I'm confused... How offended should I be?

Thanks to Deacon Richard Hudzik for making me aware of the ruling of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals supporting the City of San Francisco's resolution defaming the Catholic Church. It seems the city council of San Francisco was upset that Cardinal William Levada (former archbishop of said community) in his role as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a directive to Catholic Charities in San Francisco to stop placing children for adoption with homosexual couples.
In their righteous anger, the city council passed a non-binding resolution labeling the moral position of the church as callous, insensitive, hateful, ignorant and insulting. The Catholic League for some reason took umbrage at the resolution and brought suit under the non-establishment clause of the First Ammendment prohibiting government hostility toward religion. Details are available on the Thomas More Law Center's site here.
But I'm confused. How offended would I be if the city fathers of Sodom were to call me names?

British legislation threatens Catholic adoption agencies

A British tribunal has ruled that Catholic adoption agencies may not discriminate against homosexual couples in adoptions. The Labour Party implemented sexual orientation anti-discrimination rules in a 2007 bill. Story here.
Now the Catholic church which has been involved in the care and adoption of children far longer than most public agencies, must decide whether to forsake prinicples or close.
What's next?

Tianamen Square, 20 years after

While the authorities continue to clamp down, at least one former soldier tries to deal with his role in the Tianamen Square massacre of two decades past in his art. The New York Times has a story on Chen Guang who was a 17-year old soldier at the time and who, in defiance of instructions from security officials, spoke publicly on his role in the events. Full story here.

Constitution State ignores the Constitution

The Constitution State seems to be going out of its way to rewrite the constitution in an effort to attack the Catholic Church.
Following the failed attempt by legislators in March to dictate management of church parishes and institutions, the state is trying to tell the church it needs to register as a lobbyist to hold rallies and use its Web site to oppose legislation. State officials are claiming that the diocese acted as a lobbyist when it made statements on its Web site urging members to contact their state lawmakers to oppose the finances bill and another bill on same-sex marriage.
The Diocese of Bridgeport headed by Bishop William Lori, is asking a U.S. District judge to stop the Office of State Ethics from what it calls an unconstitutional application of Connecticut lobbying laws. Stories here and here.
It appears to me that what has been an underground war against the Catholic Church in America seems to be moving more out into the open. Yeah, I may be paranoid... but that doesn't mean they are not out to get me.

What's good for General Motors...

Charles E. Wilson while president of the General Motors Corporation made a statement that is oft-misquoted as "What is good for General Motors is good for the country." He actually said in reply to a question posed at a congressional hearing whether he could make a decision in a governmental capacity that might run counter to the interests of GM that he thought, "What is good for the country is good for General Motors and vice versa."
That statement certainly emphasized the degree of importance the manufacturing sector held for the national economy. The cruel reality is that the United States is no longer the manufacturing powerhouse it once was, in fact we have gone a long way toward becoming what Douglas Adams so brilliantly lampooned in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as a nation of "telephone sanitizers."
Methinks that General Motors filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection gives serious cause for national introspection.

Wichita bishop statement on George Tiller's death

Bishop Michael O. Jackels

The Catholic community extends sympathy to the family of Dr. George Tiller, a victim of violent crime made even more heinous, if that is possible, by being committed in a church as he was preparing for worship.

Many Catholics have over the years engaged in peaceful protest outside of Dr. Tiller's clinic, praying for an end to abortion, and especially late-term abortions; I have on occasion joined them for this purpose. This position and hope cannot however serve as a justification for committing other sins and crimes, like the willful destruction of property and, even worse, murder.

It is my prayer that the Tiller family find consolation, that Dr. George Tiller find mercy and the fulfillment of the great hope of Christians, and that all will find peaceful and legal means to resolve differences.

With sorrow and regret

The tragic killing of Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, Kansas yesterday has done much to unravel the little progress that has been made in the pro-life debate. It is hard to keep discussion focused on the value of human life when those who oppose abortion demonstrate a willingness to kill or to struggle to mitigate the evil of killing because of the actions of the victim. I can only mourn the death of Dr. Tiller even as I mourn the deaths of all those lives that will be terminated due to the actions of others today.
In opposing a culture of death it is imperative that I remove myself as much as possible from that culture. I offer prayers today for Dr. Tiller and his family.