A New York Times opinion essay penned by Pope Francis, in which the head of the Catholic Church criticized coronavirus lockdown protesters, prompted sharp disagreement between conservative political commentators last week.
The op-ed: In a piece published Thursday, Francis praised those governments that have “made great efforts to put the well-being of their people first, acting decisively to protect health and to save lives” amid the pandemic.
- But the bishop of Rome criticized governments “that shrugged off the painful evidence of mounting deaths, with inevitable, grievous consequences.”
- And he also rebuked groups that “protested, refusing to keep their distance, marching against travel restrictions — as if measures that governments must impose for the good of their people constitute some kind of political assault on autonomy or personal freedom!”
- “Looking to the common good is much more than the sum of what is good for individuals,” Francis averred. “It means having a regard for all citizens and seeking to respond effectively to the needs of the least fortunate.”
Beginning in mid-April, anti-lockdown protests took place in several U.S. states, such as Michigan and Virginia, in response to stay-at-home orders aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
The reaction: Several conservative commentators slammed the pope for what they viewed as an assault on individual liberty.
“This pope is a communist,” tweeted comedian and podcast host Steven Crowder in reaction to Francis’ essay in The Times.
Ben Domenech, co-founder of The Federalist, declared: “Reminder: There should be no Popes.”
Robby Starbuck, a pro-Trump conservative commentator and director, slammed Francis as a “socialist” who “despises individual freedom.”
“His stance against freedom means he hates the foundational value of America,” Starbuck tweeted.
But some Catholic intellectuals associated with the right pushed back against the attacks.
New York Post opinion editor Sohrab Ahmari said Starbuck’s take on the pope’s op-ed was “embarrassing.”
“The common good is the foundation stone of Catholic social and political thought, with roots in the classical tradition. Pope Francis didn’t invent it. And yes, securing the common good is a duty of rulers,” Ahmari tweeted.
Meanwhile, Adrian Vermeule, a Harvard Law School professor who in July was appointed to a post in the Trump administration, issued a mocking reply to Domenech.
Common good conservatism: The Trump era has upended long-held ideological orthodoxies on the right as the Republican party veers increasingly toward populism.
- So-called “common good” conservatives largely reject the party’s libertarian tendency – and its emphasis on free markets and individual autonomy.
- Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marco Rubio of Florida are just two of the Republican politicians who embody the GOP’s turn away from the “fusionism” of the past.
