ARE THE QUEEN AND THE POPE, RIGHT OR WRONG?

ARE THE QUEEN AND THE POPE, RIGHT OR WRONG?

A couple of interesting developments caught my eye this week. Two major global figures, Queen Elizabeth and Pope Francis, made public statements on two different political issues. Both of these respected individuals spoke out on topics that they normally don’t comment upon. The Queen seemed to be offering some advice on the Brexit problem in Great Britain and the Pope referred indirectly to the Trump obsession of building a wall between the USA and Mexico. Should they have?

In her address to mark the centenary of the Sandringham Women's Institute, the Queen urged people to "respect different points of view" and to come "together to seek out the common ground". While the monarch, as head of state, stays neutral on political matters, BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said there was little doubt that she was "sending a message" about the highly contentious Brexit debate.

At the same time, Pope Francis took another shot at wall-building politicians, telling thousands of Catholics in Panama gathered for World Youth Day that "builders of walls sow fear" and "divide people.” The Pope's remarks seemed to be a clear reference to President Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. Trump's demand for $5.7 billion for the wall has led to a partial government shutdown for 34 days.

Their comments are probably echoed by millions of others who hold the same point of view, but the question is should they have been publicly commenting on political situations that were not a part of their purview? Since they are such significant world leaders, in totally different areas, should they be offering advice on political issues? Our world is full of influential parties, many in the world of sports and entertainment, who overstep their importance by offering political commentary and critiques that far exceed their expertise. Can Dennis Rodman, a former basketball player, associate with President Kim of North Korea and offer advice on American politics? Can the commentary and opinions of entertainment celebrities like LeBron James, Clint Eastwood or Opra Winfrey really be accepted as knowledgeable? Or are they simply taking advantage of their public persona to comment on their personal opinions on a big stage?

On the other side of the coin, perhaps the Queen and the Pope should speak out on issues that they see as being offensive or destructive. One of the qualities of a strong leader is speaking out on controversial issues and taking a stand that they strongly believe in. If the Queen feels that a Brexit failure is going to lead to significant economic and social hardships in her country, why shouldn’t she speak out? The Pope obviously understands the division and hardships that will increase with building a wall, and he feels his comments might have some influence on American decision makers. Both of their comments are based upon trying to prevent or decrease suffering for many of the most vulnerable. Their comments have both shown leadership on two contentious issues of the day.

So, were the Queen and the Pope right or wrong in making their comments? You decide!