EDITOR:

In March of 1994 Patty Loveless sang, “Life’s about changing, nothing ever stays the same.” Was she right? Judge Judy says, “Beauty fades, stupid is forever.” Is she right? King Solomon said, “there is nothing new under the sun!” Was he right?

Movies open with a “catch scene”, attempting to “set the hook.” Many times a movie will then restart the film with a line that reads 20 years earlier. Our opening scene is May 11, 2024 when Harrison Butker gave a commencement speech at Benedictine University. He said, “Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder…it cannot be overstated, that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all, a homemaker.”

After the speech, in our so-called tolerant society, he received harsh criticism from TV shows such as The View. Further, the NFL thought it necessary to clarify that they do not agree with Mr. Butker’s speech. In contrast to the speech, one co-host on The View made reference of what real courage looked like when an NFL quarterback took a knee when the National Anthem was played. Really? Ask all the Mother’s who lost a child defending that flag and see if they think it is ok to take a knee in protest for the very freedom we all breathe.

An even earlier scene dates back to the 1950s when the program Life is Worth Living was one of the top-rated TV shows, averaging 10 million viewers weekly, hosted by a Catholic Bishop, Fulton Sheen. Please note, Harrison Butker gave his speech at a Catholic University.

Remember the opening paragraph as we read some quotes from Sheen: “You must remember to love people and use things, rather than to love things and use people.” “There are not 100 people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” “the refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil.”

This movie will continue to play long after I am gone. However, I was pleased to hear the unintended result of the criticism given Mr. Butker: As of this writing, his jersey sales (KC Chiefs) rose to #1.

Life is Worth Living contains a simple message. One that our society needs to hear, yet doesn’t even know it needs to hear it. If people in 1953 needed to hear God’s opinion on life, surely people in 2024 do also.

For those who host The View, NFL and all who spoke out against Harrison Butker, please visit Arlington National Cemetery and ask them what they thought of the speech.

Mike Cousineau

Escanaba