The American Spectator : The Icon and the Battle-Axe

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The Icon and the Battle-Axe

Worse than what Secretary of State Clinton did at the Basilica of Guadalupe was her stop in Houston.

MEXICO CITY — Imagine an American Secretary of State one morning praying at Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall and the next evening accepting a eugenics award named for Dr. Josef Mengele.

That is an apt analogy to the repugnant juxtaposition of gestures by Hillary Clinton during and following her brief visit to Mexico last week.

Color photographs and loud captions atop page one of the daily El Universal captured the Mexican public’s sense of outraged bewilderment at Mrs. Clinton’s visit March 26 to the Basilica of Guadalupe, Catholicism’s second most visited shrine after St. Peter’s in Rome. The Basilica rector, Monsignor Diego Monroy, stands with Mrs. Clinton and shows her the mestiza Madonna whose story is known to every Catholic schoolchild, an image believed to have been imposed miraculously on an Indian’s cloak five centuries ago.

HILLARY CLINTON: Who painted it?

MONSIGNOR MONROY: God.

La Guadalupana is the archetypal icon of Latin American Catholicism. Catholics in the United States as well as in the Latin countries today invoke the Virgin of Guadalupe as the special patron of the pro-life movement.

Was Hillary’s public diplomacy fiasco a calculated insult addressed to something she regards as a superstition, or simply the unrehearsed utterance of a person so soulless that she cannot fathom believers’ sense of mystery?

A clue to the answer came in the traveling diplomat’s next stop after Mexico, Houston, where she accepted the Margaret Sanger Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation.

In Houston, Hillary lauded the very evils that pilgrims to Guadalupe pray to overcome: liberalized abortion laws and making United States taxpayers pay for abortions and abortion propaganda in “developing” countries.

The comparison of Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) and Josef Mengele (1911-1979) is not overdrawn. Even a cursory examination of her life’s work and pronouncements shows Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, as one of the most strident and inhumane racists of the eugenics movement of the 1920s and 1930s. In April 1932, for example, she wrote an article urging “a stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is tainted, or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring.” Eugenics was a fashionable social policy panacea at that time not only in Hitler’s Germany, but also among powerful elites in the United States and other Western democracies.

Hillary Clinton provides the latest manifestation of what Arthur Schlesinger Sr. called “the deepest bias in the history of the American people” and “the only remaining acceptable prejudice” — anti-Catholicism.

Secretary Clinton’s words and actions in Mexico and Houston are elaborations of the disconcerting words of President Obama’s Inaugural Address, his pledge to “restore science to its rightful place and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its costs” and his gratuitous, unspecific slam against “worn out dogmas.”

Nothing is more clear-cut than the chasm separating the Obama-Clinton ideology and programs from Christian faith and tradition and what Pope John Paul II, whose towering bronze image stands beside the Basilica here, called the Culture of Life.

(Mr. Duggan is writing and lecturing in Mexico City this spring.)

About the Author

Joseph P. Duggan served on a U.S. State Department diplomatic mission to Prague in 1988, presenting then-dissident Václav Havel his first briefing on U.S. and NATO defense postures and policies. This article is adapted from Duggan’s new electronic book, The Zuckerberg Galaxy: A Primer for Navigating the Media Maelstrom.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (65) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

stefie| 3.31.09 @ 7:29AM

And is anyone suprised that Hillary would utter something as stupid as this?
I've always thought the daughter that she and Billy boy had was a prop anyway. She is too self absorbed to be a mother.
Souless is a perfect word for this harpe.

Timothy L. Pennell| 3.31.09 @ 7:40AM

Everybody can think what they want, and that includes me. I think that we are paying the price, for turning away from God. There's a Magaret Sanger Award? What's next? A Tiller the Killer Award? Look around. Hollywood spits in the face, of those of us who believe. They MOCK Religion, and GLORIFY everything that is anethema to God. And see where it gets them. They find themselves ADDICTED to Drugs and Alcohol. Their lives are unfulfilling. Their Family Lives, if they even have one, almost always end up in DIVORCE, and the loss of their children. So many of them end up Old, and Alone. And TRADGEDY follows them, throughout their lives. Like the Kennedy Family. The entire Democrat Party, runs on a Platform that defies everything we know about God. And now we have a man in the White House, who would DENY MEDICAL ATTENTION to BABIES, who have survived the Abotionists' knife. For a few more votes. GOD help us .

