Author: Sal

The 11^th Commandment

Name that parking lot if you can!

Sal’s movie reviews!
Star Trek: Nemesis is a festering hunk of cheese. Picard’s Nemesis? Think Dr. Evil. The plot fell back on every Star Trek contrivance except for time travel, which was already overused by the time Star Trek IV: You’ve Got Whales was released. The Next Gen crew all had fairly minor roles excluding Picard and Data. Regardless, I’m sure they made millions just to squeeze into their Star Fleet jammies again for another cruise around the sound stage. More later – I have to get back to work!

Fugitive update: irony, providence or both?

The Fugitive and I are talking again, thank God. It looks like we will be friends after all. I have a bit more to post on this later but I will leave you with this amazing fact that I was totally unaware of last week: we were on our way to the church where she was Baptized. What a wonderful homecoming that could have been. It may yet be. I’m praying for that, to be sure.

Jury clears man who shot priest he accused of abuse

A sympathetic jury cleared a man of most charges in the shooting of a priest who he said abused him as a teenager.

Sympathetic indeed. The jury acquitted Dontee Stokes of the attempted murder of Rev. Maurice Blackwell. A forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Spodak, testified via video tape that Stokes was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder when he shot Blackwell.

Stokes testified that he didn’t intend to harm Blackwell when he confronted him. But he said that when Blackwell brushed him off, memories of abuse flooded back.

If he didn’t intend to harm Rev. Blackwell why was he packing heat? The article mentions nothing about whether or not he felt he had to defend himself or the circumstances surrounding their meeting. I won’t defend the indefensible crime of abusing children, but this case unfortunately sets a precedent for victims who wish to take the law into their own hands. Of course a jury is going to be sympathetic to a victim of abuse, even alleged abuse. Of course a jury will think the vitctim-turned-perp has emotional or psychological damage as a result. Perhaps this is justice, I just hope it doesn’t become a justification for vegeance.

Funny?

Not exactly. Satirical? I don’t think so. It’s Bill Garner’s cartoon today in the Washington Times. I’d post it here but I don’t want to get in a tiff with Eric’s employer. In it the Holy Father is dragging Cardinal Law by the ear to a doghouse. On the doghouse are the words “Thine Doghouse.” It just doesn’t speak about Cardinal Law’s resignation or the crisis in Boston with any insight. Then again, it’s just a cartoon.