Podcasts about donilon

Jim is back and opens Wednesday's 3 Martini Lunch by sharing the saga of a big oak tree that landed on his house over the weekend—and who he blames for it. Then Jim and Greg dig into a victory for free speech and common sense at the U.S. Supreme Court, the good and the frustrating parts of the GOP's Big Beautiful Bill, and more insight on who was really running the country while Biden was supposedly president.First, after Jim details the unnerving tree incident, they cheer the U.S. Supreme Court for ending the punishment aimed at Maine state lawmaker Laurel Libby. Democrats barred her from debating or voting after she posted a photo of a male athlete winning a girls' sporting event on Facebook. But while the court got it right, Jim explains why he's still alarmed by the verdict.Next, they dig into the good, the bad, and the uncertainty surrounding the GOP's Big Beautiful Bill to make the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent and add many other provisions. There is a lot to like in the bill but there is also some disappointment concerning the tax code and what blue state Republicans want to include before supporting the legislation.Finally, they wince as the new book on Joe Biden's cognitive decline reveals the figures who were really running the country while Biden infirmities got worse and worse. And Jim stresses that none of these supposedly breathtaking revelations are actually news. It's just that some reporters and political operatives are confirming what we already knew now that there's no political benefit to covering for Biden.Please visit our great sponsors:It's free, online, and easy to start—no strings attached. Enroll in Understanding Capitalism with Hillsdale College. Visit https://hillsdale.edu/MartiniThis podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. We're all better with help. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/3ML to get 10% off your first month.

For nearly 40 years, Mark Mellman has been an industry leader in Democratic polling. In this conversation, he talks the serendipitous start of his consulting firm, stories from his iconic clients Al Gore, John Glenn, and Harry Reid, and lessons as lead pollster from John Kerry's '04 Presidential campaign. Mark also talks his founding of Democratic Majority for Israel and the work DMFI is doing to help mold the Democratic Party  and shape American policy toward Israel.IN THIS EPISODE….Mark talks his roots in a politically interested family in the Columbus, OH area…The serendipitous phone call while at Yale that gave Mark the opportunity to become a pollster…The 1982 House upset that kicked off Mark's consulting career….How Mark grew his new firm in the 1980s among the established “Big 3” Democratic pollsters…Mark compares the polling process of his early days to the current approach…Mark shares stories of some his iconic clients, including Al Gore, Harry Reid, John Glenn, and Steny Hoyer…Mark on the good and bad as lead pollster from Kerry' 04 vs George W. Bush…What led Mark to found Democratic Majority for Israel…Mark gets under the hood of the Nina Turner vs Shontel Brown special election primary & the role of DMFI…Mark's 101 on how Israeli politics work…Mark on what makes a good pollster… AND Yasser Arafat, Atari Democrats, Joe Biden, Pat Caddell, Jimmy Carter, Hillary Clinton, Congressional Quarterly, Tom Daschle, Doak Shrum & Donilon, dominant troikas, Elizabeth Drew, Carter Eskew, giant hypodermic needles, John Gilligan, Bill Hamilton, Kamala Harris, Peter Hart, IBM cards, institutionalists, Yair Lapid, Carl Levin, long-haired college students, Joe McCarthy, Meretz, Walter Mondale, Bruce Morrison, Benjamin Netanyahu, Newsweek, Barack Obama, Ohio State University, the Oslo Agreement, Reaganomics, regression analysis, Bernie Sanders, sine qua non, Adlai Stevenson, Bob Squier, Swift Boat Veterans, Harry Truman, UW-Oshkosh, the UK Labour Party, unknown legal aid lawyers, Tim Wirth, Dick Wirthlin & more!

Thomas Donilon discusses his distinguished career in business and government, including his role as national security advisor under President Barack Obama, working with three U.S. presidents, serving at the state department, and his current roles at BlackRock and the Council on Foreign Relations. Lessons Learned is a roundtable series, open to term members and younger life members, which features distinguished speakers who reflect on their career experiences, the choices they made along the way, and the lessons they have learned from them.

Welcome to Majority.FM's AM QUICKIE! Brought to you by justcoffee.coop TODAY'S HEADLINES: States across the country are crying out for help from the federal government as the coronavirus takes its toll, not only on their populations but on their budgets. And they need it before Joe Biden gets sworn in as president next year. Meanwhile, Joe Biden has reportedly told his staff he isn’t interested in investigating or prosecuting Donald Trump. Apparently he doesn’t want to be defined by his predecessor, which, I mean, frankly, sounds like a personal problem. And lastly, new research suggests that there’s good reason for hope that people who catch coronavirus and get better gain a long-lasting immunity. This is going to make it easier to get people vaccinated, the experts say. THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW: Joe Biden has privately told advisers that he doesn't want his presidency to be consumed by investigations of his predecessor, despite pressure from some Democrats who want inquiries into Donald Trump. That’s according to NBC, citing five people familiar with the discussions. Biden has raised concerns that investigations would further divide a country he is trying to unite and risk making every day of his presidency about Trump, NBC’s sources said. One adviser said Biden has made it clear that he QUOTE just wants to move on ENDQUOTE. The upside is, any decisions by Biden’s Justice Department regarding Trump, his staff, his associates, et cetera, wouldn’t affect investigations by state officials. That includes Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, who has fought to obtain Trump’s tax returns. Separately, Biden announced a number of staff appointments yesterday, the Times reports. Mike Donilon, the chief strategist for his campaign and a decades-long friend and adviser, will serve as a White House senior adviser. Donilon will be especially involved in speechwriting and messaging. Biden’s White House counsel will be Dana Remus, who served as general counsel to the Biden-Harris campaign and previously was general counsel of the Obama Foundation. She is a former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a former national political director for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, will run the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Annie Tomasini, now Biden’s traveling chief of staff, will be director of Oval Office operations. And yet there is still no White House job for Gritty. I’m starting to wonder if Biden is really President of Antifa after all. MASSIVE STATE BUDGET SHORTFALLS This may not shock regular listeners, but the Associated Press reports that it is shaping up to be a bleak winter. With more shutdowns looming and a vaccine months away from wide distribution, governors across the United States are pleading for more help from Washington. Renewed restrictions on indoor businesses, overloaded hospitals and the coming end of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans have led governors to paint a dire picture of the months ahead. That is, unless the federal government steps in with more money and leadership to help beat back the resurgence of the coronavirus. Between now and June 2022, state and local governments could be facing a shortfall of $400 billion or more. The cost of distributing tens of millions of doses of a vaccine next year is also emerging as a major concern for governors. State health authorities have called on Congress to provide $8.4 billion for that purpose. On a conference call yesterday of Democratic governors from the Midwest, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called for a sequel to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act adopted by Congress in March. Casey Katims, federal liaison for Washington Governor Jay Inslee, said the situation there is too dire for the state to wait until President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in January 20, according to the AP. There are more mundane problems brewing, as well, thanks to the pandemic. NBC News reports that grocery stores are taking new steps to avoid the empty shelves that were the hallmark of the first weeks of the pandemic. Supermarket chains like Kroger and Publix have started to limit in-store and online purchases on products such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies and paper towels to reduce stress on supply chains. They say they’re trying to discourage hoarding. Announcing rationing should do the trick! But please, folks, do try to leave something on the shelf for others. COVID IMMUNITY RESEARCH PROMISING Here’s a bit of relatively promising news, also from the New York Times. It’s about the results of the most comprehensive and long-ranging study of immune memory to the coronavirus to date. The Times cautions that the research, published online, has not been peer-reviewed nor published in a scientific journal. Yet the research also provides the most hopeful answer yet to a question that has shadowed plans for widespread vaccination. The question: How long might immunity to the coronavirus last? The answer, according to this new study: Years, maybe even decades. The findings should come as a relief to experts worried that immunity to the virus might be short-lived, and that vaccines might have to be administered repeatedly to keep the pandemic under control. In recent months, reports of waning antibody levels have created worry that immunity to the coronavirus may disappear in a few months, leaving people vulnerable to the virus again. But many immunologists have noted that it is natural for antibody levels to drop. Besides, the Times says, antibodies are just one arm of the immune system. The findings of the new study are also consistent with encouraging evidence emerging from other labs. Think of this as a silver lining to an unfortunate positive coronavirus diagnosis: you probably won’t get it again, at least not soon after shaking it. AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out one of the Trump campaign's longest running post-election complaints yesterday. According to NBC News, five of seven justices ruled that officials in Philadelphia did not violate state law by maintaining at least fifteen feet of separation between observers and the workers counting ballots. It’s a blow to Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who, per the Times, asked Trump’s campaign to pay him a day rate of twenty thousand dollars. Giuliani denies it. The man is legendary. More election news, this from Michigan by way of the Washington Post: The two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers voted against certifying the ballot count in the Detroit area last night, leaving the four-member board in a deadlock. The move means that the largest county in Michigan has failed to certify the vote by yesterday’s deadline. The issue now moves to state board, which has until December 13 to reach a final decision certifying the winner of the election statewide. But federal law says electors must be chosen by December 8, so... keep an eye on Michigan. Iowa’s Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, said yesterday that he tested positive for Covid-19. Grassley is the second-oldest person in the Senate at age 87, after Diane Feinstein of California. He’s also the most senior Republican in the chamber and president pro tempore of the Senate, which makes him third in line to the presidency, per NBC. The more you know! A new study reported in the Guardian says that one percent of people cause half of all global carbon emissions from aviation. Stefan Gössling of Sweden, who led the new study, said QUOTE If you want to resolve climate change, then we should start at the top, where a few ‘super emitters’ contribute massively to global warming ENDQUOTE. It’s really not cool to be a frequent flier anymore! NOV 18, 2020 - AM QUICKIE HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner WRITER - Corey Pein PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn

Meet Providence native Mike Donilon. The Public’s Radio political analyst Scott MacKay says that no political operative is as close as he is to Joe Biden.

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with two former top White House officials – Stephen Hadley, National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush, and Tom Donilon, National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama – on the top national security and foreign policy threats likely to be faced by the next commander in chief. Donilon, Hadley and Morell discuss the U.S. strategy to engage with China from a diplomatic, economic, technological and military perspective. They exchange views on the way forward in nuclear talks with North Korea. They also evaluate options for dealing with Iran in the aftermath of the U.S. strike on Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Donilon and Hadley stress the need for better communication and civic engagement among U.S. constituencies.

Former White House national security advisor Tom Donilon joins Kurt and Rich to discuss his experience serving as one of President Barack Obama’s closest advisors and the current challenges facing the United States. After decades of service at the highest-level of the national security establishment, Donilon shares his insights on the importance of process in foreign policymaking. Finally, Donilon, whose first job out of college was in President Jimmy Carter’s White House, provides his perspective on the importance of mentorship and shares how former Secretary of State Warren Christopher served as his mentor during the early days of his career.

Former White House national security advisor Tom Donilon joins Kurt and Rich to discuss his experience serving as one of President Barack Obama’s closest advisors and the current challenges facing the United States. After decades of service at the highest-level of the national security establishment, Donilon shares his insights on the importance of process in foreign policymaking. Finally, Donilon, whose first job out of college was in President Jimmy Carter’s White House, provides his perspective on the importance of mentorship and shares how former Secretary of State Warren Christopher served as his mentor during the early days of his career.

In this week's episode of Intelligence Matters, former acting Director of the CIA Michael Morell speaks with former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon about his distinguished career in government: working as a top security advisory in the White House, his thoughts on U.S. President Barack Obama and his advice for the current administration on the most pressing security concerns of our time. As he looks back on his career, Donilon describes an unlikely route to national security and foreign policy. From getting his start in 1977 working for U.S. President Jimmy Carter as a young aid right out of college, to seeing through Carter's transition to private life. As Donilon talks about Carter's influence, he cites him as the first of a handful of mentors who were crucial in helping forge his path into public service. As a young Tom Donilon set his sights on opening a consulting firm, it was former Secretary of State Warren Christopher helped propel the young attorney into the political arena. He served as National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama from 2010-2013 where he was responsible for the coordination and integration of the administration's foreign policy, intelligence, and military efforts. Tom Donilon is vice chair of the international law firm of O'Melveny and Myers. He is a leading national security expert with deep experience in geopolitics, cybersecurity, financial services, and corporate governance.

Former National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, a 1985 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, contends that the next president of the United States will inherit some of the worst global instability in modern times, and must be nimble enough to address a plethora of threats. Donilon, recently named co-chair of presidential-hopeful Hillary Clinton's transition team, gave the comments in a talk co-sponsored by UVA's Miller Center (University of Virginia School of Law, Sept. 15, 2016).

