re: #66 William Barnett-Lewis

Predominately through anti-union activism & suppression of women in the labor market (“traditional” roles) as well as suppressing intellectual freedom in academia and the media. Falangist Spain made the Soviet press seem rather free at times and that was whole heartedly supported by the church.

Finally was the support it gave to the government for the wholesale slaughter of anyone who made even a peep of protest. By giving the government the “color of their authority”, they were essentially saying these extrajudicial murders were Just.

These were many of the same things that the church would do, based on the experiences in Spain and Portugal, in upholding the far right regimes in Central & South America. To paraphrase an infamous US Army spokesman, they were happy to destroy freedom to protect freedom from the Communists.

That seems odd, given Catholic support for organized labor here in the US. Although its not surprising that clergy in nations with a larger Communist presence felt differently, given Communism’s well-earned reputation for brutality towards Catholicism.