Echohawk| 3.31.09 @ 7:58AM

Mr. Duggan, it's been almost 500 years since Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses and started the Protestant Reformation. I have heard of Our Lady of Guadalupe but I, too, didn't know that Catholics believe the cloak was painted by God. I doubt the average Catholic knows much about my denomination. Should I be as outraged as you are? Of course not!
I'm not a Hillary Clinton fan, but tying her to Joseph Mengele is a stretch.

Rather Read| 3.31.09 @ 8:13AM

Well Echohawk, I am an average Catholic and I know quite a bit about Martin Luther and the Lutheran faith. If I didn't know, and was the SOS going to the place her posted the 95 Theses, I would be certain to do my homework and be able to ask intelligent questions.

ga7788| 3.31.09 @ 8:14AM

Hillary is just one of many speakers for the man that appointed them, and why should any of us be surprised. If you look closely you maybe will be able to see the strings that are attached, and are jerked around by the likes of Pelosi, Reed. They make the rules and he stands behing the teleprompter and tells the people how great everything is going to be. Question: Who does he and they work for, the American people or the the Democratic party? I thought we had a President and not a king!

artman| 3.31.09 @ 8:36AM

The Democrat Party used to be a half-reasonable group carefully tip-toeing on the line of lawlessness and constitutionality with a subgroup of radical socialists and anti-capitalists. Now they have become led by this subgroup with lemmings trailing along behind prouder of their party affiliation than loyalty to their own Constitution. Sadly, the followers are so ignorant of the Founders intentions they would not recognize a free nation if they saw it. It is not surprising that an Obama has seized power as every nation always has such a demagogue waiting for a crisis to sway the ignorant and gullible. The surprise is the numbers of ignorant and gullible now populating America.

Mark H| 3.31.09 @ 8:49AM

This is this administration that was supposed to re-gain our respect around the world! Not to worry though. The adults will be back in charge soon enough.

MLG| 3.31.09 @ 9:09AM

At best she was woefully under prepared and did not do her homework as Sec. of State. I can’t imagine that her staff was not given an itinerary; state visits are usually scripted in detail down to the type of water being served in the limo. As Sec. of State she should have been given all the appropriate background information on each itinerary item. This is yet another example of lack of experience at all levels of this administration on even the basics of foreign diplomacy. At worst she is soulless.

Tim| 3.31.09 @ 9:16AM

I'm surprised one of the two didn't burst into flames from getting to close to its polar opposite

Indiana Alex| 3.31.09 @ 9:28AM

Maybe she can go back to Mexico and press the reset botton.

kjgh| 3.31.09 @ 9:29AM

saf

Dustoff| 3.31.09 @ 9:29AM

But, but, but. Isn't Hillary the smartest women in the world? It's what we have been told....

LOL

Nick| 3.31.09 @ 9:33AM

Tim,

You beat me to it!

I was going to say she probably just blurted out something to get away from something so Holy before she burst into flames!

wee willie| 3.31.09 @ 9:51AM

The Aztec high art was illustrations made with feathers. The color of feathers is caused by refraction not reflection. Philip Callahan examined the tilma and determined that the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe is as if it were made of feathers. Some painting.

Frank| 3.31.09 @ 9:55AM

How many times is Shrillary going to be give an pass for being woefully unprepared and not doing her homework? Maybe she needs to send the Pope an "overcharge" button too.

Rocin| 3.31.09 @ 10:20AM

Maybe Hillary should send Mexico a "reset" button.
I believe that the State Dept version of that in good Spanish is:
"Abandono mis derechos"
That'll cheer them up no end.

Dave| 3.31.09 @ 10:35AM

They teach lawyers to never ask a question if they don't already know the answer.

I guess Hillary missed that class.

Clusiana| 3.31.09 @ 10:51AM

Hillary never heard of the artist.

