Okay, here’s the deal with the Berrigan ad you see on the left there. I don’t agree with anything Fr. Daniel Berrigan has ever said or done in relation to the US military or his so-called peace issues or his stance of dissent from Church teachings. In fact, I really don’t want the ad there, nor do I want their money. ...
But I don’t know how to get rid of the ad!
It’s part of the Blogads service and once you’ve accepted an ad for display on your site, it’s very difficult to reject it later. What I did was I accidentally approved the ad when I meant to reject it and I’ve been trying to figure out how to undo that ever since. I was hoping it wasn’t a big deal to people and that most of you would know that Berrigan and I are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, but I’ve gotten some emails from people about it.
So rest assured, I don’t want it there and will gladly get rid of it as soon I can without yanking out the whole blog ad thing or getting kicked off the Blogads network.
I saw his face staring at me from that ad and immediately thanked God and all His angels and saints that the man had finally come to his senses! No, huh?
[smile]
Some ads only pay the site owner when people click on them. (Hint, hint.)
Hey Domenico,
I am the guy who placed the ad, and I want to know where it is on your site. I paid for that, on my Catholic Worker stipend…Catholic Worker—you know, founded by Servant of God Dorothy Day, who Cardinal O’Connor proposed for canonization. She was a friend of Fr. Berrigan, and Fr. Berrigan, I might add, is more orthodox than many neo-cons who ignored Benedict and JPII on Iraq. And Fr. Berrigan is certainly more orthodox in his unequivocal and repeated condmenation of the violence of abortion than is, say, the current Supreme Court nominee of our president, the nominee who said today his faith does not inform his justice….was that what all you neocons voted for? I’ll stick with the Gospel and bearers of the Catholic tradition, like Fr. Berrigan, who has been a priest for over two generations. How about some respect. And I better either see that ad reappear or else I want a personal check for $35 sent to me at our local Catholic Worker House, 1126 W. Washington, South Bend, IN 46601.
In peace—or has that notion become heterodox too?
-Mike Griffin
Griff also emailed me and this is what I emailed him back, both my first email to him and the response to the above (for the record):
The first email: To whom it may concern,
I’m writing about a Blog ad (blogads.com) that someone from your organization purchased for display on my web site at bettnet.com. It’s a little embarrassing to say this, but you don’t want your ad on my site because I don’t want it there either.
I am asking you to turn it off at the blogads.com site and I will refund your money.
It’s not worth your money anyway. My site is extremely conservative and pro-US military and you’re not going to get any takers for your conference from advertising there. Your money would be better spent elsewhere.
So if you (or the person responsible) could contact me about this, we can arrange to refund the money and have the ad taken down. Thank you.
And then my response to the above:Look, I’m not interested in a debate or name-calling. Nothing I wrote was in anger or an insult so you don’t have to come back at me with anger. There’s been a misunderstanding, we can agree to disagree, and act like adults.
I told you I would refund the cost of the ad if you took it down. That still needs to be done. I have deferred it, but it’s still active. Once you tell me you will deactivate the ad though Blogads.com, I will send you the money through Paypal.
Out of curiosity, why in the world in the world did you think to place the ad on my site? It doesn’t seem like a good place to advertise for your event.
No one else needs to respond to him. I mean it! I don’t want this to become a debate over Berrigan. I just want to remove the ad.
Option (a): “I don’t want it there [your ad on my site]”
Option (b): “I accepted your ad by mistake today. Would you mind deactivating it for me? I’ll send your money back right away through Paypal.”
It’s a subtle difference.
Not that I can see. What’s your point?
a = rude
b = polite
Even in 21st century, polite is better.
Well taken out of context I can see how it would seem rude, but within context I said, “You don’t want it on my site because I don’t want it on my site” and in the very next sentence I offered to refund his money. I was explaining the mistake. I even said I was embarrassed to say it.
People are way too thin-skinned as it is. I can’t be tip-toeing around consulting Emily Post for every single email.
Who is Father Berrigan?
I think the ad’s gone now.
A little known actor from the film “The Mission”.
Haha, Guilio. A Google on Daniel Berrigan will tell you all you need to know.
And yes the ad is gone now.
All of you are invited to this retreat. Seriously. And here is a copy of the email I just sent to Domenico. Look everyone, pardon me for being CATHOLIC, but do I understand Domenico to be putting theology that is “extremely conservative and pro-U.S. military,” to use HIS words, ahead of Catholic dialogue? Do you all agree with that notion of Catholicism…American first Catholic second? If not, tell Domenico so. And come join us for the retreat.
$10 Discount for all who register and say they heard about it through Bettnet.com
Peace,
Griff
Domenico,
Thanks, though I am sorry that there is no room on your site for the ad, which promotes a Catholic event held by Catholic people who just happen to think that Catholic faith has thing or two to say to our culture of death. Honestly, I think your decision to remove the ad is wrong-headed, theologically flimsy and, ultimately, based in cowardice.
Sincerely,
Griff
Over the years, Daniel Berrigan and his brother have made some scurrilous charges against the US military and members of our armed forces which I think are unconscionable and not in keeping with the Church’s teaching on just war or in basic charity. That, in a nutshell, is why I objected to this ad.
Here is my reply to the above email:
You’re welcome to your opinion even if I naturally disagree with it.
This thread is now closed. All further comments will be deleted without notice.
See? Dom has a thin-skinned side too! He’s human. What a guy.