There's an amazing and telling post below and I think it merits comment:

"I was going to label him a sterling character/person until I read about his associates and that he was a neocon. The last were the ones who pushed America into the last three wars which are still going on today. So now I have no respect for Novak."

In other words, in this person's estimation, a person's character depends entirely on their political ideology. I wish I could say that was a minority view on this board, but sadly it seems to be more and more the norm. And I see it equally represented from both the left and the right.

I don't agree with much of what Michael Novak believed about politics and theology. But I still believe he was a decent, honorable and intellectually honest human being. Perhaps more importantly, considering the sorry state of public discourse today, he participated in the national conversation in a respectful manner. That matters to me. I wish it mattered to more people.