Not only was the article "Pope's Death Reveals Hypocrisy" offensive, it was blatantly wrong, unwarranted and ignorant. Russell Allen should attempt to become an informed writer if he wants anyone to take him seriously. It is apparent to me, as a Catholic with 13 years of Catholic education under my belt, that Allen knows very little about the Catholic Church and the beliefs of her members.
While the pope was a conservative thinker in terms of sexuality, he was one of the most innovative thinkers of the 20th century in regard to human rights. While I vehemently disagree with the pope's views on homosexuality, that does not make me any less of a Catholic. In addition, Allen should have taken into account that while the pope and Catholic teaching disagree with the practice of homosexuality, they also teach that homosexuality itself is not a sin. Another main teaching of the church is that all human beings have dignity and deserve tolerance and respect, despite, race, creed, color or sexual preference - a teaching Allen, himself, could learn from.
As for Allen's claim regarding the pope and the spread of AIDS, maybe he should have again researched the subject. In a recently published study conducted by Harvard University, it was found that the Catholic and biblical teaching of abstinence has been significantly effective in reducing AIDS in Uganda, with the HIV rate dropping 50 percent between 1992 and 2000. In addition, one would think that a senior in college would have provided evidence for his extremely one-sided position on the subject.
Through his rantings this year, Allen has done nothing but use The Eagle as a soapbox to belittle and bemoan the values and traditions of people he clearly knows nothing about. If he had taken the time to become the least bit informed, he would know that several of the leading contenders for the papacy are from third-world countries in Africa and Latin America.
One would hope that Allen would re-evaluate his pretentious thinking rather than waste everyone's time by constantly berating the beliefs of others. It is entirely possible in the modern world for Catholics to "have their cake and eat it too" by being politically, socially and religiously active in their communities. Maybe Allen should try and find something he can believe in rather than accusing those who mourn the death of a great man as participating in a "devil's bargain."
Samantha Turka is a freshman in the School of Communication.
