A particularly vile right-wing blog, here in Italy, has been all over the news after having published a long list of Jewish Professors working in Italian Universities. The blog has been taken down by its service provider, and Italian police are investigating the incident, with a view to prosecution for incitement to hatred.

That the blogger is confused, to say the least, is apparent with a brief look around the blog. He/She laments the fact that ‘the Jews’ have a conflict of loyalty, between Italy and Israel. Leave aside, for a moment, the dangerous idea that all Jews blindly support Israel, and let’s accept the blogger’s flawed logic. It should stand to reason, then, on the same lines, that the Blogger should publish a list of Catholic Professors (which would be much lengthier). After all, technically speaking Catholics must obey the teaching of the Catholic Church, which is decided by the head of State of a foreign country.

It was this very flawed logic, after all, that saw the development of the Kulturkampf in Germany in the late 19th century, and the expulsion of various Catholic orders.

This blogger – who, based on the links prominently displayed on the blog is a fan of both Jesus and Mussolini – neglects to take into account the fact that one can be a Jew and disagree with the actions of the State of Israel. One can’t, though, technically be a Catholic and be in disagreement with certain declarations made by the infallible Holy Father.