Doctor Right| 3.31.09 @ 11:09AM

I can't beleive I'm actually going to (kind of) defend Hillary Clinton, but here goes:

Ms. Clinton's remark was neither intended as a purposeful insult, nor as someone who doesn't understand the "believers sense of mystery". It was likely the result of old-fashioned ignorance - the forgiveable kind.

Ms. Clinton was raised as a Methodist. She probably knows next to nothing about Catholic traditions, especially ones that are NOT central to the faith, such as icons like "La Guadalupana". And frankly, why should she? It's rather presumptious of Catholics to think that those who don't believe in the Catholic faith care a whit about their particular traditions, just as I wouldn't expect a Catholic to know much about the differences between the Sounthern Baptist and First Baptist denominations (Typical response: "Well, they're all 'Baptists', right?").

Admittedly, her remark IS a Diplomatic faux-pas. Undoubtedly, she should have doen a little research on the subject before she arrived in Mexico. Then again, I don't believe a S.of.S. should have the time to do in-depth research on all of the places they visit and cultural artifacts they observe. I'm willing to bet that after a few months, it all starts to blend into a melange of "kultur-soup" ('Another icon? Oh, how nice...'), so I could extend the benefit of the doubt there, as well.

And finally...And Catholics will hate me for this, but as an Ex-Catholic, I'm entitled to ask:

What is wrong with her question??

Sorry, but it begs an answer that Catholic scholarship is unwilling to provide. I recently saw a "documentary" on "La Guadalupana" on EWTN ("The Catholic Channel"), and it strained credulity, even to a believing Christian such as myself. There's nothing "miraculous" about it.

The Catholic Church's official embrace of "La Guadalupana" is decidely unscriptural. It was originally an attempt to blend Catholic and pagan tradition so as to keep the faith relevant among the indigenous peoples of Latin America, and like the Shroud of Turin, it should now be officially disowned by the Church as a miracle.

American Jack| 3.31.09 @ 11:14AM

Truly, this womyn is tone-death...the terminal version of being tone-deaf. The inmates are running the asylum, folks. Pray for our survival as a nation...there is no guarantee here, now that we seem to turn away from God on a minute-by-minute basis. How sad.

Doctor Right| 3.31.09 @ 11:20AM

@American Jack:

I, too, am greatly concerned about the survival of our nation. And, like yourself, I agree that as a a people, we have turned away from God, and that is a huge problem.

And I am NO fan of Ms. Clinton, whom I believe to be a dangerous, deluded, individual.

But honestly folks...There are a LOT of things to rightly criticize Ms. Clinton for as S.of.S....such as telling China that we won't whine about human rights if they'll just (please!!) keep buying up our debt.

Unfortunately, complaining about her lack of knowledge on a Catholic icon that is utterly obscure to most non-Catholics ISN'T one of those things...And harping on it seems foolish at best.

Let's not be distracted from the real crimes of this administration by the petty issues. That's what they're counting on.

Skep41 | 3.31.09 @ 12:01PM

Hey! Wait a minute! Didnt Hillary say that when she was a Goldwater Girl in her upscale Chicago suburb she used to take time off to go minister to illegal immigrants? How come all these grateful Mexicans whose lives she had such a profound impact on didnt have any images of the Virgin with them? You dont think she might have been making up stories do you? Its just like you right-wingers to attack a veteran of aerial combat in Bosnia who was refused enlistment by the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. This is the Smartest Woman In The World and she's smart enough to know that a bunch of useless retards and low-lifes are just crapping up our lovely planet and causing Glow-Bull Warming. With her hubby circling the world bird-dogging babes and banging beaver (not an endangered species in Bill's World) our esteemed Sec Of State needs all the support from us peons that she can get. And I've heard about that Virgin Of Guadeloupe, she's one of them CHRISTIAN symbols. Have the Obamunists made Christianity illegal yet or are they going to be happy just to make contributions to churches no longer tax deductible? The irony of Margaret Sanger is that her birth control nostrums have been adopted whole-heartedly by the effete, overbred types, who are birth-controlling themselves to extinction while the screaming unwashed masses are breeding like fruit flies. So Hillary is excepting a National Suicide award after she disses the symbol of the burgeoning masses.

