a fact that bringing illegal foreign nationals to the country and the attempts to resettle them while sidestepping immigration law has brought great sums of money into the hands of these many bishops who now protest so loudly, and who are in reality present-day Judases who stand with outstretched hands for the thirty pieces of silver.
We find also as more and more of this situation comes to light that in many cases the money received has been routed to organizations that are pro-abortion, anti-family, and indeed, anti-Catholic. And now, when our recently elected President steps in to stop these illegal activities, many bishops verbally attack him, and yet these same bishops spoke not a word against President Biden, who claimed to be Catholic, as he supported abortion and gender ideology, both opposed to Catholic teaching. What is especially telling is the finding that the USCCB used 90% of the collected federal funds for immigration resettlement, and less than 1% for pro-life activities. Although claiming that abortion is their preeminent priority, the USCCB has never collected money for pro-life activities. For example, we find that one Texas bishop funneled millions of dollars into organizations and activities to incentivize illegal immigration while actively working to squelch pro-life activities in his diocese.
It is a fact that most migrants who come to the United States illegally do not have a right to be in this country and are not in reality fleeing persecution. At least 80 percent would not qualify for asylum or refugee status. Preventing migrants from coming here illegally is not a rejection of any migrant’s humanity, but instead it is a matter of justice and prudence in supporting the rule of law and the proper order of immigration. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions.” (CCC #2241). Therefore, Catholic doctrine teaches that not only can a nation justly enforce its borders, but it can impose consequences on those who break its laws. Therefore, regarding the millions of illegal aliens who have come into the U.S, for the government to send them home is a perfectly acceptable method of enforcing the law, as long as it is done humanely. We can recognize though that returning migrants to countries where they would be unjustly subjected to persecution is of course not in keeping with Catholic doctrine. However, in the current situation, where human trafficking is estimated to be a billion-dollar industry, and drugs such as fentanyl are flooding into American communities, illegal immigration is without a doubt causing more human suffering than the alternative which is secure borders and strong protection against illegal immigration. The current situation in which Catholic Charities is involved regarding illegal immigration is most assuredly not compassionate.
In summary, I want to emphasize that the Church has always taught the sanctity and dignity of every human being and has always advocated for compassion in the treatment of migrants and refugees, but the Church has also always taught that nations have the right to regulate immigration in a just and humane manner. Catholic doctrine emphasizes the importance of both charity and justice, with respect always for just laws. And I want to also emphasize that the Church does not promote illegal activities but instead calls for just immigration policies and legal pathways for those seeking a better life.
By aiding and abetting illegal immigration activities and failing to protect vulnerable migrants, Catholic Charities, the USCCB and, by and large, a great number of the American bishops, have been directly or indirectly complicit in harming rather than helping many of the most vulnerable human beings, including a great number of migrant children. I would urge the faithful to contact their bishop and to speak out about the role of Catholic Charities in their diocese.
Yours In Christ,
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop Emeritus
You should go to the link, as well. That way you can sign up for Bp. Strickland’s Substack.
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This morning I woke up to a continuous ping, ping, ping from my Facebook Page. It was a whole heap of birthday wishes. I have been accused – and will admit – that I am usually indifferent about my birthday. For whatever reason, I just never much cared about birthdays. It’s stupid, I know. I care a lot about my kids’ and grandkids’ birthday. I get excited about Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July. I also get excited about the celebrations of Fatima from May through October, the apparition at Lourdes (I began my pilgrimage on that day – and it was not an accident). I love the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and of Our Lady of Guadalupe/Tepeyac. Otherwise, I’m pretty blasé.
But I went through all the wishes on my timeline and, it turns out, they were pretty cool. I heard from family, old school friends, political comrades – and even a few opponents, old media friends, and of course, so many of you. In the midst of my workday, it made me pause and think, “Wow! It really has been a wonderful life!”
Thank you to all of you.
If communication goes out for any length of time, meet outside your local Church at 9 a.m. on Saturday mornings. Tell friends at Church now in case you can’t then. CORAC teams will be out looking for people to gather in and work with.
Find me on X at @JohnstonPilgrim
The Corps of Renewal and Charity (CORAC)
18208 Preston Rd., Ste. D9-552
Dallas, Texas 75252
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