It’s Sunday morning, and my guess is that a few friends at Mass will say something about Governor Whitmer of Michigan.  Honestly, we don’t talk a lot about the governor of Michigan down here, but what was she doing, giving a young woman a Dorito in something that looks a lot like Communion?

I don’t get it, but it was supposed to be funny, or so they tell me.  Here is the story:

So Governor Whitmer is doing what?  I’m not sure what the point here is, but it does look to some of us Catholics as though they are mocking our faith.

As you would expect, the Michigan bishops didn’t like the comedy, either.  They responded with a statement:

The Bishops of Michigan have expressed their “profound disappointment and offense taken” with Governor Gretchen Whitmer for posting a video skit on social media showing the state’s Governor feeding a Dorito corn chip to a kneeling podcaster in a manner that is widely being perceived as a mockery of the Holy Eucharist.

“The skit goes further than the viral online trend that inspired it, specifically imitating the posture and gestures of Catholics receiving the Holy Eucharist, in which we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present,” said Paul A. Long, President and CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference which represents the seven dioceses of the state, October 11.

“It is not just distasteful or ‘strange;’ it is an all-too-familiar example of an elected official mocking religious persons and their practices. While dialogue on this issue with the governor’s office is appreciated, whether or not insulting Catholics and the Eucharist was the intent, it has had an offensive impact.”

In the video skit, which was posted on YouTube yesterday, Governor Whitmer lays the Dorito chip on the extended tongue of a woman, Canadian podcaster Liz Plank, who, as the camera pans out, is shown to be kneeling in the same manner as one would when receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. The Michigan governor then stares expressionless into the camera.

So what were you thinking, Gretchen?  It didn’t occur to the governor or the young woman kneeling that they were offending Catholics?  Would they have done a similar joke mocking another faith?  I think we know the answer, or just Google Charlie Hebdo for a quick history lesson.

This is either a moron or a tone-deaf governor.  According to a quick check, most of the people in Michigan are Christians.  My experience with other religious people is that they don’t like any mocking of faith.  They know that such disrespect will eventually get around to them.

So again, what was the governor thinking?  Well, I guess she was not thinking, because this little video makes no sense to anyone planning to stay in public office.

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped).

Image: Gretchen Whitmer.  Credit: austin_slack via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped).