In the discussion of the Pittsburgh 12 at various Catholic blogs there’s been quite a bit of cheap shooting going around about these women’s ages and even appearance.  It’s too bad, because there’s plenty to hash out and critique in this showboating affair without screaming about grannies and grey hair.

It’s perfectly legit to point out the ages of the participants and supporters as a way of understanding and explaining the "movement," such as it is, and to discuss why this is, indeed, a cause for the older Catholics and why younger Catholic women seem totally disiniterested. But then, as a commenter on another blog pointed out, there’s a point at which the snipes and sarcastic swipes become the equivalent to comments that attempt to de-legitimize say, the Catholic hierarchy ’cause it’s a bunch of old white guys or young pretty traditionalist priests who have an affinity for lace.

The issues are interesting enough, the challenges tough enough without resorting to cheap shots.

Heaping scorn upon falsehoods and ripping apart weak arguments with everything in the rhetorical arsenal bag…good. It’s what we do. But making the crux of your "argument" mockery of "grannies," who may have chosen those shoddy arguments but didn’t choose their age…not so good.

Oh, by the way…I had my "Questions I wish reporters would ask" yesterday. Fr. Martin has his own set (and makes a similar point to the one I just did.)

In addition, Fr. Fox has an intelligent, probing post on the challenges of excommunicating a pro-abortion politician, PLUS an account of, er a meeting of minds with Rich Leonardi, (who has his own version) and Victor Morton.