"DUCK AND COVER" -- REMEMBER?

At the height of the Cold War which existed between Russia and the United States in the decades following World War II, there was real fear over the potential that the animosity between these two countries could provoke nuclear war.

I can vividly remember Civil Defense shelters in schools, offices, factories, even churches.

Almost monthly, schools practiced “air raid drills” to prepare for possible Russian attacks during which nuclear bombs would be released upon  American cities by Russian plans or missiles.

The phrase “Duck and Cover” was coined to remind children what to instantly do should the sirens sound.

Even a clever jingle was written in which the phrase “Duck and Cover” was reprised throughout.

Of course, this was all nonsense, a ruse to deflect away from the truth that a multi-megaton nuclear weapon was capable of instantaneously vaporizing whole cities.  

“Duck and Cover” was totally bogus, propaganda to keep Americans from the simple truth that no one could survive a nuclear attack.

But, in those days, Americans went along with the nonsense and collectively pretended, accepted and funded (by way of taxes) the illusion that there was a “civil defense” program that might provide a means of surviving a nuclear assault.

Only now Americans are willing to admit that the public was foolish enough to believe any of the lies and misinformation foisted upon it by the government.

As I have observed the response of the Church to the horror of the homosexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy, I cannot help but associating what the Holy See and the Bishops are doing and saying with “Duck and Cover” of old.

It’s all nonsense.  Deflection.  Misinformation. Spin.  A programmed and coordinated effort to keep the truth from being confronted.   

The reality is this:  homosexual Catholic Clergymen preyed upon young males, sexually assaulted and, in some cases, violently raped them.

But the Holy See and the overwhelming majority of the Catholic hierarchy have resolutely decided never to speak this truth.

Instead, they -- by analogy -- “Duck and Cover”.

Only in this case, the “Ducking” isn’t under a desk or table, it’s ducking the truth and suggesting that the root of the abuse scandal is some kind of “institutional clericalism” which perpetuated the horrors.

And the “Covering” has been (up until recently) to be silent.

It won’t work.  Not now.  Not after what is amounting to decades of repeated stories of abuse and cover up in diocese after diocese around this country and around the world.

Not even the “Charter for the Prevention of the Abuse of Minors” propaganda put out by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will work any longer.

Only a fool would truly believe such a program offers any real defense against the predation of youngsters by homosexual Clergymen.

As long as the propaganda and deflection away from the truth that homosexual Clergymen have and continue to prey upon young males continues, the Church will find itself battered and broken.

“Duck and Cover”, as a civil defense strategy was utter drivel.  

The same holds true for the same kind of misdirection taking place within the Church right now.