Stand for Nun of it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20427727/
This is the story of a group of nuns who have quickly found themselves in the middle of a problem they have absolutely nothing to do with. Because of some priest's illegal and completely sinister actions, they are going to find themselves without a home. Poverty, Chastity, and... unobjectioned acceptance of heightened real estate value? Yes, those were the vows they took. This story seems far-fetched, but it's standard fare for a religious group that consistently asserts its over-arching, sexist, patriarchal foundations. We should pray for these devout women, who have been unknowingly victimized by the church the moment they took their orders. Always to be subservient, to be an unnoticed and easily discarded rib in the grand scheme of the church's ruling body. The sister's work is perhaps the most noble, and most uplifting, but also, the most grinding and unappreciated. They teach our children, assist our poor, and aid our feeble and ailing people much more than any group of priests. They are the troops on the ground. Because of their actions in the face of papal undervaluation, they are heroes. It is unfair to generalize, and there are many in the church, good priests included, who value the work of sisters. But the establishment refuses to recognize them, or give them greater responsibilities. And the insistence of the status quo is what makes the church recreant to it's female devotees.


In another story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20877724/), Yale Law School lost it's legal battle to keep military recruiters off its grounds (without forfeiting its right to federal aid), its argument being that the military/pentagon would not sign the nondiscrimination pledges, due to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. If Yale lost its federal aid, many research facilities would go dark, possibly the cancer research or heart disease studies. And that cost outweighs the benefit of moral right.

But really, what chance did Yale Law have? They have the most brilliant legal minds on their side, but the circuit appeals court was dealing with the Pentagon, and the military as a whole, on the other. Academic freedom is trumped by military might, yet again. The military policy is so obviously discriminatory, that the ruling will be seen through like cellophane in coming years, hopefully, as the tides of public opinion eventually turn towards the acceptance of such a large and vibrant population. Gays currently in the military (and there definitely are many) are more valiant, because they are laboring inside a group that openly fears them, and yet continue to place themselves in the same life-threatening positions for similar convictions. That kind of patriotism is on par with a slave picking up arms by his own choosing, for the South during the Civil War - noble, yet completely inadvisable - because what exactly are you fighting to defend? A corrupt system, that is fighting to keep you in slavery, or in this case, keep you closeted. Not the best of comparisons, but it accentuates the problem.

Yale Law School may have to allow recruiters onto their campus, but they don't have to make it easy for them. They can enjoy the glorious right to free speech that the military claimed in court, and set up a base camp of protest right beside them. They can organize gay rights groups on campus to coordinate protests. In other words, they can make it extremely uncomfortable for recruiters representing this homophobic group.

It truly is sad, because if the military openly accepted gay recruits, more people would join the military, and many forward thinking, knowledgeable people would help contribute to greater military success and strength. Just look at the caliber of soldiers that are kicked out of the military once outed - they are translators, tactical people, important people. And with the present shortages and strain on the military, shouldn't it be more accepting? What are we fighting for overseas... shouldn't someone remind us?