Editor’s Note: This letter is in response to Jose Flores’_ column, “Duck Pond service not without sin.”
Mr. Flores,
Your bitterness betrays you. “Criticizing intolerance is not in itself intolerance.” True. “Perhaps we should forgive the church so long as it agrees to give us back our public space.” False, but furthermore meritless.
Whose public space, exactly, is the University? Surely UNM belongs to the students and citizens of New Mexico. I assume many of those self-same students and citizens are Catholic. But wait — we can’t be openly Catholic lest we indoctrinate those around us. Perhaps our UNM belongs only to the faithless; the faithful; the liberal; the conservative.
Our public space, yes, therein lies the rub. Claiming the Duck Pond as your own while excluding others for their beliefs (political, moral or otherwise) is intolerance. You cannot have it both ways.
Furthermore, behind your fancy long sentences lies an inordinate amount of blame. I’m fairly sure that none of the participants at the Duck Pond service were actually present during the Crusades, Inquisition and African slave trade.
Most likely the participants in the service were not the most recent perpetrators, either. However, if apologies are in order, take this one: I apologize that you were offended by history. I suppose I should include history as a whole, not just religious history. After all, the ongoing events in our own country merit apology — slavery, religious persecution, bigotry and the like.
I apologize that you require Catholics as a whole to suffer for the transgressions of Catholics individually. I apologize that I wasn’t present during those events and that I’m trying to live my own life, here and now. I apologize that my indoctrination offends you.
Finally, while you choose to view the religious doctrine of Christ’s crucifixion as the celebration of a murder, I choose to see it otherwise. I see is the willing sacrifice of life for another’s sake.
Would you take away the sacrifice of a mother who dies in child birth, a soldier who defends your freedoms and a police officer who defends his city? While I wish I could prevent these sacrifices, each of these is the willing surrender of life to aid another.
Perhaps I am indoctrinated, even though I am not a Catholic. Fortunately, at my university, it’s allowed.
Sarah Tario
UNM student
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