Pope Benedict XVI recently called upon the media community to exercise “info-ethics.”

Put another way, the pope chided the media at large with sometimes creating reality rather than merely reporting it. Would that some local news outlets heed the words of the Holy Father instead of continuing an unfortunate trend of sensationalist yellow journalism.

I refer here to recent front page stories featuring a new “cage match” between Archbishop Burke and Saint Louis University men’s Basketball Coach Rick Majerus. A reporter chose to inquire about Majerus’ stance on abortion and stem-cell research even as the Archbishop was traveling to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual March for Life protesting abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

Unfortunately, Archbishop Burke also took the bait offered, and now a story heats up where none would have existed before.
Meanwhile, an event with more than 200,000 citizens gathered on the National Mall, including more than 50 of our own SLU students-for which no one might have even bothered to ask Burke or Majerus anything-is relegated to page two. Both men should have known better than to talk to the press. Now Fr. Lawrence Biondi, S.J., is once again in a lose-lose situation where he will disappoint and anger one side, the other, or both. Nobody wins: not SLU and, least of all, not the Church.
“While I believe Majerus is bound to his role at SLU, I do think he has the right to voice an opinion when asked without necessarily being disciplined.”

That being said, Majerus’ position is contemptible and outright ignorant. The arrogance exhibited in his interview with the Post-Dispatch is striking, even for a basketball coach of his caliber and prestige.

We are treated to an overblown, flag-wrapping proclamation about how his family fought and died to preserve the right to free speech, and how important that is, and how adamantly he believes what he believes and nothing will change that.

Yet, despite the rant about stem cell research, there is absolutely nothing that explains why he believes what he believes regarding abortion. Nothing, beyond one simple sentence: “A woman should have the freedom to choose.”
There is nothing about why he has come to the decision that Burke, the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Society of Jesus and every pope and bishop since Roe v. Wade was handed down has declared abortion to be the sinful, malicious destruction of innocent human life.

Archbishop Burke is not alone in his belief that being pro-choice and being Catholic are incompatible. It is difficult for many to accept or understand. After all, there are many traditions and stories and customs of the Church that many faithful adherents decline to follow or accept. What makes the abortion question so different?

“As someone who is proudly pro-life, and among the ones to traveled to D.C. for the March, I will attempt to answer.”
Abortion is about when life begins. It is about human dignity. It is about respect and compassion for human life and human rights.

Following Majerus’ position to its natural conclusion, in order to be Catholic and pro-choice, you must reject the accumulated wisdom of the clergy. You must reject longstanding beliefs and traditions. You must reject that fetal life is worthy of protection. You must reject that life begins at conception and the principle that no one has the right to create life and then destroy it.

That is why Burke so passionately rails against abortion (however regrettable the fruits of those labors sometimes turn out). The issue is not relative. It is absolute: if abortion is not wrong, then nothing is wrong. How Majerus, an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, can feel that this is a relative issue is beyond me.

As someone who has recently done extensive research in this area (and just published a novel about it) I would happily take up Majerus’ offer to speak with him, an offer that the Archbishop undoubtedly will decline. I would like an opportunity to understand why he sides and feels the Democratic Party is closer to the truth than the Church.The outcome is obvious: Marjus’ self-proclaimed “Jesuit-educated” mind is closed and settled. Yet, as with all things, our acts often define us more than their results.

Tim Wright is a second year student in the School of Law.