PrintApril 5, 2010
With 'Social Justice' You Don't Get Egg Roll
President Obama claims that the Catholic Church's tradition of social justice has had a "profound influence" on him. He should try telling that to kids in private and parochial schools who were intentionally excluded from the official invitation list for the 2010 White House Easter Egg Roll today.
This year's theme -- "Ready, Set, Go!" -- is promoting health and wellness. According to the White House, "All of the activities will encourage children to lead healthy and active lives and follow the First Lady's 'Let's Move!' initiative, a national campaign to combat childhood obesity."
Apparently, "childhood obesity" among children attending non-public schools is a preexisting condition not covered by ObamaCare.
The snub to kids in private and parochial schools must make it hard for Obama's daughters Malia and Sasha to explain their parents' double standard to schoolmates at the exclusive and expensive Sidwell Friends School, where the girls attend.
Since the "social justice" proponent-in-chief claims to be a Christian, he should be the one explaining how discriminating against children at a White House "Easter" event is consistent with the words of Jesus: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
That's the original no child left behind policy.
Who thinks it was the Church's tradition of "social justice" that influenced Obama when he:
- squandered funds from the Chicago Annenberg Project to train teachers on "Afrocentric" education instead of focusing on basics?
- earmarked millions of dollars to the University of Chicago Medical Center after his wife became a vice president and helped "steer primarily poor, black people to other health care facilities"?
- opposed laws that would mandate medical care for babies with the preexisting condition of having survived a late-term abortion?
- opposed the "Child Custody Protection Act," which would have made it illegal to take a girl to another state for an abortion that violates the parental consent or notification laws of her home state?
- opposed a ban on partial birth abortion?
- promised Planned Parenthood that abortion funding would be included in "health care reform"?
- reversed a ban on federal funding for international groups that promote or perform abortions?
- reversed a Bush-era policy that limited federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research?
- lifted a twenty-year ban on D.C. abortion funding?
- called for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act?
- opposed California's Prop 8, which limits marriage to a man and a woman?
- ended a school voucher program providing private school education to the poorest children in D.C.?
- appointed radical homosexual activist Kevin Jennings as his "Safe Schools" czar?
- called for repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bars gays and lesbians from openly serving in the armed forces?
- proposed reducing tax deductions for charitable giving?
These are some of the reasons why so many Americans think that listening to his preacher, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, rant against America, white people, and the "rich" for twenty years has had much more influence on Obama than the Catholic Church or Jesus have. The majority also think that Obama partnered with someone other than God to get Obamacare passed.
Since Obama thinks that the United States is no longer a Christian nation, you have to wonder how long the White House will continue calling it an "Easter Egg Roll." Maybe next year they'll call it "The White House Diversity and Tolerance Non-Discrimination Spring Roll," and only kids from parochial schools will be uninvited.
Jan LaRue is senior legal analyst with the American Civil Rights Union.