Tony in Central PA| 3.31.09 @ 12:13PM

As Secretary of State, Hillary should have known something about Our Lady of Guadelupe. The appartition and tilma are essential to Mexico's cultural history. By analogy, it might be like a visiting foreign representative coming to America, seeing the Statue of Liberty and asking, " What's that ? ". It made her look dumb, and I expect this will be one of many similar moments during her career as Secretary of State.

For the record, the Catholic Church does not require of its faithful to believe in things like the tilma of Guadelupe and the Shroud of Turin. The Church has and will continue to cooperate with scientific investigations, and to my knowledge, there are many unanswered questions about both of them.

Big Jim| 3.31.09 @ 1:37PM

This incident just goes to prove how inexperienced, lazy and down right stupid the Sec. of State really is. Every time she opens her mouth she takes one step back from ever having another shot at the presidency. Therefore borthers and sisters we should rejoce as the clown brings derision upon herself. No doubt, BO is not far behind.

John II| 3.31.09 @ 1:40PM

Dr. Right: Just a quick response. I see your point, but I'm not sure you see the point of the Duggan piece. This story reminds me of an encounter the late John Paul II had in the Vatican with our Boy President of the nineties, the apparent husband of Hillary. The Holy Father, who was trying to plug a few points about human rights and other international concerns, recalled being astonished by Bill's manner. The American president simply wasn't listening, but rather was running his eyes distractedly around the room and up to the ceiling, blinking at the artwork, rather like a slightly unruly 12-year-old.

As Tony says, Hillary should have known. She should have been briefed, at least, by her handlers at Foggy Bottom. But then the briefing, even if available from the religion-challenged secular types who run the State Department, probably would not have jelled in the imagination of Hillary, who, like her apparent husband, is ever preoccupied with matters other than the people who inhabit the world around her.

Clusiana| 3.31.09 @ 1:42PM

Dr. Right, it seems to me that Sec. State Clinton should have done her homework/research on this visit. Just because she is Methodist doesn't mean that she can't "google" Our Lady of Guadalupe. Or Wikipedia.

Kenshin| 3.31.09 @ 1:53PM

It's a small comfort to know the Mexican people were outraged by this so-called diplomat's lack of diplomacy. But there is worse to come. Try looking up the 'Abortion pride' movement. Next stop: 'Muderer's pride movement.'

Tom Masles| 3.31.09 @ 2:17PM

It's not her fault!!!!!! She can always say, years from now, she was dodging machine gun bullets.

Really folks, it begs the question. Why does anyone listen to what she says or care what she does? It's about her and not America.

JJ JR| 3.31.09 @ 2:22PM

Y'all,

First to the oh so confused Echohawk--the author didn't compare Shrillary (citation to Frank--geez, I like that moniker) to Mengele--he compared the racist eugenecist Margaret Sanger to Mengele and then pointed out the irony of Shrillary's visit to the Catholic shrine with her follow-on visit to accept the Sanger Award.

I must say that there are many delicious ironies currently on display for even the casual observer in the Obamanation regime, but none as delicious and outright wild than Obamanation's theological support for abortion/infanticide (witness is three votes AGAINST the "Born Alive Act" as an Illinois state senator, his pick for the Justice Dept's head of the Office of Legal Council who compared pregancy to involuntary servitude and slavery, etc, etc,).

To wit: he's a black man, blacks undergo abortions more than twice the proportion they represent in the general population, the founder of the abortion industry, Margaret Sanger, was an ugly, unrepentant, racist eugenecist--that's irony Batman!

See y'all on the Road to Serfdom.

JJ JR| 3.31.09 @ 2:27PM

Y'all,

As to Shrillary's (Ibid., Frank) question "[w]ho painted it?", I'd only recall VP Al Bore's idiocy when he and slick Billie went to visit Monticello after they'd been elected. As they toured the grounds, they came upon a lonesome bust of a gentleman--Bore asks "[w]ho's this gentleman?" The tour guide, visibly embarassed for the poor sap said "Thomas Jefferson" (you idiot!!!!). Slick Billy could be seen smirking and shaking his head. Hee, Hee, Hee!

