Charlottesville thoughts

Under the Constitution, people have the right to voice their views - no matter how repugnant they are - as long as they do not commit acts of violence against others, encourage acts of violence against others directly or indirectly, or threaten or unjustly infringe upon the rights of others.

So the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville had a right to express their racist, repugnant views. But they did so in violent ways, prepared for violence with their weapons and shields, in defiance of the law. That was beyond what their "right" allowed.

And as a result, a woman is dead and many others injured.

Catholic leaders are right to denounce what happened.

The man directly involved in the killing is under arrest and face charges. I think others should face charges - criminal or civil - for what happened.

The sad thing is that there have been an increasing number of violent incidents from both the right and left. We saw the direct violence of the shooting at the softball field earlier this summer, and now this. I fear more is to come.

May God forgive us for allowing this to happen.

Let us pray that we can head off more such violence.

Let us look to our own words and actions that help to increase the violence in any way.

Pax et bonum