From where did all the Canon lawyers come?

I keep hearing over, and over, and over about how Pope Benedict has made a huge mistake in lifting the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson because of his holocaust denial. I don't think you need to be a canon lawyer to understand that denying the Holocaust is not a matter of faith and morals. Stupid - maybe, ignorant - beyond doubt, but unless there are evil intentions, sin, it is not.

Bishop Williamson is, by my reading, not denying the facts of the Holocaust because of anti-semitism or pro-naziism - he just has been grossly misinformed of the evidence/facts surrounding this sad part of our history. What some don't know is that he delivered a letter to Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei on January 30:

To His Eminence Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos

Your Eminence

Amidst this tremendous media storm stirred up by imprudent remarks of mine on Swedish television, I beg of you to accept, only as is properly respectful, my sincere regrets for having caused to yourself and to the Holy Father so much unnecessary distress and problems.

For me, all that matters is the Truth Incarnate, and the interests of His one true Church, through which alone we can save our souls and give eternal glory, in our little way, to Almighty God. So I have only one comment, from the prophet Jonas, I, 12:

"Take me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."

Please also accept, and convey to the Holy Father, my sincere personal thanks for the document signed last Wednesday and made public on Saturday. Most humbly I will offer a Mass for both of you.

Sincerely yours in Christ

+Richard Williamson

Now, many believe he should have gone further by renouncing his earlier statements. In his letter he is clearly setting out his "imprudence" with what he said. He can only do what he has already - apologize and acknowledge that he was out-of-bounds by making the statements in the first place. The Holy Father and many other bishops have repeatedly spoken on the Holocaust, even canonizing victims of it (e.g. - Sts. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross-Edith Stein and Maximillian Kolbe). The Church's position is clear and our informed Jewish brothers and sisters are aware of it.

The biggest trouble with this is the amateur canonists among us who are quick to condemn Pope Benedict without recognizing that the lifting of the excommunications had nothing to do with the SSPX Bishops' personal views on historical facts. If I were to publicly state that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were hoaxes, does that make me eligible for excommunication? No...commitment for observation, maybe, but not excommunication.

There are even some so-called Catholic congressmen who have weighed in on this, despite the fact that they are walking around sporting large millstone necklaces for their active pro-abortion position (h/t to Ed Mechmann on this). How much arrogance does it take to participate in the eradication of millions of babies and then lecture the Holy Father on how he should carry out his ministry?