Here is a blog I wrote for fladems4life.org- this is the website for Florida Democrats for Life organization- If you are a Democrat and pro-life you should seriously consider joining the National and State chapters for Democrats for Life. There is a lot of freedom for you to bring your ideals and ideas into these growing organizations. I believe it is mostly a waste of time trying to turn Democrats into Republicans or vice versa- there is a philosophy of governance that pulls deeper than individual issues- even big issues like abortion.
Republicans call their view- “limited government” whereas I see it more as “limited responsibility” to a point that is contrary to the natural role of governance when it comes to ensuring the common good. For philosophical reasons I think people find a connection to a political party, and that is harder to change. To change from pro-choice to pro-life, it is actually an easier conversion to make. I believe that more Democrats will convert to pro-life, if the discussion takes place with fellow Democrats, not with Republicans who are prone to complete demonizations of the Democratic party.
I readily acknowledge big disconnects with the modern Democratic party on some major issue fronts- but I don’t see the Republican Party as being more closely aligned with my ideals when it comes to the philosophical underpinnings of how to regard the role of State in pursuing the universal common good. Both parties are major basket-cases, in my humble opinion. But I am going to continue the work of reforming the Democratic Party, the Pro-Life Movement, and American Politics- I can’t do it alone, but all I can do is develop and follow my conscience, so that I can continue looking forward to meeting Jesus Christ Man-to-man someday, not dread the encounter. Now here is the blog entry- feel free to comment there or here- feel free to join Democrats for Life and help out if you are so inclined. If you are a hard-core Republican I don’t expect you to join, but consider my points and move on to sites where you feel more inspired. : From fladems4life.org blog
“I believe the time is ripe for the National and Floridian Dems for Life movement to grow exponentially. There are many Democrats who vote for Democrats- especially at the national level- because of the Democratic Party’s longer tradition of caring about the struggles of the poor and middle-class, the minority races, the immigrant, children, and those at-risk for all kinds of reasons. Democrats have a philosophy of governance that is generally much more positive than that offered by the normative Republican Party. There is a reason that the FDR Democratic Party held a firm base among immigrant and social justice-oriented Catholics, and Social Gospel Protestants. There is a commonsensical awareness that while corporations are in service primarily or exclusively to their investors, government is supposed to be the domain of “We the People”. In my own Catholic social doctrine studies, I have found that the role of the political authorities at every level is fixed on one primary goal- the common good. The “buck” has to stop somewhere.
The “buck” actually stops with each one of us- but we can only do so much with the limited powers we have as individuals- particularly if we are individuals with very limited resources, time, or intellectual giftedness. So, we developed representative governance and gave huge responsibilities over to our elected political leaders. Scripture advises us to pray for our leaders for good reason- they have primary charge of ensuring the common good- and they will be judged very closely by God Himself- if we take Revelation seriously.
The Democratic Party has lost a big part of her “soul” in recent decades. To embrace abortion rights and sexual liberalism has been catastrophic for children and traditional families- the very backbone of society. The Democratic Party- as such- does not deserve our continued support, but the Party is not just “theirs”, it is also “ours”. I am a lifelong Democrat, dating back to 1976 when I was just 13 years old and independently decided to volunteer for the first Jimmy Carter campaign for President. I am not willing to let go of the Democratic Party without a big-time fight. I ran for public office as a pro-life Democrat, and experienced the cold-shoulders of both the pro-life movement leaders, and the local Democratic Party activists. What I learned is that there must be a solid grassroots movement among religious African-Americans, Hispanics, and old-school white social justice fighters. We cannot continue to take the abuse from the Democratic Party establishment, which is dominated by Planned Parenthood et al.
The strategy I propose is that each of us in our own communities, attempt to gain speaking engagements in local churches- particularly those with sizeable African-American and Hispanic congregations. We shouldn’t be spending a lot of time trying to convert Republicans over to becoming pro-life Democrats. We should focus on those who are voting Democratic but do so only with severe reservations given the stand of most Democratic leaders on abortion and other social issues.
