[Jesuit] Boston College Celebrates [Kennedy Family Friend and Political Hack] Tip O’Neill Despite Troubling Abortion Record
Boston College is celebrating the 100th birthday of the late congressman Tip O’Neill, whose record on abortion caused at least one bishop to boycott a graduation ceremony that honored him.
The late Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Democratic Speaker of the House between 1977 and 1987, would have been 100 years old this year. In the first of three events that Boston College designed to commemorate O’Neill, political analyst Thomas Mann gave a lecture in O’Neill Library last Thursday tracing political change throughout O’Neill’s career.
“Tip clearly thought that social justice and the teachings of the Catholic Church were central to what his job was,” R. Shep Melnick, the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Professor of American Politics, said. “His passion for the poor was central to what God demands.”
But O’Neill’s political stances on abortion were… murky at best. In a time when many Democratic politicians like Teddy Kennedy completely turned from pro-life to pro-abortion rights, O’Neill seemingly kept his public pro-life view. But the reality is a but more troubling.
Phil Lawler, the editor of CWN News, wrote a book about the Church in Massachusetts and said that O’Neill “did everything in his considerable power to ensure that the House of Representatives never held a vote on any effort to ban abortion.” As O’Neill was the Speaker of the House between 1977 and 1987, he often decided which bills could be voted on.
Lawler admitted that O’Neill “retained a pro-life record” but added that “he made it possible for dozens of other Democrats to retain their pro-life credentials without lifting a finger to stop the slaughter of the unborn.”
In 1985, Bishop James C. Timlin refused to attend the graduation ceremonies at the University of Scranton because O’Neill was being honored. Bishop Timilin reportedly said he “cannot even appear to be supportive of a congressman who on occasion failed to support legislation which could have halted legal abortions.”
The next event to commemorate Tip O’Neill will be a luncheon talk by Yale professor David Mayhew on Friday, Nov. 2.
National Catholic Distorter: Father Küng?
Hans Küng: Vell, I vould like to vish Tip Happy Birthday, ja!
Und für a good time at ze Birthday Party at Boston College.
I know zey vill have zeir hands full in ze Notre Dame game if Brian Kelly can figure out vich quarterback he vill be playing.
Fahzer Jenkins ist keeping a close vatch on ze zituation.
I saw him on ze sidelines at ze Stanford game und vee had a good talk about ze future of Kant und Wittgenstein at Notre Dame.
National Catholic Distorter: But, Father, aren’t you concerned about all of the heresy and lack of regard for the unborn at such a flagship Jesuit university?
Hans Küng: Vell, not so much lately. I have been vorried about ze Zimultaneous Possession Rule ever zince zat touchdown catch call in ze Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks game. Vee lost a bundle on zat.
Alzough Nancy Pelosi has been making a killing on ze San Franzisco 49ers in ze pools.
National Catholic Distorter: But, Father, didn’t you read where “Phil Lawler, the editor of CWN News, wrote a book about the Church in Massachusetts and said that Tip O’Neill “did everything in his considerable power to ensure that the House of Representatives never held a vote on any effort to ban abortion.” As O’Neill was the Speaker of the House between 1977 and 1987, he often decided which bills could be voted on”?
Hans Küng: Vell, ze New England Province has been a concern, ja.
I know zere have been zome vorries in Boston vith ze Patriots defense, but Tom Brady und ze Patriots vill be fine. Rex Ryan und ze Jets have made ze mistake of not putting Tebow in enough at halfback und tight end, ze short passes from Sanchez to Tebow, ja.
But Bellichick und Brady vill get over ze Angst und Geworfenheit of ze slow start.
I zee you at ze Boston College-Notre Dame game, ja! Irish by ten.
National Catholic Distorter: But, Father, what about the situation at Boston College?
Hans Küng: Zey should put Arnold Schwarzenegger in as a running back. I hear he has zome free time now.
Ach du lieber, Howl Der Grosse ist zuruck!
Howl, can’t tell you how GOOD ( and goofy! ) it is zu zee Sie zuruck hier! Jawohl, Mein Herr!
Once again, fractured German appears on the horizon, the skies thunder and lightning pierces the firmament as intercollegiate and major league sports and horrendously dumb theologians flee – limbs akimbo and mouths gaping – in sheer terror!
Tuebingen has just declared a regional state of emergency!