Thomas Yanoti
Sarasota Catholic Examiner
December 31, 2011

Now that 2011 is about to end, and with enough Champagne, we can delude ourselves into thinking it was a fantastic year. Actually, in certain aspects it was. Yet, 2011 will be remembered--for the most part--as a year of turmoil. A poor American economy, European social and economic upheaval, an Arab spring sprung from revolt, Iranian nuclear growth, terror and war and revolution continuing globally, and the death of multiple world tyrants mark the end of a year which serves as a harbinger for a quite interesting and pivotal 2012. Unless, that is, if the Mayan calendar is correct!

So here is the saintly, the dastardly, and the suspect of 2011:

First, the saintly:

Karol Wojtyla was a gift to the world. Beatified this past June as Blessed Pope John Paul II, he revolutionized world thinking back to the simplest of answers for all the great philosophical questions of Life: JESUS CHRIST. He furthermore defined Christianity in a life of holiness, and re-defined suffering as participation in salvation wrought through the Blood of Christ Jesus. In his life, his teaching, and his personal suffering, the Papacy, the Christian disciple, and the integral human person were exemplified.

JPII: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/jo...l_ii/index.htm

The American middle class has had a tough year! Riddled with a depressing economy, a failing housing market, and stifling unemployment, the American middle class has fallen victim to the political and ideological games of politicians and ideologues, all seeking to manipulate the middle for upper and lower gain! Even though the middle class are the worker bees, the little engine that does, the exceptional energy in American exceptionalism, the President continues to insult them by calling them lazy! Robbed by both Wall Street tycoons and supporters of Illegal immigrants, the American middle class continues to foot the bill for spendthrift politicians and left-wing border saboteurs. You would think they would at least get a thank you? No! Now they must wade through the muck of politicians seeking to whore them for votes! God bless the middle class, the heart of America, the hope for our future.

Is the middle class a dying breed? http://www.businessinsider.com/22-st...america-2010-7

Killing is against God’s Commandments! Yet, let us celebrate the death of Osama Bin Laden, by the bullets of Navy Seals, as a wonderful 2011 blessing for the world. Just as the Catholic Church reserves the right to capital punishment for those deemed incorrigibly unrepentant, and hell-bent on killing, and holds a Just reason for war for the defense of the innocent (see the Just War Theory), the killing of a blood-thirsty terrorist is a wonderful thing. Thank you Navy Seals!

The death of Osama! http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/osama-...ry?id=13505703

Tim Tebow never asked to be the center of an American firestorm! All he does is play football-not always pretty-but, more often than not, effectively! And, by the way, he wears his Christian faith on his sleeve! And that, my friends, is tantamount to civil disobedience in popular-America today!

Tebow and Christophobia? http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/6919

Now the dastardly:

Tyrants such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il -now deceased, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Muammar Kadafi -now deceased, represent the cancer which still pervades our globe. One would think--as many atheist-materialist-utopian-scientists such as Christopher Hitchens-now deceased, and Richard Dawkins--that our evolution would have brought us well past this. Think again! 2011 provides vivid proof that base animal cruelty still courses through the veins of many inhuman people. They are further proof that Atheistic nations built purely upon secular and materialist ideals, doom humanity to inhumanity!

2011 and the dying Atheist: http://www.atheists.org/press_releas...opher_Hitchens

And finally, the suspect:

The Obama administration has administered multiple stimulus packages, which have only stimulated a suffering economy; they have forced Obamacare on the American people against their will; they have insulted world allies, while cow-towing to our enemies; they have struck down efforts to enforce border restrictions while playing politics with Latino sentiments; they have supported every Court decision which strips away another public vestige of our Judeo-Christian heritage; they have left Iraq under the guise of saving American soldiers lives, while leaving a vacuum in the region for terror; they have promoted an Arab spring—and left open the door for the Moslem Brotherhood; they have supported unions and socialism, while restricting small businesses and capitalism; they have stimulated class warfare for the coming year!

Obama and class warfare: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011...naire-tax-plan

Congress was supposed to be the answer! But have they? In reaction to the Obama-social agenda, Republicans were voted into office in 2010 in record numbers. But in 2011, what have they really done?

An Unpopular Congress! http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...I_gallery.html

Let me know what you think at tranz4mation@comcast.net

Happy New Year!
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Thomas is a graduate of Ave Maria University with a Master of Theological Studies Degree (MTS). He is married with a beautiful daughter and worships a Merciful Lord.

http://www.examiner.com/catholic-in-...nd-the-suspect