I suggest we use this blog to report on our progress, to offer encouragement to one another, as well practical suggestions and contacts in the media or churches if we have them. You do not need to be a polished speaker, just try to get in front of traditional religious people and start a dialogue and ask for them to join up with us. Let me know what you think- I am recovering from some health issues, but I plan on getting on the phone this week and setting up some talks. Let’s pray for one another- if it is God’s will, then we will find some open doors in his churches! God Bless, Tim Shipe Vice President. See me on Facebook- contact me for “friend” status.”
Tim,
As always, we are in agreement. Though lately I have been wondering if perhpas, as well, conservatives might be won over to the Catholic economic and political perspective.
Perhaps we need a movement on both sides of the spectrum – one which encourages Democrats to accept pro-life, pro-family values, and one which encourages Republicans to embrace new and better economic ideas. Then we might meet in the middle and shift the whole center of gravity, away from liberalism in its economic and cultural forms, and towards a truly communitarian vision in which the state plays a supporting role (as opposed to no role at all, or too great a role).
I somehow found my way here after reading an article about another Christian pro-test about something irrelevant to the mainstream. My instinct is to not waste my time on this, but here it is…STOP MAKING DEMOCRATS OUT TO BE ANTI-FAMILY…just some of us believe that government has NO PLACE IN A WOMAN’S UTERUS…and certainly some middle aged, middle income white MAN has no business pushing for legislation that effect women…pro-choice is not the same thing as pro-abortion. Everyone wants less abortions happening. Only the Catholics also want no birth control, no sex education…gosh, that will work well for preventing unwanted pregnancies…and “family values?”…look at the personal lives of Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Riley, Gingrich, the list goes on…hypocrites on ‘family values.’ I teach Sunday school, I pray and I am curious about my faith…but I will be damned to allow the religious right to continue to make abortion a political issue. Keep the church out of my government and I will keep the government out of my church. The Catholic church (and many Catholics) scare me more then any other religious group. So please, do not try to patronize Democrats with this issue. We know the truth…Republicans use it to get single issue voters…it is highly effective. Let the Democrats keep fighting for urgent things that effect the already living…things like energy efficiency, global warming, poverty, urban plight, labor, and health care…
Pro-Family Democrat,
You have no right to tell us what we can and cannot do as Catholics we have freedom of speech.
You confuse establishing the Church as the official church of the United States to Catholics speaking up about their values. Just as you speak up about your right to kill children in the womb.
Tito…
Again, this time slower for you…no one here is pro “killing children in the womb”….(but those are choice emotional words, well done)…I am not pro-abortion…a concept that seems to be void to most ‘pro-lifers’…if you all would slightly bend to include PREVENTION into your cause we could probably work for a common good…but you are limited in your fight.
Again…keep your church out of my government and I will keep the government out of your church…you can’t have to both ways. You should be very scared to continue to blur the lines…church-led government like Iran…or Government led church, like Hitler’s Germany and cold war Eastern Europe…are you really wanting to be like that?
Joe,
Yea- it’s strange fighting against sexual liberalism and economic neo-liberalism simultaneously- it puts you on the ‘outs’ with both major political forces in this country anyway. I was being a little polemical about how it is easier to convert to pro-life than to change party affiliation- it did work that way for me though. Even though I hold firm to being a Democrat and working within that party, I don’t vote for the party so much as the candidate- though there are times when I haven’t done the necessary homework and all I have facing me in the ballot box is a name and a party affiliation- for local elections the abortion issue is pretty moot. But philosophically, I can see the Democratic Party taking abortion out at the national level if it gets it’s act together, and combine that natural law legal move with the necessary social program and safety net investments to make sure women are not going to face undue hardships in seeing their children through to birth at minimum.
One other side note- I agree with Ralph Nadar about how the Dems have in many ways embraced the Republican neo-liberal economics- though both parties have gone in for dubious massive bail-outs for the large investor class- see Jeff Faux’s book The Global Class War- for info on how Clinton began the sell-out of prior Democratic party inclinations on economics. Just because I see a major role for government in such things as directing economic outcomes- I don’t go in for all of the Greenspan/Bush/Obama bail-outs of dubious banking and investment interests- economics is not a zero-sum game, you don’t just print money up to bail out the big boys- you do have to get resources moving with fixed currency exchanges and investments like the Marshall plan and/or Manhattan Projects for morally positive outcomes. I will post my campaign column on “Common good, Common-sense Economics” at a later time.
