You are most likely getting a lot of
letters disagreeing with John Kelly’s “DNC Response: Democrats Are People of
Faith,” (May 25). So I will comment on only his third paragraph where he
states, “The core values of the Democratic Party are in line with key Catholic
teachings.”
The most important key Catholic
teaching is that abortion is intrinsically evil and that a family made up of a
female mother and a male father is intrinsically good. These two issues are
contrary to the Democratic Party platform. The Pope’s question, “Is it
consistent to profess our beliefs in church on Sunday, and then during the week
to promote business practices or medical procedures contrary to those beliefs?”
sums up the Democratic Party very nicely. It is inconsistent to state they are
creating a society that meets the needs of the poor, the sick, promoting peace,
sustaining the environment for the health and life of us all, when the DNC sees
nothing wrong with killing the future of the world by aborting the most
innocent.
John Kelly is that Sunday morning
Catholic the Pope spoke about, and he ought to be ashamed of his participation
in aiding and abetting the killing of babies. Both Hillary and Obama are 100%
pro-abortion. How can he even consider working for their advancement?
Paul Kachinski,
Greenwood, Indiana
Glaring Omissions
John Kelly, in “DNC Response:
Democrats Are People of Faith” (May 25), makes a pretty good case in stating:
“The core values of the Democratic Party are in line with key Catholic
teachings.” He almost succeeds in glossing over the fact that the majority of
Democrats do not support a clear, strong pro-life position. He also completely
ignores the support for the homosexual agenda, to include same-sex “marriage,”
shown by many of the more visible and vocal leaders of the Democratic Party.
These glaring omissions of support
for traditional, moral family values were undoubtedly a factor in the
Republican victories in the last two presidential elections and could be in the
next, as well. Certainly, the positions of the two leading contenders for the
Democratic presidential nomination on these issues are well-known.
I believe the vast majority of
Americans still hold to traditional family values and know what is morally
correct vs. politically correct. The Catholic bishops do remind us that “no
candidate or political party completely embodies our teachings, and we are each
called to take up the work to continue to transform our political system and
parties.”
If only Kelly and other Catholic
Democrats had the courage to call upon their faith and stand for Truth. Until
they recognize traditional family values and respect the sanctity of all human
life, the party will be deficient in principle and vulnerable regardless of
their work for the common good.
C.W. Helfeldt
Rockledge, Florida
Democratic Inconsistencies
In your May 25 issue, John Kelly
recently provided a spirited rejoinder to those who think that Catholics in the
Democratic Party have lost their way.
His overarching theme is that “the
core values of the Democratic Party are in line with key Catholic teachings,
creating a society that meets the needs of the poor, caring for the sick,
supporting families.”
We know the Church consistently
articulates its “preferential option for the poor.” But it also
uncompromisingly reveres the fundamental dignity of the human person. It is
hard to understand how presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Barack
Obama, fulfills this description.
His record, in addition to his
consistently pro-abortion stance in the U.S. Senate, includes a vote to destroy
the lives of babies that have survived abortion attempts. This pattern betrays
a deep misunderstanding of the inherent dignity of human beings made in the
image and likeness of our Creator — a core Church teaching.
Kelly informs us that “the
Democratic Party realizes that life does not end at birth.” But does it realize
that human life begins and shouldn’t be terminated before birth?
Many Democratic values emerge from a
peek into the details of our health-care system, which, as Kelly states, is a
high priority within the Democratic Party.
Existing health-care laws are
primarily the result of Democratic initiatives, although to be fair, some
Republicans have also supported them. These laws frontally attack Catholic
teaching and, in some cases, actually persecute those who attempt to hold to
their faith while executing their vocational responsibilities.
For example, millions are uninsured
because state mandates (coverage that must be offered and paid for in every
health insurance plan) drive the cost of insurance much higher and out of their
financial range. Minnesota imposes the most mandates at 64.
Specific health benefits that
violate Church teaching include: abortion (10 states allow teenage abortion
without parental consent), contraception (teenage children receive
contraceptives without parental consent in all 50 states), in vitro
fertilization (covered by mandate in health insurance laws in 13 states), and
domestic partner benefits (available in 13 states).
