Anne Coulter’s Slyly Dishonorable Mention

A friend recently forwarded me a link to Anne Coulter's latest column with the following comment:

"Anne's Coulter's latest column is entitled: "Notre Dame Holds First Alan Keyes Fundraiser"

Here is a multiple choice test:

Anne Coulter uses Alan Keyes' name to

a. piggyback off of Dr. Keyes' fame and courage in order to get people to read her column (Dr. Keyes is never even mentioned in the body of the article)

b. give herself credibility by creating the appearance of being on the same side of the abortion issue as Dr. Keyes

c. to distract readers from realizing that she explains (in two consecutive sentences) that Roe v. Wade is both "lawless" and "the law of the land"

d. promote her latest "pro-life" idea of allowing the people the right to vote on whether or not babies can be killed."

Naturally I took a look at the column. My friend was right. Except for the shrewdly deceptive title, my name did not figure in the article at all. As I reflected on this oddity, one possibility occurred to me in addition to the choices listed. The title leaves the impression that somehow or another I benefited financially from what I did and endured at Notre Dame.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Not long after I received the forwarded link, I got a phone call from the lady who helps me keep my schedule. She reported that the controversial nature of my efforts at Notre Dame is already adversely affecting requests for speaking engagements, which is my main source of income for my family. It wouldn't be the first time that my commitment to the pro-life cause has had this effect. Some time ago, as a result of my efforts to promote better understanding of the importance of US support for Israel's existence, I was often invited to speak at fundraising events for Jewish organizations. But in my political efforts I gave unstinting priority to the defense of innocent life. Thanks to strong support for so-called abortion rights from some quarters in the Jewish community, as this priority became known it virtually eliminated such requests for speaking engagements. (Ironically, in the political realm my firm commitment to the defense of the US-Israel relationship contributed greatly to the failure of efforts to join forces with the Constitution Party last year.)

The same sense of priority led to my departure from the Republican Party. Again, die hard Republicans unwilling to admit and act on the betrayal of moral principle by the Party's leadership, have assured that I am now unwelcome at political events where once I was a sought after voice.

Combined with the general impact of the current economic crisis, all this has resulted in a situation that is just about as far from a "fundraiser" as it's possible to get. My involvement in the events at Notre Dame even interfered with my ability to devote enough time and effort to this blog site over the last two weeks, and it has suffered as a result. Meanwhile a well remunerated pundit like Anne Coulter slyly implies some mercenary motive behind the work I do for the sake of the moral principles without which our liberty cannot survive in any form. Perhaps that's because, judging others by what they see in themselves, it's the only motive some people can understand.

By email and other means good people have communicated their support for the efforts made by the courageous people who joined in the effort to counter the Notre Dame Scandal. Many of them have concluded by saying that they hope I won't "disappear" again, but will keep working for the cause of life and liberty. Apparently, despite their good hearts, they still rely on the lying and sly propagandists of the so-called mainstream media for their perceptions. I have never "disappeared" and never ceased to do what I can toward the restoration of American liberty. God has blessed me with the heart to persevere in the effort to revive America's allegiance to His will. The spirit therefore is willing, but the material means are weaker than ever. It appears that, like the contestants on the game show, I have used my last material lifeline in this latest effort to fulfill my Catholic and Christian duty to the integrity of my faith. Still, it is better to lose all here trying to do what's right than to lose all in eternity.

It's a sign of the times. People lament the disappearance of rights they will not defend; of faith for which they fear to witness; and of leadership they will neither provide themselves nor materially support. I thank God that there is still a faithful remnant that understands how self-defeating this is, including those among my readers here who have helped to keep my efforts going, on this web site and in general.