Baby Killing Democrat,
Your argument sounds like I’m against slavery but I don’t want to push my views of being anti-slavery on others.
Also I have a right to speak my values, so keep your anti-Catholic views out of the public forum.
Islam and Catholicism are different. It’s also a straw man argument. You, like many democrats, dwell in relativism and think all religions are the same.
Just as Hitler came to power pushing socialism, Obama is very similar. Just as Hitler, Obama is a great public speaker. Just like Hitler’s thugs, ACORN rigged the votes in strategic states. Just like the Brownshirts (who were militant homosexuals) the Black Panthers intimidated voterr. (two can play the “Hitler-card”).
When you start drawing analogies such as you have, you know you’re losing the argument.
If you want to prevent the killing of innocent children in the womb, then outlaw it.
Tito,
your last rant is what makes me think you all are loony…just more proof…so cool, thanks…
and when you put Acorn, Obama, Hitler and what have into your analogy…your not just losing an argument…your losing your mind.
My guess is..it’s been awhile since you have been laid…homophobic AND a conspiracy theorist…mix in neo-nazi pro-lifer…been awhile since you had a date I bet.
You keep on that crusade of yours…good luck. hahaha…
I need to go wake my baby from his nap…and go meet my family at the pool for some family time…that crazy thing that us anti family Democrats writhe from…hahahaha
you see, freak? I didn’t “kill my babies”….I just waited to have them when I was ready…thanks to being educated and informed about how babies are made…
may the Dear Lord forgive you for being such an intolerant and bigoted ass…
oh one more thing Tito
“If you want to prevent the killing of innocent children in the womb, then outlaw it”
you are so sadly misinformed and ignorant…wow.
We should do this with so many things…let’s start with murder. That should be illegal…then it would finally not be a problem…drunk driving, that’s another one…mmmm….we are on to something here, Tito!…how about drug use? Excellent…that IS a pesky problem. And while we are at it, how about robbery, home invasion…man, if we just made them illegal…gosh, we should have done this years ago!!!
Excellent thought process Einstein…
While I may not agree with precisely the way Tito addressed you, you did say…
“just some of us believe that government has NO PLACE IN A WOMAN’S UTERUS”
And some of us believe that every human being, regardless of his or her location, has a right to exist. It is that simple.
If I believed that it wasn’t a human life inside a woman’s uterus, I wouldn’t care about it. If the unborn human being has no value, then abortion should be legal.
If the unborn human being does have value, then nothing can justify abortion. It is really that simple. The government has every right to protect human life. Seeing as how 99% of pro-lifers don’t care about the 99% of medical procedures that don’t involve killing a human being, it is simply false to make this a women’s issue.
Even moreso in that I think men should be held accountable as well. Please don’t make us out to be misogynistic. This is about parental obligation, not women’s rights. No one has a right to neglect, abuse, or murder their child, man or woman.
Baby Killing Democrat,
Odd that you bring up Hitler then mock me for mocking you.
Again, it is God that you are angry at, you’re just a troll throwing vitriol at anyone that doesn’t adhere to your disordered view on life.
I’ll pray for you.
I have found myself in the Lion’s Den…so I ask you. You middle aged men who fight for the unborn…what have you done to help the BORN? Have you adopted an unwanted child? Do you want to raise a minority child born to a drug addicted mother? Please do, it would make your argument credible. Do you volunteer at county hospitals to rock the newborn, who has been abandoned while it detoxes from meth? Do you work in the foster care system to give those children an equal chance in the world? Do you support social systems that provide a family with the LIFE LONG support they will need? Not short term…”here are some bottles, diapers and a winter coat…good luck.” WHAT DO YOU DO to help those children? Those children born, here and now…breathing, living, suffering, hurting, hungry and unwanted. Do you help them? I’m betting on ‘NO’
And again I say to you…prevention is the key. Stop thinking abstinence. Get out of the box. I am NOT a sexual libertarian…or whatever you called Democrats…the most offensive, sexually degrading shows I have seen are on FOX…the “values channel.” Republicans, Catholics, Christians, pro-lifers…you do not have the moral authority. I am not a “baby killer” because I want to see prevented pregnancies for women that do not want to yet be mothers.
