A Different Spin on Dignity, the Church, and the Government

There has been much discussion lately, deservedly so, of the need for the government to reflect a level of morality, or at least respect deeply held religious beliefs with respect to fundamental issues of life. Indeed, much of the discourse regarding threats to religious freedom in the last several weeks has included dialog around women, their rights, their dignity, and the dignity of all life. This is an important discussion in which we see tension between media messaging, governmental actions, and some of the teachings of the Catholic Church.

I would like to turn that discussion to another area. Here the government's criminal law and the Church stand together. If this week is any example, together they wage a battle, perhaps a losing one, with our culture of violence. This too involves issues of dignity, autonomy, and life itself – it is the dark world of domestic violence.

The Commonwealth of Virginia finds itself the setting for two dramatic domestic violence sagas. The Commonwealth and all of metropolitan Washington have been following the trial of George Huguely who was convicted this week of second degree murder for the killing of his former girlfriend and fellow University of Virginia classmate, Yeardley Love. In so doing, the jury concluded that Huguely caused her death by blunt force trauma to her head after he violently put a hole through her bedroom door and physically attacked her. His statement to the police, while minimizing the violence, included an admission to kicking in her door, shaking her, and holding her to the floor to "calm her down." The case included a history of violence and threats by Huguely against Love. Consequently, it has been a "teaching moment" for parents of young girls about the dangers of domestic violence and the realities of the often overlooked area of teen dating violence. This tragic story has been a reminder of need to recognize the signs of a violent relationship and to intervene to protect the victim.

This is an area on which the Church and the government stand together. The state condemned the defendant's actions and pursued justice against Huguely despite his privileged life. If Henry Hart is correct and a conviction is "the moral condemnation of the community," the jury did so as well. In 1995, John Paul II in his Letter to Women clearly condemned violence against women as an affront to their inherent dignity.

When it comes to setting women free from every kind of exploitation and domination, the Gospel contains an ever relevant message which goes back to the attitude of Jesus Christ himself. Transcending the established norms of his own culture, Jesus treated women with openness, respect, acceptance and tenderness. In this way he honored the dignity which women have always possessed according to God's plan and in his love. As we look to Christ at the end of this Second Millennium, it is natural to ask ourselves: how much of his message has been heard and acted upon?

Well, if the other Virginia story is any measure, not much of this message has been heard.

Virginia also is the home of popular singer Chris Brown, currently in the middle of his 5 year probation for felony assault of his then girlfriend, the even more popular singer, Rihanna. In 2009 he pled guilty to severely beating her which, according to the search warrant affidavit in the case, included attempting to force her from a vehicle, shoving her head against a window, repeatedly punching her in the face, biting her, choking her to such an extent that she began to lose consciousness, and threatening to kill her. Again, here the government stood behind the dignity of women by pursuing felony criminal charges against Brown, notwithstanding his prominence. Yet half way through that probation, the Grammy's have featured him and honored him. Furthermore, he and Rihanna have leaked remixes of songs in which they collaborate together. Rihanna's remix is particularly disturbing, and too explicit for this blog. Suffice it to say NPR described the lyrics as "blurr[ing] the line between pleasure and pain, and could be interpreted as alluding to Brown's assault of her."

From this carnage, parents attempt to act upon John Paul II's 17-year-old message and resurrect a teaching moment. Such a moment can lead to powerful opportunities to help protect girls from the dangers of domestic violence, to help them recognize that it affects even the most famous and privileged, and to engage bystanders in appropriate responses. However, the culture provides an alternative message. These two extremely popular performers (not to mention the industry behind them) contribute to a different dispatch to their teen followers: rather than end the violent relationship – continue collaborating, dismiss the violence against women, exploit the scandal, and reinforce gendered stereotypes that suggest such violent assaults are at best excusable and at worst somehow the fault of the victim. Given this kind of culture, is it any wonder that a college student quoted in the NPR story referred to this recent collaboration as indicating "love?" Even more disturbing, teens assembling for a fall 2011 Brown concert in Baltimore, Maryland blamed the "incident" on Rihanna's. Baltimore…not far from where Yeardley Love attended high school. No doubt several will wonder, what is the harm? One measure of the result of this social messaging is this: after the Grammy win- several documented tweets from young women stating, "Chris Brown can beat me."

So as we wrestle with these tensions between government and people of faith, it is a reminder that, even when on the same side of an issue, such solidarity is not enough to affect change. We must also combat the social messages that perpetuate the lack of dignity afforded to all. February's role as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is brought all the more sharply into focus with these examples of how far our society still has to progress in order to ensure the life and dignity of our young women. Perhaps we would do well to remember and share John Paul II's words in Mulieris Dignitatem, that "woman cannot become the "object" of "domination" and male "possession.""