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Dear friends: I regret wading into the #Covingtoncontroversy this weekend. For it seems that we may never know what was going on inside the hearts of the students. So I would like to apologize to them for my judgment of them. 1/
Others will disagree, but my conscience tells me that it’s wrong to condemn someone's actions when their actions are so unclear. And to me, despite repeated viewings of all the videos, and reading all the participants’ statements, these actions remain unclear. 2/
Still, several important issues still need to be addressed. I’ll raise them as questions for someone—participants, journalists, the school or diocese—to clarify. First, where were the chaperones? The apparent lack of adult supervision of the students is alarming. 3/
Second, why were students shouting when Nate Phillips was chanting and drumming? Was it nervousness(say supporters) or disrespect (say opponents)? It’s hard to tell. But would it have been so difficult for the Covington students simply to listen to him? 4/
Third, why were so many students sporting MAGA hats? It’s a free country for sure, but they were at the March for Life, a religious event, under the care of their Catholic high school administrators and, one hopes, chaperones, not a political rally. 5/
Finally, I don’t agree with the “No one should weigh in until all the facts are in” argument. Because all the facts will never be in. At some point, people are justified in offering reasonable opinions. My mistake was offering a condemnation, and for that I again apologize. 6/
Having said that, I will hope for further news from the media and the school authorities. But I pray that this event will somehow prove a teachable moment for our church and our country around the issues of race, justice and dialogue. 7/