You must separate the radical pro-life movement and include prevention and education.
But if abortion were to be illegal…the Republicans will lose too much of their base…they know it. It will never change. Bush didn’t change a thing…why? Because you all came back and voted for him again.
Patronizing your vote.
good luck in your fight to get Dems on board. Single issue voters are pathetic. If they would give up all the important issues we are working on, so they can go hold up a sign and shout at young girls…good riddance…
I hear the pitter patter of my son’s feet…he wants to join his siblings at the pool…
Namaste
Does pro family include the prenatal?
Pro-abort Troll, I have three kids, including an autistic son, so don’t rant to me about the demands of parenthood, my wife and I have lived them. I have been active in the pro-life movement since 1973. For the last decade I have been on the board of the crisis pregnancy center in my county that gives assistance to women dealing with problem pregnancies. I am currently president of the board. Many of these women we help eventually come back to volunteer with our organization to help other women. We also have an outreach to post-abortive women to help them heal from the bitter despair often engendered from a “safe, legal abortion.” In short I have done what I can to help women in bad situations as a result of pregnancy and abortion. Do I have all the answers to the complex social problem of unwanted pregnancies? I do not. But I do know that killing the child is not a solution, and that the law must protect unborn children as it does born children, if we are to have any pretense of being a civilized society that values human life.
Pro-Death Democrat,
No one here made any claims to “Fox” being the values channel. Most of us don’t even watch tv for that matter. We like to read books mostly.
I am a board member and a volunteer to a crisis pregnancy center and many more other post-natal care facilities. In addition I pray every day for the end of killing babies as well as praying in front of baby killing facilities such as Planned Parenthood.
I am a young man in my thirties, but I am old relative to the movement since most of my colleagues are toddlers all the way up to college students who pray with me in front of abortion mills, volunteer with many pro-life organizations that helps pregnant moms and abstinence programs.
I don’t believe in killing innocent unborn babies and will work until my dying days for the end to the mass slaughter of babies, which is the greatest civil rights challenge in our nations history.
Wow- I go out for ice cream and the playground with the family and look what happens to my father’s day blog entry!!
Well all I can say is that while I am a middle-aged man, my chief pro-life teachers in life have been women. I didn’t just become Catholic and then receive my marching orders from the Pope to become anti-abortion. I had enough life experiences to teach me the true nature of abortion to lead me to oppose abortion with or without a religious conversion. As an update, my wife was one who helped me clear the final hurdles about abortion- she is the one who told me that the only women she can understand would still be pro-choice on abortion are women who have not had children. She is the one who has told me before the births of our children, she is the one who made me promise that no matter what goes down, if there comes a point where there is a choice to be made between her life or the baby she has only seen on ultrasound- go with the baby always! Now I know I am only a middle-aged male, but these kind of witnesses from my female wife have made a deep impact. Maybe the claim will be made that my wife is a self-loathing female- well that logic would follow anyone who opposes a U.S. war and speaks out negatively. Maybe only active duty service men and women should be able to participate in the political debates concerning whether the country should go to war or not.
I’m not buying it. Now I agree with the need for investments in all kinds of pregnant women/children/family social helps, which is why I am pushing for the Pregnant Women Support Act, it deals with a lot of the root causes of abortion- so don’t paint the pro-lifers with too broad of a brush as being insensitive to women and children already born. We may have strong disagreements on the value of contraception, but there are a host of other ways to address many of the same root causes- shall we work together on those, or just continue to issue angry emails and look upon our opposites as pure bad guys. I personally disagree with many things that mainstream liberals and conservatives put forth, but I also find room for common ground, and I am willing to work on that, even as I keep on trucking with my full list of ideals, pushing the system as is my right to do in a free society.
I’m not sure that non-religious persons would embrace my way of loving the women in my life- but I have a facebook cause entitled “Dads Protecting Daughters” which shows more of the politics of my heartfelt love and devotion to my female children- girls I would die a thousand painful deaths over to save- the content of my love may be in some ways mistaken, but do not mistake my intent- I love the women in my life, and I do not believe that supporting abortion rights is any way to say I love you to any woman. That’s my humble but strong opinion.
