Pp Leo vs. Trump

We have not opined on the "Leo vs. Trump" narrative.  Here we go.

1)  Leo decried war, using language which implied that God is not happy about warmongers, either.  No doh.  But God does not forbid war.  Never did, never will.  That's why there is Just War Theory.

Trump, being Trump, took it personally.  He never thought that Leo could be talking to Israel, or to Iran, or to Hezbollah.  But Leo certainly COULD have been talking to them; they deserve a good talking-to.

By the way, Just War Theory allows heads of States to determine whether a threat is serious and imminent enough to counteract with a 'first strike.'  Therefore, Trump's smackdown of Iran is well within Trump's purview and authority.  We happen to disagree about his action, as this is Israel's war, not ours--but Trump has the advantage there.

2)  Leo talked smack about US treatment of illegal aliens--yet he acknowledged, out loud, that countries have the right (and duty) to control their borders and immigration policy.  There are a FEW instances of ICE behaving badly, but Leo's indiscriminate and broad condemnation of ICE's procedures is simply unwarranted, and likely the result of his taking seriously the activist reports lies about what happened here or there with ICE.  Trump has the advantage here, too. 

3)  Finally, Leo mentioned that the Church does not approve of the Death Penalty.  What Leo did NOT mention was that this is old news.  St. John Paul II was very clear:  countries which could afford life-in-prison for certain crimes should use that instead of the DP.  The US happens to be one of those countries, so Leo is correct--as it pertains to the US and a number of other First World countries--as he hints in his statement.  

But Leo got silly when he yapped about 'depriving [criminals] of the possibility of redemption' by using the DP.  In reality?  Nothing concentrates one's attention better than the realization of certain near-term death.  "Redemption" can be accomplished in the time it takes to say "I am sorry" and mean it--preferably to a priest.  So this is a half-Trump/half-Leo point.

Taken in total:  Trump acted and spoke exactly as all his enemies hoped he would.  Leo spoke--as he often does--with a lack of precision.

Both would do well to use their spokes-critters more often.