Anyone criticized by the Church is probably a decent person:
Camara was still a Catholic priest, and had his moments waffling back-and-forth on a number of positions where his theology wrestled with his morality. I only specifically respect his ability to identify an attempt at manipulation within human rights discourse–this idea that social problems can be solved is often met by opponents with changing the topic, rather than examining the specifics or entertaining the possibility that we’re on to something. Proles apologizing for Capitalism seem to me eager to dismiss the injustices of our stratified societies as inevitable rather than easily resolved by, say, eating the rich. (I’m only half-joking).
As ever, there are no heroes, and I could write about Camara’s less palatable positions another day. Today, we just celebrate this particular gem of snark.
-Shiv
this idea that social problems can be solved is often met by opponents with changing the topic
Even that framing gives too much away – opponents demand a “solution” as a way of cutting off the search for mere “progress.” We don’t need to solve all of humanity’s problems, and we probably can’t, but that’s not an excuse for resolutely refusing to improve the situation at all.