Sarasota News Leader

10/25/2013

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Sarasota News Leader October 25, 2013 OPINION Page 96 As it was, his statements indicated he is giving no ground in his war against those he believes are moral failures. Those who must practice family planning or have an abortion or who have a same-sex partner, or even those who have divorced and remarried, can expect to remain second-class citizens in the Roman Catholic Church of Bishop Dewane. And that sounds much more like the commandments of the person on whom the Church is founded, who told us to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, love our enemies, resist retaliation when injured by another, visit those who are sick or in prison, welcome strangers into our midst and, most important, to not judge others. Pope Francis has indicated by his statements that his view of the Church is quite different, that all must be welcomed to find relief from the strife with which each contends, regardless of individual avoidance of Church teachings. For all of Bishop Dewane's attempts to recast the Pope's statements in harsher, dogmatic terms, the world has heard the new pontiff … and, for the first time in many years, is filled with hope. % SLIGHTLY HACKNEYED WILL 2014 BE THE 'YEAR OF THE DEMOCRATS?' By Robert Hackney Opinion Editor COMMENTARY The so-called Republican Rev– olution of 1994, boosted by Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America," gave that party control of the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time since the Eisenhower Administration. More important, it fueled Republican gains in state legislatures around the country. Democratic, no serious Republican ever filed to run. The usual "village idiots" were the only ones to plunk down the cash for the filing fee, and state party officials historically turned a blind eye, grateful at least to have names on the ballot. But in 1994, having that coveted "Republican" after a name on the ballot turned into the electoral equivalent of hitting the lottery. Quite a number of village idiots found themselves Many state GOP officials were unprepared. In serving in their state legislatures … with prelegislative districts that historically had voted dictable results.

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