So unfortunately, while as Kelly
maintains, the “Democrats are champions of the sick and fighting for health
care coverage for all Americans,” the laws they successfully enact inflict
tremendous harm upon its citizens — both physical and moral. This is particularly
true of the teenagers who access many of these benefits.
The Center for Disease Control
recently found that 25% of American teenagers have a sexually transmitted
disease. This can lead to breast and cervical cancer.
How much responsibility should
national and state health insurance bear as this epidemic grows? And how are
parents supported in this process?
In addition, Catholic hospitals,
doctors and pharmacists in many states must participate in these activities or
face severe sanctions.
Finally, one laments the pejorative
reference to “the narrow-mindedness of the conservative culture war.” Such
“labeling” is disturbing to those Catholics who seek to adhere faithfully to
all Church teachings. It does nothing to bridge ideological gaps.
While Kelly obviously has honest
political convictions, he might want to seriously consider the practical result
of his party’s legislative effects on the poor, the sick and the family.
Bob Mylod
Manasquan, New Jersey
Preaching Black Genocide
I was shocked to see the article
“DNC Response: Democrats Are People of Faith,” (May 25), which is at odds with
the Church’s position.
Abortion is the most sacred plank of
the Democratic Party. For those aborted, all the other Democratic goals
are meaningless.
Obama contradicts America’s
Declaration of Independence, which states that life is the first
inalienable right even before liberty and happiness. He believes the
taking of his grandchildren’s lives is fine if they are a burden. He fails
to consider how an abortion hurts women who can never have their
aborted child back.
In his graduation speech at
Wesleyan, he called on people to dedicate themselves to public service, yet he
seeks to eliminate family service by abortion. With the black abortion rate at
more than twice their population percentage in America, Obama is preaching
black genocide. How many Martin Luther Kings, Jackie Robinsons and Colin
Powells have been lost in abortion?
He calls himself a Christian but
preaches taking the lives of those “made in the image and likeness of God.”
Jeremiah, the Psalms and Isaiah all tell us that God made us in the womb, yet
he campaigns to destroy God’s creation. Obama’s preaching contradicts
Jesus’ preaching, to “Love one another as I have loved you.” His preaching is
more harmful than Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s.
I do thank the Register for
publishing Marjorie Dannenfelser’s excellent pro-life article (“2 Ways of
Seeing Babies,” May 25).
William J. Downey
Manhasset, New York
Schiavo’s Shame
Regarding “Obama vs. the Right to
Life” (May 18): This is an outstanding article with information that people
need to hear.
However, I wanted to comment on one
item that I believe is factually incorrect. You state in the article that
Michael Schiavo had remarried and had one child while Terri was still alive.
Actually I don’t believe he had ever divorced Terri (which I think legally is
what gave him spousal rights over her treatment).
He was living with the woman he
would eventually marry and had two children with her before Terri’s death.
Lynne Smith
Clarksburg, Maryland
Editor’s
note: Michael Schiavo was said to have a new “common law wife.” But
you’re right — that’s confusing. We fixed it online.
Mass in Rome
Many people come to Rome searching
for a Mass in English and Legionary Father Thomas Williams celebrates one every
Sunday at 6 p.m. at San Giovanni Fiorentini, just across the river from the
Vatican. You may want to inform the readers of this, being many travel to Rome
frequently.
Alethea Cameron
Rome
Contra Kelly
There are certainly areas of social
justice that one could argue the Democratic Party pursues more than the GOP,
but one cannot turn a blind eye to the glaring issues of abortion, partial
birth abortion, proposed killing of children that were attempted to be aborted
but were unsuccessful, euthanasia, homosexual “marriage,” stem-cell research
using human embryos, etc.
The article was nothing but a
self-serving attempt to tell Catholics to quit being so narrow-minded and “get
with the program.” I am embarrassed to read this kind of trash in what I have
always considered to be a publication that was faithful to Catholic values.
Christopher A. Olsztyn
Pittsburgh,
Pa.
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