"Country first" . . . Rob's right

Rob, I agree with you.  For Catholics, "country" is not, really, "first".  (Does it even come before "Notre Dame"?)  In a way, were the Blanshard-ites right?  The Church is -- Christ is -- and has to be "first".  But, seriously . . . do you think that the people in the hall really mean "country first" literally?  Of course not.  It's a political convention.  Those folks -- like most of us -- will go home and, in their day-to-day lives, put spouses, kids, career, friends, town, church, and football teams "first."  (By the same token, I can't believe that the intelligent people in Denver last week really believe that "[they] are the change [they] have been waiting for".) 

Some folks will suffer great pain, and make great sacrifices for, their "country".  But, let's not kid ourselves . . . most of us -- most at the GOP convention, and at the Democrats' convention -- would not.  Pain hurts, after all.  (Humiliating those who disagree with you is -- as the recent rounds of loathesome blogospheric "it's not her baby!" and "look at his my-space page!" cauldron-clatches have shown -- much easier.)

In the same vein, I think it's pretty clear that no serious Catholic should ever be caught chanting slogans or waving signs (without tongue firmly in partisan cheek) to the effect that a presidential candidate is the spes that saves.