This guy gives us yet another opportunity to look at how the pro-choice movement makes a complete mockery out of logic.
“You middle aged men who fight for the unborn…what have you done to help the BORN?”
Why would this have any bearing on the argument? Something is either true or it is not. What the person proclaiming that truth does on their spare time has no relevance. The answer to the question may well be, ‘absolutely nothing’. So what? Go back to logic 101. 1+1 = 2 even if Hitler says so. The sky is blue even if Stalin says so. Truth claims have to be evaluated independently of the person making the claim.
“Do you support social systems that provide a family with the LIFE LONG support they will need?”
I can’t speak for the others, but I do, as a good in itself. But again it is irrelevant. With or without those systems, either abortion is murder or it isn’t. If it is, it is unjustifiable. If it isn’t, then who cares if there is a system in place?
“And again I say to you…prevention is the key. Stop thinking abstinence. Get out of the box.”
This is simply not about abstinence. There are plenty of married people having morally licit sexual relations who nonetheless seek out the services of the abortionist. This is about parental obligation. To make it all about sex reduces the unborn child to nothing else but a consequence of sex. It is that, but it is also more. It is a child of two parents and an independent human being.
That said, birth control does not prevent abortion. It encourages abortion. It creates a mentality and a lifestyle of sex without consequences, but it only has to fail ONCE, people only have to forget to use it ONCE for that false reality to implode. Then people are left completely unprepared for the consequences, and the less prepared people are, the more likely they are to abort.
“the most offensive, sexually degrading shows I have seen are on FOX…the “values channel.”
True, but again, irrelevant.
“I am not a “baby killer” because I want to see prevented pregnancies for women that do not want to yet be mothers.”
We all know what a pregnancy is, and what you mean by ‘prevented’.
A woman isn’t pregnant with a kidney or a spleen, but an unborn child, a unique individual with its own genetic code and potential in life. The only way to ‘prevent’ it from being born is to kill it. So, we have a child, and we have killing. Making it sound political or clinical doesn’t change what it is.
Tim, as a pro-life Democrat, I obviously agree.
If I lived in Florida, I would strongly urge you to run for re-election and I would work for your campaign.
Joe, this is yet another reason as to why we should run on the same ticket. I’d be willing to be the Vice President for 8 years. So that I can succeed you for another 8 and be in the White House for 16 years (diabolical laughter).
Normally liberal Democrats are all in favor of protecting groups of people who are seen as vulnerable, powerless, or discriminated against, particularly women and racial minorities. Wouldn’t it be perfectly logical for them to regard the unborn as an oppressed class deserving of protection as well?
I realize, of course, that the main reason liberals seem to have a blind spot with regard to the unborn is their insistence upon absolute sexual freedom. However, most liberals don’t seem to have a problem restricting the “freedom” of an employer to sexually harass or intimidate workers, or the “freedom” of pedophiles to access child porn, so even they acknowledge that there are SOME limits on sexual freedom.
I think “Pro-family Democrat” is the reason many of us see making the Democratic party pro-life as a practical impossibility.
Phillip raises an excellent point. I have paid dues to Dems for Life, but even on the local level, pro-life voices are made VERY unwelcome at Democratic Party gatherings. The (God help us) “Pro-family Democrat” types treat respect for life as hate speech; it’s hard to imagine any common ground with them.
I am registered as an independent, but I would not have any qualms voting for a pro-life Democrat. I would even volunteer for a pro-life Democrat and actively participate for Democrats for Life.
In fact I have done those three things in the past, but only at the local level.
This is only the beginning, but we shouldn’t lose faith. Continue working within the Democratic Party to begin a dialogue and eventually a change from their pro-abortion platform.
With God all things are possible.
Here’s the plan guys- I know that strong Republicans are pretty biased against the idea that Democrats can pull themselves together on Life issues because of the current establishment/activist hostility to traditionally religious worldviews- it is natural to suppose that an organization that you disagree with to the core could ever change on something that is nearest to your heart. But, I think that there is much more positive in the classic Democratic model as Elaine describes above- and also I don’t think that “Pro-Family Democrat” represents the mass of Democratic voters. This is KEY.
