The pronouncements from a number of Catholic bishops with regard to Sen. John Kerry’s position on abortion rights are dangerously misguided and disingenuous.
What does being for or against choice’ have to do with any politician’s ability to lead this nation, especially at a time when it desperately needs responsible leadership? With American men and women dying every day in Iraq, along with untold numbers of Iraqis…with America’s global prestige shattered…with decades of progress made on environmental protection being rolled back…with an out-of-control deficit…with efforts to secure our ports, water supplies and nuclear power plants lagging because of a lack of funds…with these and other pressing issues demanding serious and thoughtful consideration, these religious leaders would have voters use abortion rights as a litmus test for assessing a candidate’s qualifications for office. If nothing else, they deserve high grades for remaining focused on an issue, narrow though it may be.
It has been said that the bishop’s position is motivated not by politics but by principle. Really? What if Sen. Kerry was running against, say, an avowed racist who was against abortion rights. Taking the bishops at their word, I guess they would have a moral dilemma. But no reasonable person would expect the bishops to support a racist, would they? So maybe there’s more than principle at work. Maybe George W. Bush just hasn’t messed things up badly enough for the bishops to get their priorities right. Four more years of a Bush administration will surely straighten that out.
Brian McCabe
