21 August 2007

One nation

In my parish, we are told it is our duty and responsibility to vote. We are also told that voting for evil, or candidates that support evil, is a sin, possibly even a mortal sin depending on the circumstances. No one tells us which candidate to vote for, but they address the issues that should be important to Catholics.

However, in my great, big Catholic family, they have a long history of political activism. Many are staunch Democrats. A few have been in State government. This isn't true of my immediate family as my grandfather leaned towards Republicans way back at the turn of the century when no farmer in his right mind thought that way. The other branches were the vocal, even outspoken, ones.

Back then, it was OK to be a Democrat. Today, a Catholic in good conscience cannot vote for these folks. More and more, we can't even find a Republican to vote for. Abortion is the go or no-go issue. Once that hurdle is overcome with a morally acceptible position, then the playing field is wide open. An open playing field with few viable candidates.

If Catholics only voted their conscience first, we wouldn't be in such a fix. But, that's crux of it. Democrats have some good ideas, commendable ideas that go along well with how we are supposed to love our neighbor as ourselves and take care of those in need. But not all issues are of equal weight and before I can even look at the good things they might do, I'm stopped at the door with the horror of their support for abortion, euthanasia, the homosexual agenda, etc.

My Democratic family members don't understand this. I would wager they consider themselves Democratic Americans, possibly Democratic Irish Americans as some are totally hung up on all things Irish, but none would consider themselves Catholic Americans or just plain ol' Catholics. Despite going to Mass on Sunday and some being VERY active in Catholic organizations, they don't place their religion at the top of their priority list.

I have a cousin who was awarded a prestigious Catholic award for her decades of service and involvement. Maybe that's all the people presenting the award look at. This cousin, however, is in danger of losing her soul. She is even more involved in local Democratic causes. Very active to the point of starting to believe the party line. Once a "good Catholic," she now vocalizes support for abortion, population control, euthanasia, etc. Previously, although many in the family probably suspected her positions on these issues, she never had the nerve to admit it openly. Times have changed and she has changed.

Believe it or not, I am related, by marriage, to Dick Durbin. It's unbelievable how this branch of the family is so proud to claim him as their own. On the other side of the aisle in a different state, is a cousin who is a Republican State Congresswoman, who holds a traditionally very Democratic seat. Some of my family vote for her because she's family, some vote for her because she is a Republican, others have practically disowned her.

From the Pew Forum:


Rudy, a "Catholic," is about as much a Catholic as Hillary is, with his positions on abortion, gay rights and marriage, etc. The rest have suspect, questionable or poor records on these topics, too.


Who are all these "Catholics" that are voting for these baby killers? Oh, yeah, they are my own family.

I have no idea who to vote for. If this is the best we can do...

7 comments:

gemoftheocean said...

DUNCAN HUNTER! Get with the program!


http://www.gohunter08.com/index.asp

Pay attention!

Karen H. -- San Diego, Ca.

swissmiss said...

Karen:
I've heard of Duncan Hunter and been to his website a few times, but everyone I tell his name to looks at me like I just spoke Latin or something. (My husband really like him because of Chuck Yeager being his manager and my husband loves planes and all that comes with it. We've actually met CY at a local TV station.) Our main candidates of both parties are folks I wouldn't wish on any country.

Mairin :o) said...

My hubby is favoring Huckabee. I know what you mean about Catholics voting pro-abortion. We live in a very heavily democratic neighborhood. An elderly couple I used to bring the Eucharist to had a very heavily pro-abortion democratic candidate's sign in his yard. When I said, were you aware she supports abortion? He said, "oh, no! But I gave my word about the sign." I couldn't believe it!! Let's see.. in the grand scheme of things is it better to support abortion or take down a sign?

swissmiss said...

My MIL, not a Catholic, used to live with us for about three years. She was pro-abortion. I still get PP and NARAL literature in the mail, which irritates the (*&^ out of me. I think our mailman wonders if we are schizophrenic.

Also looking at Huckabee. Just wish these candidates were front runners instead of long shots. But, then again, we did have Jesse as governator.

gemoftheocean said...

Duncan is my own congressman.
Was chairman of the house armed services committee for years and is still the (R) senior ranking member. Fox is in the damn tank for that creep Giuliani. I hate Hitlery, but Giuliani makes me want to throw LARGE, very LARGE objects at him. He KNOWS more about the terrorist threat and what we have to combat it than ANY other candidate, and that includes McPain. I don't want someone asleep at the switch up there.

Duncan served with distinction in the Armed forces, and a son of his is also a Marine, serving a few tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He's ALWAYS been pro-life, and not when it's just fashionable.

He also has the right attitude re: enforcing the boarder and national sovereignty, when most of the (R) brand are a bunch of sell outs on the issue. Few of us have anything against LEGAL immigration, but it pisses me off no end when people try to say we are racists for wanting to own our own country and not give a free ride to anyone that manages to swim across the rio grande. He's also with the "middle class" guy getting squeezed by the damned H1-B workers which has affected me and thousands like me personally. Companies lie saying they don't have "X" numbers of Americans to do "X" jobs ... and they do...they just don't want to PAY us what we are worth. So they undercut our labor and force us out of high-tech jobs. I'm SICK of it.

Duncan has been a great congressman. Baptist, but he's got my vote all the way. A lot more "Catholic" in what he DOES, than some "Catholics in name only"
types -- who can take a flyin' leap off a tall building. Preferably without a parachute.

I don't trust Romney -- I've had enough Northeastern RINOs who are suddenly "converted" to last a lifetime. Any politician from Massachusetts can curl up and die for all I care. Starting with Ted and working the way down the ladder through the rest of the putrid dead fish.

Someday I'll tell you how I REALLY feel. I'm just repressing too much right now.

swissmiss said...

Karen:
I can't wait until you let loose and tell me how you really feel ;}

Duncan Hunter does have an impressive background. I always like a military man (no, not the Bush and Kerry kind). I also like many of his ideas. Why can't people like this become president instead of politicians that are more concerned with their image and the next election?

gemoftheocean said...

Partly because he's not media annointed an an attention whore like Rudy. I appreciate McPain suffering as a POW, but he's always been for himself first and I think is rather liberal on social issues. What is it about Arizona that rots the brain?

I can't abide the governator, aka Mr. Maria Kennedy Schriver. Maria's mom was one of the FEW Kennedys who were still pro life, and Maria whores out. Sharp. Serpent's tooth and all that.