I recommend Mark Stricherz’ book – Why The Democrats Are Blue- I plan on doing a brief sketch of the book for a blog entry in the future. The book depicts how secular liberalism came to dominate the upper reaches of the Party by way of legal strategies internal to the Party as the Party Boss system was challenged- there was enough to justify reform on the old boy network, but of course, the wrong type of folks took advantage and led the Party down the drain.
I take it as a given that there is a very large untapped “market” among rank and file Dems- the type of people who vote Democratic for economic and other meat and potato reasons, but disagree with varying intensities to the social liberalism that comes with that package. As evidence, look at how many states voted as a majority for Obama but then also voted down gay marriage or voted for trad marriage definitions. And even though african-americans and hispanics voted strongly for obama, there are probable majorities among these folks who would love to support traditional morality candidates- but they haven’t had many opportunities.
I would say that the strategy of Republican Catholics to just continue casting aspertions on minorities for voting Democratic- as if everyone should just fall in line and become overnight Republicans- that is beyond wishful thinking. The fact that many of us feel that the establishment Republican strategy of having an end game of sending abortion back to state legislatures- is not even a worthy pro-life strategy in the first place, is another point to consider.
Instead of focusing a lot of energy trying to convert Dems over to Repubs, or Repubs over to Dems, I would rather spend time now building up a network of traditional religious voters within the Democratic fold- among those who are Democratic already for reasons I have spoken of many times before. This is why I am addressing myself primarily to fellow Democrats- it is not very helpful for Republicans to jump in with more negativism about how “hopeless” the Democratic Party is- I get it- but I think both major parties are “hopeless” on paper, but God trumps the paper, and I believe that there is a numbers game that is to the favor of transforming the Democratic and Republican parties to be much much more pro-life if only the sleeping giants of traditional religious folks awaken and assert themselves. My role is to try to help organize that within the Democratic fold. I would suggest that religious Republicans focus more on getting the Republican party to put abortion on a much higher shelf than it has in the past. For example if Bush/Cheney had spent half the energy they devoted to the case for invading Iraq on bully pulpiting and pushing the Republican Congress to educate the American people to the facts of Life beginning at Conception, with legislation being passed saying the same, putting the issue in front of the Supreme Court repeatedly- then I don’t think we would be sitting here looking at a very diminished Republican party today.
But my job here is not to keep beating up on Republicans, I need to focus on my party, and since I believe only a strong two major party strategy against abortion will do the trick- I believe my mission is good, and not self-delusional. If or when I come to see that I am wrong, I would probably go with trying to form a Natural Law/Common Good Party rather than join a Republican Party where I disagree with their core assumptions about the nature of the role of the political community, which results in my even finding too many serious flaws in their approach to abortion that I couldn’t find any true enthusiasm- even though I do vote Republican sometimes- mostly at the national level where I have to admit that while establishment Republicans are lukewarm on abortion, Democrats have bacome ice cold. If we use an analogy from Scripture where the unborn are unconcerned- I see establishment Republicans as the Pontius Pilates’ trying to wash their hands of abortion by sounding like impartial, unemotional originalist judges, while the establishment Dems are more like the Chief Priests who are very actively stirring up the people against the rights of the unborn. Not a pretty choice to make- with few heroes out there in the mainstream.
I notice that Elaine Krewer is the only lady who’s commented here, so I figured I’d put my oar in just so PFD doesn’t get the notion this is entirely a hangout for middle-aged men.
Middle-aged woman, here. Mom of four. Doctrinally conservative Catholic with liturgically eclectic tendencies. Pro-life feminist in the tradition of the nineteenth-century suffragists. Have had a crisis pregnancy. Have volunteered with a Birthright center. Been volunteering with kids for a couple of decades. Make regular contributions to those less fortunate.
I bear you no ill-will, PFD, but if you’re going to sashay into a combox and post a bunch of inflammatory accusations and rambling rants, you shouldn’t be too surprised if some of the gentlemen reading forget they’re gentlemen.
Dear readers-
Good for you! We need to work hard to end abortion by election of more Pro-Life Democrats who will pass laws in this respect and Pray for those who want abortion and have back alley shops they call offices! God will do his thing!
