Most of you have probably heard of the recent tiff between Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy over Santorum's charge that the liberal culture of the People's Republic of Massachusetts was the soil in which priestly abuse of children would take place. Specifically, Santorum said that

Priests, like all of us, are affected by culture. When the culture is sick, every element in it becomes infected. While it is no excuse for this scandal, it is no surprise that Boston, a seat of academic, political and cultural liberalism in America, lies at the center of the storm.

Kennedy's rare personal attack on another Senator on the Senate floor demanded that Santorum retract his remarks and apologize."The people of Boston are to blame for the clergy sexual abuse? That is an irresponsible, insensitive and inexcusable thing to say." Critics of Santorum have rightly pointed out that centuries haven't much abated New England's puritan or, even, Victorian moralism. Actually, if you track the origins of the abuse scandal, as the BBC did, it first broke in the People's Republic of Louisiana. That sounds more like it. New England's rocky soil barely nurtures anything. Steamy, Mississippi-fed creole culture -- now, there's the muck to nurture licentious thoughts in the minds of holy men. Thanks to John Holbo and another source I can't remember for the tip.