Star Tribune Editorial: Robinson ambush / The anatomy of a smear

[GAspnes]

We had hoped to comment this morning on the meaning of the Episcopal debate over the nomination of the Rev. Gene Robinson to be bishop of the New Hampshire diocese. Why is it happening now? What does it portend? Is the Episcopal Church, as it often has before, signaling a significant change in the social fabric of American life?

That was before Robinson was ambushed, hours before the House of Bishops was to take the final vote on his nomination, by the most scurrilous smear: He was accused of linkage to a porn Web site and of inappropriately touching another man. The church investigated both charges and cleared Robinson. The House of Bishops then voted to accept his elevation to Bishop of New Hampshire. End of story? Not quite.

The Every Voice Network Web site, a liberal Anglican site, reported Tuesday that the alleged inappropriate behavior "occurred when Robinson touched a married man in his 40s on his bicep, shoulder and upper back in the process of a public conversation at a province meeting around two years ago." Oh, please.

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http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/4026552.html

[unfrigginreal]

1. Asskicking editorial

I don't know much about the Star tribune but they sure didn't hold any punches in this opinion piece. It would be nice if some of the larger papers pick up on this but I won't hold my breath, waiting.

[Rowdyboy]

2. Absolutely stunning....and shameless

Thank you so much for posting this. I will see that its gets as much circulation in the Episcopal community as possible.

So Fred Barnes is a conservative Episcop and Richard Scaife bankrolls them. That makes so many things clear.

Once again, THANK YOU! I might never have seen this on my own.

[GAspnes]

4. glad to help

I have no idea who on the editorial staff wrote this, but I complimented him/her in an email to the Strib this morning.

[DrBB]

6. Sent it out on my Episcopal lists as well n/t

[NickDanger]

3. Fred Barves should hang his head in shame and never write again

Dirty GOP bastard

[DrBB]

5. I would love to see the faces in Mpls today

Barnes and the other Episco-Rovians have done far more to discredit themselves, their motives, their ethics, and their intellectual position than anyone on the other side could have hoped. And this superb editorial makes that equisitely clear.

My wife couldn't stay for the second week of the convention--she left just as this smear was hitting the fan, and even at that point people were almost instantly aware that it was a dishonest and baseless political tactic. Alas, she's not there to report because I would love to see the faces of the traditionalists at the convention this morning. I know a number of sincere, faithful people on the other side of this issue, but if there's a single one of them who is not deeply, deeply ashamed of this episode then that person has no intellectual honesty and has lost my respect.

[northernsoul]

7. I work downtown

but haven't had a chance to escape my cubicle yet, otherwise I'd love to provide a good man on the street account of the action from outside the convention center