– enough already with professors and churches (see today’s prior post);
it’s time for haiku & senryu:
Full Professor
putting an extra syllable
between us
the thump
of a thousand rumps
returning to their pews in unison
battery weakened
the low, slow laughter
of a demon
(Red Moon Press,1999)
from dagosan:
postcard sunset —
geese
flying
in
broken
formation
[Aug. 3, 2005]
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August 3, 2005
a thousand rumps
on Bainbridge and Roberts’ Catholicism
In “Roberts’ Catholicism” (Aug. 2, 2005) Professor Bainbridge has offered a thoughtful piece
responding to many of the issues raised in our prior post “What if John Roberts is a ‘Serious’
Catholic.” Click here for my reply, which summarizes Steve’s points and addresses them at
some length. It concludes:
I can’t endorse Prof. Bainbridge’s two questions for Senators to ask Judge
Roberts. They are incomplete — focusing on whether “formal cooperation with
evil” would require recusal, but not asking how John Roberts defines the terms
or how he would decide what constitutes absolute or intrinsic “evil.” Crucially,
Prof. Bainbridge doesn’t ask what Roberts thinks his obligations as a Catholic
justice would be if recusal were not required in a case involving such evil.
I believe a “serious Catholic” would feel obligated to actively oppose laws and
decisions that his Church declares to be “intrinsically unjust.” Sitting on the
Supreme court would increase the duty. That would mean participating in the
case and voting in a manner that would support eliminating or greatly limiting
such evil. So, I ask again,”is John Roberts a Serious Catholic,” and what are
the ramifications if he is?
reprise from Prof. George Swede:
during discussion
on the meaning of life the crunch
of a student’s apple
the son who
argues everything
I study his face in a puddle
score tied
both team jerseys look the same
in the August twilight
stepping on
sidewalk ants the boy
everyone bullies
George Swede from Almost Unseen (Brooks Books, 2000)