Teen in face-off with Native American gets apology
The bishop of the Covington Diocese in Kentucky apologized Friday to the teenager at the center of a controversy over the behavior of Catholic high school students toward a Native American elder in Washington.
In a letter to parents, the Most Rev. Roger Foys said the diocese was too quick to condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students, particularly those of Nicholas Sandmann, the boy who was seen on video facing off with Native American elder Nathan Phillips as he performed the song "American Indian Movement" near the Lincoln Memorial.
"We should not have allowed ourselves to be bullied and pressured into making a statement prematurely, and we take full responsibility for it," Foys wrote. "I especially apologize to Nicholas Sandmann and his family, as well as to all CovCath families who have felt abandoned during this ordeal."
The standoff made international headlines after teenagers from the Cincinnati suburbs were captured on video Jan. 18 doing a high school chant and surrounding Native Americans near the memorial. They were on a school trip to participate in the March for Life, an anti-abortion event.
Many of the students were wearing MAGA hats and clothing. Phillips said some chanted "build the wall" in reference to President Donald Trump's vow to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
An initial video shared on social media appeared to show Phillips and a few other Native Americans surrounded by teenagers who looked as if they were taunting and chanting at the troupe. Some young people performed what was described by critics as the "tomahawk chop" hand motion.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teen-in-face-off-with-native-american-gets-apology/ar-BBSKxp5?li=BBnbcA1
So no discipline. Not the Catholicism I was raised with.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Maybe some of those boys got that ‘special’ treatment so many Catholic priests like to reward their flock’s children with.
Maybe he’s succumbing to fear of being exposed.
They've probably been getting calls from the parishioners all week, threatening to stop the gravy train. Pedo priests and the systemic coveruping up of their activities is one thing, but criticizing students for bad behavior? That is just too much.
