To the Catholic Blogosphere

I've come to conclude that as Catholics, whether we consider ourselves apologists, Catholics with blogs, Catholics with blogs about Catholic things, Catholics with blogs about stamp collecting, we should set the bar higher.  We shouldn't take all the worst that is common across the internet, and especially blogs, and magnify it.

Doesn't mean we can't be colorful, passionate, direct, blunt, or whatever.  Of course we should call evil what it is, speak to the truth, correct error.  Naturally if we see problems we can speak to them. We should. And if we have a whimsical or sardonic way of doing so, fine.  Everyone has their style.  Nor does it mean we can't point to obvious tendencies or trends within a particular segment of society if we have reason or facts or data to back us up.

But we should be careful when it comes to making broad and sweeping statements.  It's easy to do.  And we can't always just say 'I don't mean everyone' or 'I know some who aren't that way.'  I'm sure.  But that's an old dodge that bigots always use.  Most Archie Bunkers never said they're all that way:



If we want to deal with problems, by all means.  But be careful singling people out, and then trying to brush an entire group because of them.  And certainly be careful the time honored approach of broadly condemning groups we don't like, thinking that a mere 'I didn't say they're all like that' statement changes everything.  If you don't think they're all like that, then take a different approach than suggesting they're really all like that.