Pope Francis on Cecil and the apathy about Planned Parenthood and the murder of Christians

The amount of anger over the killing of one lion, Cecil, currently expressed on the Internet and within the news media, baffles me. I have not spent much time on Twitter over the past few days, but a number of friends on Facebook have voiced their outrage about the killing of Cecil.

Most of these same friends have never voiced their outrage over the killing of innocent men, women, and children by the Islamic State, Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, or others, simply because they are Christian. Nor have they voiced their outrage over the killing of unborn children simply because their mother's find them inconvenient. They have also not voiced their outrage over Planned Parenthood's recently exposed selling of baby parts for profit. Why? It cannot be because they are ignorant of these outrages against the dignity of the human person; I share such stories frequently and often.

A few memes convey my continuing and growing frustration at such apparent and long-sustained apathy:

At the very least, I suppose I should be grateful none of my friends have called for the hunter's death.

It may be time for more people to actually take the time to read the encyclical letter Laudato Si of the Holy Father Pope Francis wherein we read these words:

A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment. It is no coincidence that, in the canticle in which Saint Francis praises God for his creatures, he goes on to say: "Praised be you my Lord, through those who give pardon for your love." Everything is connected. Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolve the problems of society (91).

Is there are a greater problem confronting society than the murder of unborn children or murder of Christians simply because they are Christians? I do not think so. Raise your voices!