Thomas| 3.31.09 @ 3:22PM

In the first place, Mrs. Clinton is the Secretary of State. The first thing that a SoS learns is to keep his, or her, mouth shut. She is a diplomat now, not a politician. No photo ops, no statements of how she feels about US domestic policy, no statements on how she "feels" about foreign states actions and no acceptance of potentially controversial awards. When touring any foreign location, her staff should have her up to speed on the history of the place. If she doesn't know something, then shut up and nod approvingly. At least look intelligent. Such is diplomacy.

The point is, that she, like the rest of the current administration, is a train wreck waiting to happen.

Milton| 3.31.09 @ 3:47PM

Doctor Right;

I, as an Ex Protestant, will attempt to answer your "as an Ex Catholic question "What is wrong with her question?"

For the person of Hillary Clinton not a thing. One gains knowledge by asking questions.

However she wasn't there as Hillary the person she was there as Hillary the Secretray of State, and Hillary the politican. This makes such a question disrepectful towards her hosts.

It also exposes the real reason she was there, which was to suck up to the Catholic vote in the US.

If she can do her homework and understand that Our Lady of Guadalupe Queen and Mother Of the Americas is important to Catholics she could have dug a wee bit deeper to find out why that is.

Her ploy didn't work.

Mike| 3.31.09 @ 5:15PM

Legend has it that when Hillary met Monsignor Monroy and opened the whole cloth coat of her pantsuit, out tumbled a bundle of poppies and cannabis stalks at the churchman's feet, and suddenly from the penumbra of the coat emanated a beautiful portrait of the enlightend chief justice, Warren Burger.

madeleine7| 3.31.09 @ 6:03PM

Just for the record : - Although the Catholic Church does not mandate belief in the Holy Shroud , there is plenty of scientific evidence re. its authenticity. Go to www.shroud.com/menu.htm As regards Our Lady of Guadalupe , go to any of the sites on internet which talk about the scientifically inexplicable properties of the image. There are loads. As regards Hillary´s gaffe , as Secretary of State , she is incredibly ignorant.

Paul| 3.31.09 @ 6:21PM

Doctor Right...

You wrote, in part, "I wouldn't expect a Catholic to know much about the differences between the Sounthern Baptist and First Baptist denominations (Typical response: "Well, they're all 'Baptists', right?").

Many Southern Baptist Churches call themselves First Baptist. I do not believe that "First Baptist" is a separate denomination.

I might suggest you study a bit more.

The G-dless in Washington D.C. will receive their just reward.

Shalom

Greg| 3.31.09 @ 7:52PM

I'm a protestant and I agree with this column. You are absolutely right about Clinton and Sanger.

Rich D| 3.31.09 @ 8:29PM

Both the shroud and this painting story are frauds, as is Hilary.

Dag | 3.31.09 @ 11:09PM

The longer Hillary is the S of S , The more we can all appreciate the class and intelligence that Ms. Rice brought to the office

ruth| 3.31.09 @ 11:40PM

She's the U.S. Secretary of State, for cripes' sake. Doesn't she do ANY homework before her diplomatic trips abroad? No wonder she made such an arse of herself in Russia. Perhaps it was dodging all of that incoming fire at the Mexico City Airport that knocked her off her game. Moron.

ruth| 3.31.09 @ 11:42PM

That was crappy, Rich D.

Catherine| 4.1.09 @ 1:29AM

Both Rich D and Rich D's comments are asinine, as is Hillary.

Justin Credible| 4.1.09 @ 1:14PM

It does not matter what any members of the current Administration, including the President, say or do. They are ramming through their agenda of government control of our lives and the europeanization of America. That is their only goal. Everything else they say or do is window dressing.

