It never ceases to amaze me that these people just don’t get it. In an effort to humanize Ryan, the Romney campaign had Ryan and his family stop at a soup kitchen in Youngstown, Ohio last week. There was no advance notice to the venue ( Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society), no asking of permission, no coordination of schedules — Ryan and his family and entourage just showed up.
From the Washington Post:
The head of a northeast Ohio charity says that the Romney campaign last week “ramrodded their way” into the group’s Youngstown soup kitchen so that GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan could get his picture taken washing dishes in the dining hall.
Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society, said that he was not contacted by the Romney campaign ahead of the Saturday morning visit by Ryan, who stopped by the soup kitchen after a town hall at Youngstown State University.“We’re a faith-based organization; we are apolitical because the majority of our funding is from private donations,” Antal said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “It’s strictly in our bylaws not to do it. They showed up there, and they did not have permission. They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors.”
He added: “The photo-op they did wasn’t even accurate. He did nothing. He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall…”
Upon entering the soup kitchen, Ryan, his wife and three young children greeted and thanked several volunteers, then donned white aprons and offered to clean some dishes. Photographers snapped photos and TV cameras shot footage of Ryan and his family washing pots and pans that did not appear to be dirty.
CBS News has this story, plus more pictures and video.
Amazing, right? Following behind Romney’s comments that 57% of Americans are dependent on the government and bascially moochers, we have the showily Catholic Ryan and family looking to use the poor as a prop. Which isn’t anywhere in Catholic teaching (or at least it wasn’t when I was observant). Catholics used to be taught that the poor and vulnerable are of special concern to God, meaning it should be to Catholics too. You are meant to embody that concern and genuinely work to help the poor — personally, via your church and in supporting social policy. Showing up to don some aprons, run some water on the pots and take some pictures doesn’t exactly count.
Besides, why wouldn’t you *ask* first? Lost of non-profits have provisions that require them to stay away from overt politics and just usurping their space for staged photos could genuinely threaten their funding. Funding that Ryan would be quick to deny — because the rich people he is in thrall to need more of his concern than poor people do.