June 5, 2009
Our Readers
Catholics should judge president on his actions, not words
To the editor:
The May 22 issue of the Message really underscored the damage done by Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Obama at their commencement.
It must be admitted that our president is clever with words: “open hearts. Open minds . . . dialogue . . . greater cooperation . . .” But why does the Catholic News Service (and the Message) swallow these words indiscriminately and then spit them back at us?
In the short time since Obama became President, he has exported abortion overseas, appointed and nominated only strongly pro-abortion people to his administration and the courts, has funded embryonic stem-cell research, etc. Someone said of Obama “What you do speaks so loudly, I can not hear what you are saying!”
“Obama said he had learned to choose careful language on the issue” (of abortion). He said he removed offensive language from his web site, e.g. So what?! If through his ACTIONS he is enshrining abortion as a fundamental right in every aspect of American life — his words are only highly-insulting lies that allow “pro-life” Catholics who voted for him to salve their consciences with ill-placed hope that Obama really wants to work to reduce abortions. That is nonsense. Nonsense that gets babies killed, their mothers exploited, and America’s soul destroyed.
There is no well-formed “conscience” that can justify an abortion. There is no “common ground” when a baby’s life is at stake. Yes, we want adoption more available and care and support for women who do carry to term. Obama SAYS he wants those things, but his appointees want to shut down pregnancy-aid centers and promote only the pro-abort Planned Parenthood types. Obama says he wants “health care policies grounded in clear ethics and sound science.” So why is he funding embryonic stem-cell research which is very problematic scientifically (and has not saved a single life), and why is he ignoring adult stem-cell research which has proven to be sound science (and has saved many lives)? Why would the “health care policies” he promotes force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions or be shut down?
Look at Obama’s actions. Do they match his words? If they do not, can you assume that Obama is only wrong on abortion? Logically speaking, can Obama be trusted to match words with actions on other issues? Ask yourself that question.
Why was Obama so glad to go to Notre Dame? He received the perfect platform to reach and swing enough “Catholics” to his side to further his pro-abortion policies He was allowed to appear as a moral teacher, sanctioned by the university. He was allowed to use words to manipulate. Notre Dame, The Catholic News Service, and Catholic newspapers surely share a duty to avoid such a grave risk of scandal and obscuring of the truth.
- Ann Minnis | Haubstadt