Pingback| 4.1.09 @ 2:03PM

Steynian 342 « Free Canuckistan! links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…anti-banker witch hunt that was cynically kickstarted by the elite …. (spiked-online.com) ~ DULY NOTED : Europe Not Eager to Receive “Victims” of America …. (brusselsjournal) ~ MEXICO CITY — Imagine an American Secretary of State one morning praying at Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall and the next evening accepting a eugenics award named for Dr. Josef Mengele; “New Eve” encounters…

Pingback| 4.1.09 @ 5:17PM

Was Hillary’s Stupid Question Intentional? « Jim Blazsik links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…on her unexpected stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I just chalked it up to a continuation of Hillary’s gaffes, but then I came across an article by Joseph P. Duggan at the American Spectator that completely changed perspective on that event. Could Hillary’s stupid question be intentional? Is this a concerted effort of the Obama/Clinton team to directly attack religious faith and…

Pissedoffin NY| 4.1.09 @ 9:26PM

To ask who painted it IS a ligit question! Sure she should have done her HW (and yes she is a bit of a moron) BUT I still want to know who the artist was cuz SORRY it WAS NOT GOD!!! Nor was the Shourd of Turin a miracle/holy icon. Science has proven that the cloth itself is NOT 2000 yrs old so, unlsee JC came back a few hundred years later to wipe his face, its a FRAUD!!! Just like the catholic church and 99% of any organized religion. The catholic church is the richest organization in the world but asks it followers to give $$$ to them ! (based just on the value of the artwork the church owns, most of the items they have are PRICELESS, what is the value of the artwork in the sistinth chapel alone?? And is it really necessary to have the doors of the vatican made of gold? not too over the top for people who are supposed to be humble and pious) They have tons of resources to help those in need but can't seem to find the funds unless the $$ comes out of YOUR pockets. The catholic church coule wipe out world hunger in one fell swoop if it sold some of its 'treasures' but that would be a selfless act and the church is NOT capable of that!The "Church" is nothing but a bunch of dogmatic hypocrites, they say one thing and do the opposite. No premarital sex! Hosexuality is a sin! "Alter-boy anyone? Pretty sure those alter boys were not married and they are BOYS being molested by MEN! How many young boys have been molested by priests and the church just transfered the offending priest to a different parish rather than try to fix the problem, OR just payed off the families to keep it all quiet?!?! OH YEAH THATS THE WORK OF GOD!! (and don't even try to deny that this has happened I was an alterboy for 7 years in chatholic school I know what I saw, and what my friend endured! And what the church did about it)
Now I am NOT bashing GOD or the "TEACHINGS" of the catholic church I believe that the bible and teachings of Jesus are and should be focal points that we try to follow and emulate throughout our lives. But the catholic church (and any other orginazed religion) and the people running it are NO better than ANY politican out there, they are just as corrupt and dishonest and manipulating. But it is worse comming from religious officials, We all know politicians lie but we are told/taught to trust in our spiritual leaders.
BTW
Ms Rice brought class and intellegence to the office. Get you head out your arse!
I can't say I support the curret administration 100% not even close BUT afer the last IDIOT and his TEAM of Arse kissing MORONS. I would have more faith in Mickey Mouse running the clountry cuz he couldn't screw it up any more than W did.
I mean WAKE UP PEOPLE were you paying attention the last 8 years?? Or were yall to busy thumpin bibles to open your eyes and see the horrors W and his band of merry idiots commited. Hello how long does it take to send WATER to the Astrodome? A 5 yr old would have done a better job

CH| 4.1.09 @ 10:02PM

Pissed off--we're plenty pissed off that a bunch of fascist fools are taking over our government. Stupid loser--STFU!

lynnrockets| 4.1.09 @ 10:04PM

What the hell was wrong with Nagin, ASSHOLE? Why did he leave 500 busses to be flooded when they could have been evacuating people? IDIOT LIBERAL.

PALIN 2012!!| 4.1.09 @ 10:24PM

Dumbass pissedoff--it's worse when politicians are corrupt because they have the power of coercion over your life. What they say is LAW. You liberals are so stupid--that's why we have that jerk in office. You just don't get it.

linda| 4.2.09 @ 2:28AM

Just discovered this 'site' ! Won't miss it again !
Glad to know so many 'love our country'.
Just not 'our politicians' !
(write in vote - non of the above )

Karolina| 4.2.09 @ 1:40PM

Dr. Right--"First Baptist" is not a denomination, just a common name of a local church--usually the first Baptist church started in a town. Since the Southern Baptist denomination has a lot of people in it, often it turns out that "First Baptist Church" in a town is Southern Baptist. Just FYI.

Pingback| 4.16.09 @ 6:49PM

Steynian 342 | good morning america susan boyle links to this page. Here’s an excerpt: