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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated
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To: Lane3 who wrote (179648)9/19/2006 2:15:21 PM
From: carranza2  Read Replies (1) of 793955
 
I'm saying that, when the Pope opens his mouth, what comes out should be smart, strategically smart.

The opposite of "smart" is "dumb." I suspect many believe that what the Pope said was "dumb", strategically dumb.

To suggest that the Pope's statements were not "dumb" in this sense is really a bit of a stretch.

He has authored a very substantial book on Islam, is by history a very canny political operator [all Pope's are], and obviously spent a lot of time on his piece. He is very far from dumb.

It was not at all analogous to the jotted off statement Bush made at the bottom of a burning pile of WTC rubble shortly after 9/11 suggesting that we are now on "a Crusade."

You may not think it was "smart" but I suspect that there was a tremendous amount of time and calculation taken to make sure that the statement said precisely the meaning he meant to convey.

I dare say that we are not done with his efforts. He has some very strong views which he is apparently not going to self-bowdlerize.

I suspect he knew that his statements would create a flashfire of controversy. He also probably believes that the bluntness of his message is a good thing.

I don't disagree with either notion. I think it wonderful that the leader of a major church takes on a cultish part of another and tells them the truth, i.e., that reason requires that there be no violence in the name of religion. It was as much a message to moderate, thinking Muslims as anything else.

Plus, he's infallible.
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