Campaign 2008

Campaign signs abound all over the area; in people's windows, on their porches, cars and in literature left on our door. The final days are coming, with polls delivering sometimes varying estimates of the winner and the margin between the candidates.

A campaign attack piece arrived on the doorstep yesterday, purportedly from the Pro-Life Political Action Committee for Southeast Pa. They're calling on all Catholics to vote against Obama. These right wing religious types converse about being pro-life and that Obama is the "most pro-abortion candidate ever to run for U.S. President." They say that he "opposes protecting the elderly, disabled and terminally ill from being killed by deliberate dehydration" and talk about the brain dead Terri Schiavo being murdered. They conclude that a "Catholic voter's highest priority following the pro-life principle that the direct and intentional killing of innocent human life is always wrong." Their argument is flawed; note the use of the word innocent. It's like an asterisk that allows them to murder or kill in situations they deem the opposite of innocent. Unfortunately, if they're properly pro-life, it shouldn't matter whether someone is "innocent" or not. These types want it both ways and support capital punishment. Their inconsistency just doesn't work. Too bad most of the Catholic population isn't with them on this one. Most even practice contraception (they see that as murder too). Kind of silly that the church pretends so.

The second most important item in the brochure is same sex marriage. They put the term in quotes, I imagine, because they don't support it. They use euphemistic phrases like "protecting marriage" which is terminology right out of fringe religious groups. At the same time, they use a quote from the Declaration of Independence regarding unalienable rights. Too bad that marriage is one of those rights. Too bad, also, that most of their congregants and the public aren't with them on this one as well. Again, the church pretends otherwise. Doesn't it make you wonder why they're losing congregants and struggling to keep priests in the pulpit?

The brochure says that distribution of the brochure is an essential part of the Church's mission. They should check with the IRS. The church can't put out political literature AND also claim tax exemption. Again, they want it both ways. Why has the church hitched it's wagon to fringe religious principles and pushing the legal envelope regarding political advocacy?