Ron Siegel is joined by Rob Zwemmer and Robert Mott to discuss: ADP Jobs report is not too exciting   Cheapest Obamacare Plan will be $20,000 per family     White House Shake and sticking “it” in the face of Republicans     Donilon to resign as security advisor     Ron Siegel Radio Wine Club – June Selections released     What is the Napa Valley Auction?  It raised a record $16.9 million for charity     CoreLogic: Home Prices post a 12.1% annualized gain in April, what does Rob Zwimmer say is happening in the Palm Springs area and Coachella Valley     What do Generation Y Homebuyers Favor     Why is it a good time to sell?     Are there still bank owned properties and short sales?     Where are all the listings? Featured Guests Rob Zwemmer – Zwemmer & Associates Robert Mott – The Wine Bar at Old Town Ron Siegel, consumer advocate and mortgage lender, discusses anything that affects the roof over your head, your bank account or other items that will benefit you / your family. Reach Ron at  800.306.1990Ron@RonSiegelRadio.comwww.RonSiegelRadio.comwww.Facebook.com/RonSiegelRadiowww.SiegelLendingTeam.com Twitter: @RonSiegel

In a major address at Asia Society, National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon outlines the Obama administration's views on the path ahead for the United States in Asia in the areas of security, democracy, trade, and economics. Following his remarks, he is joined in discussion by Suzanne DiMaggio, Asia Society’s Vice President of Global Policy Programs. (1 hr., 6 min.)

Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry, and Gregory Tracy consider the news headlines of the week, including the lawsuit filed by 43 Catholic organizations against the Department of Health and Human Services universal healthcare mandate; the attack on a parish in Acushnet for the pro-marriage message on its sign; the Vatican's rejection of appeals related to closed parishes; the death of the dean of Boston historians; and more. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Catholic HHS mandate lawsuits; Parish threatened by gay activists; Church closing appeals rejected 1st segment: Scot and Susan discussed that there are many offices moving within the Pastoral Center this week, including Susan's. Scot said the building has been occupied by Central Ministries for 4 years and now some entities related to the Archdiocese moving the Pastoral Center and also moving people who work within the same secretariat so they will be working in close proximity. Scot also said the graduation ceremony for the Master of Arts in Ministry program at St. John Seminary was last night. It was the 10th graduation and they had one DRE who received a Master's degree. Bishop Arthur Kennedy gave the commencement address and focused on St. Augustine. Cardinal Seán presented the diplomas and gave his blessing to the 10 graduates. 2nd segment: Scot said this past Monday 43 Catholic dioceses and organizations filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services for the Obamacare mandate. The most prominent dioceses are New York and Washington, DC, as well as St. Louis. [“Federal lawsuits by Catholic dioceses, groups seek to stop IllIS mandate”, Boston Pilot/CNS, 5/21/12](http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=14716 Fr. Roger said the Church has been negotiating with the Obama administration since last year to find an accommodation for religious conscience. Despite many attempts for compromise, the administration gave a phony accommodation. After a year of work, it became obvious that the Administration is obstinate in violating the First Amendment and federal law. Cardinal Timothy Dolan said they had to reluctantly file suit. Fr. Roger said Catholics should step up to support the Church in this matter. This was the last resort of the US bishops. Scot said the expectation is one of these suits will end up before the Supreme Court. The Pilot has an editorial this week called “Stop the HHS mandate”: The decision of a wide spectrum of Catholic institutions to join together in a lawsuit against the Obama administration should not come as a surprise. The HHS mandate that would force most Catholic institutions to provide contraception. sterilization services and abortive pills to employees is an unprecedented attack on the freedom of conscience and religious freedom. Furthermore. enacted in an electoral year to. reportedly. mobilize the more liberal segment of the electorate. this decision is an insult to Catholic voters. The issue at stake is not accessibility to contraception. which is widely available at very low cost. The issue for Catholics. and all people of good will, is that the government feels compelled, for no compelling reason, to force individuals and institutions to act against their conscience. If this mandate becomes effective, those advancing the most secular agendas will have a precedent to claim that, in fact, religion does not belong in the public square, opening the door to other restrictions on religious freedom. The Obama administration should make no mistake. Catholics of all political persuasions will be united on the need to defend individual freedom of conscience in front of an intrusive and unnecessary government mandate. That is at the core of Christian beliefs and even those currently nor practicing their faith know that freedom of religion is intrinsic to who we are as a people. In our opinion, the apparent political calculation that forcing this issue will benefit the president in November is risky and will backfire. Mr. President, there is still time to stop the HHS madness. Scot said the key idea is that the government feels compelled for no good reason to compel the conscience of individuals. Greg said people may not be familiar with how the government passing a law that infringes on freedom of religion will affect them. The government can restrict the practice of religion when there is a compelling public need and must be done in such a way as to have the least possible impact. Scot said in many ways, this lawsuit is unprecedented. Susan said the implications of this reaching the Supreme Court will be huge. Scot said there has been some media coverage and some prominent Catholics have come out with key reminders of why we're doing this as a Church. Fr. Roger said one of those points is that the Department of Health and Human Services has come out with an unprecedented definition of religious groups that qualify for exemptions, which is that if we serve those who aren't Catholic, we don't qualify. Fr. Roger said the service of those who aren't Catholic is a key element of our faith. The definition goes against what President Obama himself said at the National Prayer Breakfast in February in which he lauded religious groups serve others. Fr. Roger said either Obama was talking about of both sides f his mouth or HHS Secretary Sebelius violated the president's own principles. Fr. Roger also said any exemption being talked about doesn't protect Catholic business owners. This mandate also fits a larger pattern of the US government forcing Catholics to violate their religious beliefs on many issues, including abortion and same-sex marriage. Scot noted the story this week that Franciscan University of Steubenville dropped its requirement for student health insurance and won't provide it for those who want it. Scot said Cardinal Seán will host a live town hall meeting for the Fortnight for Freedom on Monday June 25 at 8pm on CatholicTV and simulcast on WQOM. He asked listeners to make an appointment and spread the word. Also in the Pilot this week is a poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus. It found that 74% of Americans value religious freedom even when it conflicts with laws. Greg said people support this principle even if the religious freedom conflict doesn't affect them. Whether or not they personally believe, they support the right of people to live their faith as they see it appropriate. Susan said she thought the questions people could choose from were very clear cut. “This survey reveals that the American people are fundamentally dedicated to protecting the First Amendment conscience rights of everyone.” said Carl A. Anderson. supreme knight of the New Haven-based Knights of Columbus. “Allowing people to opt out of these procedures or services - which violate their faith - is the right thing to do.” he added. “It is also key to protecting the First Amendment rights of all Americans and enjoys strong public support as well.” Fr. Roger said he wants to attribute good intentions to people like Kathleen Sebelius, but it then shows the deeper problem that they believe that we can't survive if the government doesn't give us certain things for free. On the other hand, we could presume a cynical political motive designed to ignite a political base that hadn't been excited about a re-election campaign. 