Stay, Pay, Obey: Bolshevik America’s Catechism for Catholics

Harrison Butker is a young Catholic who dared defy the dominant Left-Wing culture. On May 11, he delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College in Atchinson, Kansas. His words, deemed taboo by America’s Bolshevik elite, have ignited controversy. 

The Bolsheviks prefer American Catholics to stay silent, pay taxes, and obey the dictates of the Left.

But such heterodox thoughts are not permitted in America today. They are characterized as hate speech. As we all know, those who speak hate must be eliminated. For Harrison Butker, this means that he must be dismissed from his position with the Kansas City Chiefs. It does not matter that he spoke at a Catholic college to Catholic students about Catholic doctrine. It does not matter that he was invited to give such an address—indeed, persuaded to do so. It does not matter that there was no hate in his speech. 

No, in today’s Brave New World of America, ruled by Bolsheviks straight out of Orwell’s Animal Farm, such thoughts are not permitted. Such thoughts are dangerous to the ruling class. Abortion, the elimination of the family, promotion of homosexuality, and transgender ideology are sacrosanct. 

Butker knew this when he made his remarks, but he did so anyway. He noted…even within the Church, people in polite Catholic circles will try to persuade you to remain silent. He also mentioned We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail. 

Butker is mistaken here. Apparently, he conflated 2023 Israeli legislation – which did insist on a jail term for Christian proselytizing – with 2024 Congressional legislation (HR 6090) that stated: …provides statutory authority for the requirement that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights take into consideration the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA’s) working definition of antisemitism when reviewing or investigating complaints of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. According to the IHRA’s working definition, antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. 

Given President Biden’s conflation of issues, outright lies, misrepresentations, and hyperbole, it is risible that people should condemn a twenty-something NFL player for making a mistake. Biden, after all, claimed to be a full professor at the University of Pennsylvania when he was not.  But any excuse to silence Butker will do for the Bolsheviks.

Butker anticipated criticism of him coming from within the Catholic Church. He declared: The chaos of the world is unfortunately reflected in the chaos in our parishes, and sadly, in our cathedrals too….too many bishops were not leaders at all. They were motivated by fear, fear of being sued, fear of being removed, fear of being disliked. Although he omitted nuns from this criticism it is safe to say that they should be included in those capitulating to woke ideology. ( Emphasis added)

And the Benedictine Nuns did criticize Butker almost in real time. They issued a statement condemning his speech. They divorced themselves from his thoughts.

It is important to note what Butker did not mention. Unlike past commencement speakers, Butker did not say:  

You have no idea how – are you braced for my favorite word? – fan-fucking-tastic it feels, (Gloria Steinem Bennington College  2015)

Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there (Nora Ephron Wellesley 1996)

… women’s rights and ability to make a conscientious decision about abortion (Gloria Steinem Tufts University 1987) 

One can only wonder what statement, if any, the good Benedictine Sisters would have issued about a commencement speech that said, “fuck,” urged students to break the rules and make trouble and support women’s rights to have abortions. 

One must truly wonder.

Those who control the levers of power in America favor expressing only certain ideas. Any deviation from this doctrine is met with immediate suppression. The Left has been bowdlerizing American literature for years, and the Right has been clueless. Now, the censoring of speech must be performed in our institutions of learning. Otherwise, graduates will get ideas contrary to the Left.

According to America’s Bolsheviks, some commencement speeches are more equal than others.

Welcome to the Brave New World.

Michael P. Tremoglie

Michael P. Tremoglie is a retired newspaper columnist. He was an investigative reporter for the Philadelphia Bulletin and a regular contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and the Washington Times. He also served as a Philadelphia police officer.