Respect,
Robert L. Jones
A Blue Dog Democrat
http://www.democratsforlife.org
Is abortion wrong because abortion is anti family, against God’s law, and/or coercive?
Student,
That is part of it. But mostly because it violates the Fifth Commandment of “You shall not kill”, ie, killing innocent babies.
This blog post and the comments are an excellent witness to both the Catholic faith and the “pro-life, whole life” doctrine it teaches. Pro-family Democrat, you are in my prayers. Kudos to everyone here who will doubtlessly be called “good and faithful servants” by our heavenly Father some day!
Thank you so much for this very interesting post. I am pro-life, but disagree with the Republican party about just about everything else. If anything, I am probably a bit more liberal than the Democratic party on many issues. I feel in such a crisis about this. I like what you wrote about “limited government” verses “limited responsibility” and the importance of the common good.
I was just talking with my husband–actually in tears–because I have always been political and civic minded and voted since age 18, and yet I feel like I have no one to vote for.
For the record, I am not Catholic, although I am Christian. And also for the record, I am a woman and a feminist and have been pro-life almost all of my life. But that is not what matters. Sadly, I do think that a lot of liberal men who otherwise might be pro-life are bullied by the more radical elements in the pro-choice movement–are told that they have no right to have an opinion about abortion because they are men, which is irrelevant if abortion is murder.
Anyway. Sorry to crash your party, but I wanted to say that what you are doing is inspiring.
Should God’s laws influence (if not control) government’s laws?
From: Lila Cuajunco
Date: Sun, Jul 5, 2009 at 7:03 AM
Subject: Fwd: FW: Fwd: Fw: OPEN LETTER TO OBAMA
To: prolifelila@gmail.com
On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 1:38 AM, Lila Cuajunco wrote:
Hi Georgia – Thanks for the Open Letter to Obama. I will send it to my
congressman.
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Georgia Froncek
Date: Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Subject: Fwd: FW: Fwd: Fw: OPEN LETTER TO OBAMA
This letter you are about to read was written by a 4th grade teacher
recently. She even gave the world her telephone and fax numbers. She
is a brave, bright, PATRIOT! We are in dire need of more true American
citizens who are proud of OUR United States of America . WAKE UP
AMERICA . . . Please . . . Before it is too late!
April 27, 2009
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500
Mr. Obama:
I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on
your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an
adequate representative of the United States of America collectively
or of me personally.
You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world
that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the
United States of America. You are responsible to the citizens of the
United States.
You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth.
I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the
United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care
about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First
World War and the Second World War were all about if not the
consideration of the peoples of Europe ? Are you brain dead ? What do
you think the Marshall Plan was all about?
Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century? Where
do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does
not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the
Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States ?
This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles
governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly
from this heritage. Do you not understand this?
Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all
Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the
king of S Audi Arabia. You don’t show Great Britain , our best and one
of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the
king of Saudi Arabia. How dare you, sir! How dare you!
You can’t find the time to visit the graves of our greatest
generation because you don’t want to offend the Germans but make time
to visit a mosque in Turkey . You offended our dead and every veteran
when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the
German people from themselves. What’s the matter with you?
I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have
the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be
ashamed of yourselves, all of you. You are so self-righteously
offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers
yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr.
Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the
Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I
seriously doubt it.
What about the US . House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses
to their staff members – on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay
raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House
aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my
employer.
You haven’t said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely
didn’t! Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving
$210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that’s $45
million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie
executives have already been awarded $51 million – not a bad take. Who
authorized that and why haven’t you expressed your outrage at this
group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right
now.
You can’t blame ANY of the above on George W. Bush. WHY are you so
determined to give this country’s dwindling wealth to corrupt
politicians and your corrupt friends?
I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and
not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are
doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you. I also
want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do
and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise
you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to
spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.
Sincerely,
Every Real American
P.S. I rarely ask that e-mails be ‘passed around’…………
PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST……it’s past time for all
Americans to wake up!
Ms Kathleen Lyday
Fourth Grade Teacher
Grandview Elementary School
11470 Hwy. C Hillsboro,
MO 63050
(636) 944-3291 Phone
(636) 944-3870 Fax
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