3rd segment: Scot said the Anchor editorial is called “Lessons from Acushnet”: Prior to last Tuesday, the beautiful town of Acushnet was known mainly to residents of the southcoast of Massachusetts. Most in other parts of the Commonwealth - not to mention outside its boundaries - would have had to use atlases or the Internet to locate this charming place of bogs, farms and a world-famous golfing equipment company. That all changed on May 15 with six words placed on the rectory lawn sign facing the city's main intersection, “Two men are friends not spouses,” placed there by the parish director of Pastoral Services in response to President Barack Obama's May 9 newly announced support for the redefinition of marriage to embrace two men or two women. The phrase was meant to express in a succinct way the Church's teaching that those of the same sex not only can but are called to love each other, but that that love is not meant to take on the form of romantic or spousal love (what the Greeks called eros) but rather the deep love of friendship (philia) consistent with the self-controlled and -sacrificial love (agape) that Christ Himself gave and called us to imitate. For Jesus and those who follow Him, love and truth are always united. Christ very clearly spoke about the truth of marriage when He said (Mt 19) that in the beginning God made them male and female (not male and male, or female and female) and for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother (not two fathers or two mothers) and cling to his wife (not to whomever he is sexually attracted) and the two shall become one flesh (which refers not merely to the ephemeral physical contact involved in sexual activity but to the fusion of the flesh of a man and a woman in a child, a fruit of which those of the same-sex are obviously incapable). Jesus also said that what God has joined, man must not divide, and this can be interpreted not just with regard to a particular man and a particular woman in a particular marital bond, but also to the marital communion intended in general between man and woman: The union of man and woman in marriage cannot be rent asunder to make marriage a husbandless or wifeless union. To believe in Jesus means to believe in what He taught. To follow Jesus means to seek to imitate the way He showed us how to love. St. Francis Xavier Parish was giving witness to its authentically Christian faith in the public square by reiterating the particular type of love to which those with same-sex attractions are called. Based on the media attention the six-word message garnered, however, one might have thought that instead of reiterating the Church's teaching on the meaning of marriage and the love of friendship, St. Francis Xavier had put up a message calling for the condemnation of all those with same-sex attractions. One young woman started a Facebook campaign calling the message “hateful,” as if the six-word message had been, “The Church hates gays and lesbians.” Soon a blast got out to the wider gay community. A few picketers showed up. Others started bringing other posters. Many started calling. And, curiously, within hours all the major television stations in Boston and Providence were coming to Acushnet to do interviews and live reports about the protests to putative Catholic hate-mongering. It's worth noting - as a commentary on the media's coverage of the Church as well as the issues concerning gays and lesbians - that five days a week, 240 students attend St. Francis Xavier School to learn the Church's teaching on truth and love in classrooms and on Sunday more than 800 worshippers come to hear it from the pulpit. These activities garner no media attention at all. Yet when as few as three people come to hold protest placards on the city sidewalk near a parish sign - even after the message had been changed the following day to announce the Ascension Thursday Mass schedule - television from all the major news affiliates of the two closest metropolises somehow show up. To the media's credit, however, once journalists had arrived to cover a hyped-up story on homophobia and anti-gay hatred, they recognized, in talking with pastor Msgr. Gerard O'Connor and director of Pastoral Services Steven Guillotte, that not only was that animus totally absent, but another type of hatred - one of the most underreported forms of uncivility and bullying in our culture - was. And they reported it. They were shown various posters that had been left on the property. “Jesus freaks, come to your senses. Jesus freaks, pray for death,” said one. Another went straight after the Blessed Mother in a mockery of the angelic salutation, “Hail Mary, Virgin Whore.” Facebook and verbal messages referred to both pastor and parishioners as pederasts - a facilely-employed and relatively ubiquitous ad hominem used against Catholic ministers and believers today, especially whenever the Church speaks on human sexuality. The message that captured the journalists' attention most was a voicemail left by an unidentified woman. In the span of 54 seconds, she somehow managed to employ 16 expletives while threatening, “Seriously, your Church should be burned,” insisting “God isn't real,” and saying that the town of Acushnet, St. Francis Xavier Parish, and the Catholic Church and her teaching should nevertheless all go to hell. Apparently, God doesn't exist but hell does. It didn't take advanced degrees from Columbia school of journalism for reporters to figure out that such messages were hardly consistent with a side admonishing the Church to “Spread love, not hate,” as one poster left on the property declared. What is the larger lesson to be learned from what was really going on in Acushnet? It's about the verbal nuclear attack that the gay movement regularly employs against the Church for her opposition to the redefinition of marriage. Whenever the Church expresses its principled objection to the redefinition of marriage - not only out of fidelity to Jesus' teachings but out of concern for the future of our nation, because of the importance of the marriage between one man and one woman for the procreation and education of our nation's future citizens, teachers, defenders, and leaders - she is accused of “homophobia,” “gay-bashing,” and “hatred.” This is part of a strategy directed against the Church and Christian believers that has been publicly described by various gay leaders. Notice that when President Obama, up until the “evolution” he announced on May 9, stressed his support