Why does this woman have a job writing opinion pieces for the Boston Globe?

That monument to vacuousness, Joan Vennochi, is at it again. In today's brain-dead column she opines that since the Catholic Church is not headed in the direction of liberalization, liberals should leave the church.

Catholics who don't agree with church doctrine are doing the unexpected -- sticking around where they are unwelcome, rather than moving on.

The stubborness is rooted in nostalgia, inertia, and arrogance. We cherish some memories, like the lacy white communion dress and the innocence of childhood confessions. Despite spotty attendance, we enjoy the ritual of Sunday Mass. We also believe our views are the enlightened ones and Rome's represent the neanderthal; eventually we will get a pope who understands that.

I do find it amusing that Joanie lumps herself in with the liberals she is so fond of bashing day in and day out.

Her own continued membership in the Church may be due to nostalgia, inertia, and arrogance. How does she presume that she speaks for, say, John Kerry, who, by the way, does attend Mass on a regular basis?

And just in case you might have missed where she's really going with this,

Bill Clinton carried the white Catholic vote by 7 points; Al Gore lost the white Catholic vote by 7 points; and John Kerry, a Catholic, lost the Catholic vote by 13 points. That is a 20 point swing, to the advantage of the GOP.

And what on earth would any of this have to do with a person's private beliefs?

I have plenty of issues with the Church. I also have at least a minimal appreciation of the sometimes yawning chasm between faith and logic. If she feels called upon to leave the Church, godspeed to her - and I mean that. But how dare she propose such a step on behalf of anyone else?