Garnett on Francis

Over at Mirror of Justice, Rick Garnett looks at Pope Francis and the interview and, unlike some of his friends on the right, welcomes the challenge the Holy Father is making. The money quote: "Obviously, the Pope is saying things that are challenging for those of us who believe that the "conservative" side of American politics is, all things considered, the better vehicle for achieving better policies, but my view is that there's nothing wrong with that." Regular readers will know of my profound respect for Garnett. Part of that respect stems from the fact that he has consistently encouraged me to see the wisdom in conservative arguments. Whether I end up agreeing or not, the encouragement is welcome because it is all too easy to get trapped listening only to one side of the culture wars, never acknowledging that the people on the other side are people of good will with a case to make, even if, in the end, we do not find ourselves in agreement. The effort to find common ground is not always successful. Sometime, there is no common ground to be had. But the effort to find it will always, always result in a recognition of common humanity and common decency. And that puts disagreement in the proper perspective. So, kudos to Garnett for this thoughtful commentary on Papa Francesco.