TYPICAL bush - he's having Ratzinger (Pope Benedict) land at government/military base!

[GrandmaJones7]

Isn't that a violation of the separation of church and state to have him land at a purely government landing strip - and a MILITARY one at that!? - not that such a move by bush would surprise me in the least coming from from bush!! I really don't think he cares; in fact he wants the church to BE the state!

I'm a very spiritual person (though I don't believe in organized religion). It just seems very wrong that the Pope is not coming here like any normal person would. What makes HIM so special??!

[madokie]

1. Theres no seperation of church and state in bushworld

That was back in America where that was law ;-)
Welcome to DU :hi:

[Solly Mack]

2. The Pope is the "head of state" of Vatican City/Holy See

Which isn't to offer up an opinion either for or against the "head of state" label.

[Tempest]

3. It kinda makes sense

He's an former Nazi member after all.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. The Pope is a head of state

Vatican City is an independent nation. Of course, I doubt the Swiss Guard are any match for a modern army should there be an invasion.

[GrandmaJones7]

6. Semantics. What's REALY behind this is bush's lack of respect

-for the separation of church and state! (see: so called "faith-based" charity, LOL).

[Bucky]

8. below I offer you a better explanation for why they're using a military base.

The truth will blow your mind

[PATRICK]

5. Military intimidation

and presenting his power against the Church's moral sway has been typical. When visitng the Vatican this administration presents more than typical security. This Pope, as his namesake is very much the authoritarian upholder and Christendom globalist, but like his namesake deals(equally helplessly and not radically) with the neocon evils, war, social and moral ills of the general topdown failure.

There is a certain self-defeating conflict in the Pope's vision that renders this combination almost a neutral blank to everyone, but certainly no safe friend for the neocons. The American Church behaved worse than congregation trapped behind the Iron Curtain hearing the speeches against Communism. When the last Pope spoke against war somehow it never got through press(Church) or pulpit in any form like the good old days of social activism and peace demonstrations. This one is almost a cartoon insignificance because of appalling retrograde world views imposed on and misinterpeting the current world crisis. Still he is against the neocon designs and the terrible consequences, the clear immorality.

[Bucky]

7. You gotta look at the big picture

Isn't that a violation of the separation of church and state to have him land at a purely government landing strip{?}

Don't be obtuse. He's a foreign head of state. Even if you think of the Pope as a religious & not as a political figure, there's nothing about separation that requires clergy to stay off of government property.

- and a MILITARY one at that!?

See, you gotta look at the big picture. The one thing that scares the Bushies the most is being held to account for all evil they've done in office over the last 8 years. The man at the center of the evil is, of course, Vice President Dick Cheney... who just so happens to be an exact physical duplicate of Pope Benedict.

The obvious plan here is to greet the Pope as he exits Vatican One, drug him, swap him out with Dick Cheney wearing his papally decorated night gown, and quietly slip Angler out of the country at the "end" of Benedict's "visit" to the United States. Not only does Cheney make a clean getaway, but now PNAC has taken over the Holy Catholic Church!

Meanwhile back in this country, PNAC is protected from prosecution because the government's chief witness has apparently gone insane and now suffers from the delusion that he's the pope with half his hair plucked out, not the Vice President. Forced to resign from office, no one notices the "new" Mr Cheney now speaks a slight German accent...

[Jack Rabbit]

10. LOL

How good is Cheney's German?

[annabanana]

9. Very funny fact here...

(per Rachel Maddow on yesterday's show)

Bush will be meeting the Pope at the airport, and hosting a HUGE dinner in his honor at the White House (approx 1200 people will be there... More than for the Queen of England).

The Pope will NOT be attending the dinner. When asked, Dana Perino's assistance said that he did not know all the details of the Pope's busy schedule..

A little research showed that the Pope has NOTHING on his schedule at the time of this huge dinner...

[Thepricebreaker]

11. Oh ok so.... have him land at Newark Airport in NJ? Give me a break..

If he landed in a public place we would all be bitching about all the traffic it caused.

Its also a very secure location.

[Initech]

12. He'd get fucking mobbed if his plane landed anywhere else.

[lpbk2713]

13. It's all for security. You know, like Frankie Five Angels.

:eyes: :eyes:


Smirky's first words ... "Howdy Pope. An' how's Missus Pope doin'?"

[orangerevolution]

14. Let's not Grandstand too much

From the Papal website: http://www.catholic.org/popeinamerica/story.php?id=27587

"When Pope John Paul II visited Washington during President Jimmy Carter’s tenure, he was a guest at the White House as well but was met by Vice President Mondale at Andrews."

It would appear that Georgie is the door man at a high priced hotel.