I posted this at dot commonweal today...but it bears repeating.
55 Catholic Democrats in the House of Representatives came out with a "Statement of Principles"
Perhaps the Democrats are taking a page from the GOP, who regularly co-opt the language of Catholic Social Teaching (how many times have we heard Pres. Bush say "culture of life?").
The document as a whole, is good and I found interesting and was surprised that they included abortion in their argument. However this may be an exercise in futility.
People are voting republican in our country because they have a longing for security (with 9-11 and Columbine and now Katrina and the Tusnami ramping up people's fears). While Bush made a mess in New Orleans this may not resonate with middle class voters because they do not have a vital concern for the poor (unfortunately). Middle class folks would have been able to flee Katrina as opposed to the poor who were exploited in the worst way in this disaster. So the Democrats co-opting Catholic Social Teaching in an effort to link Catholic voters with a concern for the poor is likely to fall on deaf ears even amongst the most pious conservative Catholics.
The GOP wins not because the majority of people are religious but rather because they are selfish--plain and simple. They are concerned about their own individual lives and religiously they only concern themselves with their immediate need of security. So 9-11 effected them because of its randomness. Anyone could be in a random building that gets hit by a terrorist. Same is true for Columbine...any high school kid could get shot up any day of the week. The majority of the rich and middle class escaped the natural disaster of Katrina and the tsunami was half a world away--so they will naturally have less impact.
The Democrats have two choices: they can start talking about "smart security" and ensure Americans that they will remain vigilantly on guard with regards to securing the nation, or they can attempt to convince Americans of the need to be concerned with one another.
It looks like they are going with the latter...and that's a tough road to hoe.
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1 comment:
You write: "The document as a whole, is good and I found interesting and was surprised that they included abortion in their argument. However this may be an exercise in futility."
I don't know how any document which sets forth lies can be on the whole good. Signers of the letter have voted to fund with federal money the destruction of human embryos to create embryonic stem cells. Yet they talk about each day working "to advance respect for life and the dignity of every human being." That is a lie, plain and simple.
That someone like Bart Stupak, who is a good politician and a true pro-lifer would sign this document is a scandal. He is giving cover to his fellow Catholic Democrats who disregard our obligation to protect the weakest among us.
We can talk about the many vices (and perhaps a few virtues) of the Republicans until we are blue in the face. There are many. But none of those vices makes this a good document. And, we Catholics, shouldn't praise it. We should condemn it.
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