for marriage as the union of one man and one woman, he was never accused of an irrational fear of those with same-sex attractions or of despising gays. When President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, passed overwhelmingly by Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate, they weren't accused of collective antipathy toward gay fellow citizens. It's only when Christian believers defend marriage as the union between one man and one woman that we begin to hear the accusations of hatred and homophobia. Why? The reason, gay strategists have declared in interviews, is because with politicians and citizens in general, the gay movement is trying to persuade them patiently to abandon the wisdom of the centuries about marriage and redefine its meaning as the crowning achievement of the social normalization of same-sex behavior. But since those who truly believe in Jesus and His teachings will never be persuaded of the same-sex ideal of marriage as a husbandless or wifeless institution with no intrinsic connection to children flowing from that privileged bond - and the Catholic Church in particular is seen as a bulwark against this revolution in social and sexual mores - what needs to be done is demonize and marginalize believers' convictions altogether. Nobody, after all, likes to associate with “bigots,” especially in the politically-correct milieus of education and media that mold public opinion. In Acushnet, this strategy backfired. The real bigotry at play - against Catholic teaching and faithful Catholics- was exposed. The Church loves and welcomes those with same-sex attractions and defends them against all unjust discrimination. But the Church's - and society's - defense of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is not unjust discrimination, because gays do not have the right to change what marriage means and is. The “right to marriage” is not the unlimited right to marry anyone one wants. Laws rightly discriminate against certain types of attempted “marriages” in order to protect what marriage is and thereby serve the common good, and to affirm that those of the same-sex do not have the right to marry each other is not unjust discrimination any more than to say that people do not have the right to marry kids, or siblings, or another person's spouse. It's not hateful or homophobic to say this; rather, it's the common sense and wisdom of the centuries, even from before the Church was founded. The truth about marriage as the union of one man and one woman, however, is also part of what the God of love has revealed. This is a message that all Catholics should confidently, charitably, and courageously proclaim from their rooftops, belltowers and parish lawns. Fr. Roger said this is bigger than just one parish, but points to a pattern being faced by Catholics. He said the parish was subjected to a Facebook campaign and received death threats; there were pickets outside that accosted parish employees and parishioners; and vile attacks. Every single major news station and media outlets provided blanket coverage. However, almost all of the media coverage ended up contrasting the parish's passivity and calmness against the hatred they encountered. Fr. Roger said the only people who are called hateful toward homosexuals are Catholics and Bible-believing Christians. That's because the activists recognize they aren't going to change Christians' minds so they will marginalize and demonize them so no one will want to identify with them. Fr. Roger said this was exposed by one little parish in a little town in Massachusetts. Scot and Greg discussed how the secular media did a good job and was not biased against the Church in any way. Scot said if you want to see the kind of venom that is spewed against the Church, go on to a newspaper website when any article about the Church is posted and read the comments. Scot said another story concerns the Vatican's rejection of the appeals regarding six churches in closed parishes. The appeals had opposed the relegation to profane use of the buildings. He said there has been predictable responses from the group Council of Parishes that has been riling up people across the country. Greg said in last week's show we discussed what relegation and profane use mean. He those fighting the Archdiocese in this regard have dropped accusations that the Vatican gave Boston special treatment because of the influence of Cardinal Seán in Rome. Scot said the Archdiocese encourages people to join their fellow parishioners in their new parishes. Greg said Terry Donilon, archdiocesan spokesman, said the protesters are grasping at straws. Scot said Peter Borre of Council of Parishes threw out the rumor about Cardinal Sean throwing his influence around. “We feel we did it right procedurally, we did it right on the substance, we provided an enormous amount of information with the Vatican to back up the decision that was made, and I think they are grasping at straws and I think they are trying to create a conspiracy theory that does not exist,” [Donilon] said. Susan said the property of St. James the Great church in Wellesley has an agreement from the town of Wellesley to buy it, but that sale can't go through until the appeals are finished. Greg said thinks the appeals will be exhausted eventually and thinks if the town does purchase the property they will be less sympathetic and merciful toward those occupying the building. He wonders how the media will cover that. Also in the Pilot this week is an obituary for Thomas O'Connor, the dean of Boston historians, who died this week at 89. He wrote several books on the history of the archdiocese. Scot said the books helped him understand so much of the background for the current issues in the archdiocese today. Fr. Roger said O'Connor helped people like us understand the roots of the trees that spread throughout this region. His funeral Mass was earlier today at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Braintree. Susan said she's read several of his books and he spoke several times to gatherings of directors of religious education. He was really a storyteller. Greg said that as a convert to Catholicism, he found the books to be very accessible. Scot reiterated that O'Connor brought the characters he wrote about alive. Greg said the Pilot this week also covers the workshops going on around the Archdiocese for the doctor-assisted suicide education campaign. Fr. Roger said the Anchor profiles several priests of the Fall River diocese who have served the Church for many years. Susan highlighted the family retreat going on at the Family Rosary Retreat in Easton next month. More information will be on the Pilot's website on Friday. We will interview organizers of the retreat on The Good Catholic Life next Wednesday. Scot highlighted a moving testimony from a Catholic chaplain serving with the 101st Airborne as we head into Memorial Day weekend.