Originally posted at American Thinker.
The war against the Catholic Church’s teachings on sexuality has a new heroine. Move over, Sandra Fluke.
In the run-up to the 2012 election, the Georgetown Law School grad Fluke brought honor to the Democratic Party by exposing an archaic patriarchal religious institution and highlighting the need for unlimited free birth control for every college girl in America. In liberal circles there were none braver or more committed to the contraceptive cause than Sandra Kay Fluke. In the eyes of many Democrats, this was a woman one votive shy of being officially canonized as the patron saint of free birth control.
For a time Sandra Fluke remained the titular head of the contraceptive crusade. That was until the Carnegie Mellon University art parade, where a nameless woman silently conveyed a message about condoms, Catholics, and freedom of creative expression in a way that far over-shadowed even the best efforts of Sandra Fluke.
Surely with Sandra’s heroism as her foundational inspiration, this particular female student decided to further drive home the free birth control/anti-papist message by exposing the lower half of her body, complete with her pubic topiary fashioned into the shape of a crucifix. Dressed like the Holy Father from the waist up, the faux pope took her message to the art parade where she passed out condoms like a priest distributing communion wafers.
While some were shocked by the sacrilegious demonstration, one student by the name of Ivy Kristove told Pittsburgh NewsRadio 1020 KDKA that the naked pope with the exposed crucifix was “all in good fun and… not meant to harm anyone.” Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh begged to differ, and was just as insulted by the pornographic pope impersonator as Sandra Fluke was when Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” for demanding free contraceptives. Zubik demanded the university take action. Thus far, there’s been none forthcoming.
Considering the din surrounding the half-nude Carnegie Mellon condom dispenser, this particular situation does cry out for Barack Obama to inject his support into the midst of the controversy.
In early 2012, the president apologized to Afghanistan for American military personnel allegedly disrespecting the Quran. It does seem highly unlikely that Barack H. Obama would be the least bit perturbed over a half-naked female activist disrespecting a church his policies make a habit of regularly disparaging. Quite the contrary — if he is consistent, Obama respects this woman’s zealous commitment and willingness to air out the issue of how the Catholic Church is determined to deny women free birth control and abortion on demand.
Either way, putting religious sensibilities aside, it is true that from time to time President Obama has been known to register his approval for certain issues by choosing to telephone those who make public statements about the things he exhibits religious fervor over, such as free birth control, abortion and, more recently, homosexuality in the NBA.
Remember when the President called Sandra Fluke to offer encouragement and comfort and to thank her for “speaking out about the concerns of American women,” and to tell her that her parents should be proud of her for announcing to the world that $3,000 a year in birth control was breaking her bank?
More recently, Obama even phoned groundbreaking gay NBA player Jason Collins, the first professional athlete to officially pull a tutu out of his footlocker. The president wanted to commend Jason for his fearlessness in coming out and to tell him how impressed he was by the ball player’s willingness to bring his homosexuality to light out there on the hardwood.
Thus far, Barack Obama has not yet taken the time to dial up the she-pope of Carnegie Mellon. Clearly, if the art parade participant refuses to cover up that crucifix of hers, a la Obama’s request at Sandra Fluke’s alma mater, it’s doubtful the president will want to meet her face-to-face. But the two women had similar messages. Just dressing in a respectable business suit should not be the reason Obama prefers Ms. Fluke over the pope-ish lady passing out prophylactics in Pittsburgh. Instead, the president should maintain his reputation of being a supporter of free contraception by calling the she-pope as well.
Ideologically, nothing stands in the way of President Obama rallying female voters by reaching out to the Carnegie Mellon pope to thank her for her remarkable bravery. While he’s got her on the telephone, he could also commend her for her eagerness to mock the Catholic Church, her creative skill with secateurs, and for choosing to carry low, but not too low, the free birth control/anti-pope torch on behalf of his pal, the sainted pioneer Sandra Fluke.
