Today the NYTimes ran an article: Abortion Issue Again Dividing Catholic Votes - that I feel oversimplied the Catholic vote. I makes us appear that how we vote is a simple binary choice - abortion. What also distressed me was the 'incomplete' information that was provided about each presidential candidates stands on abortion. So I actually wrote a letter to the NYT.
My letter
Dear Sir or Madam:
Your article of Abortion Issue Again Dividing Catholic Votes
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: September 16, 2008
Is misleading at the least - inaccurate at best on the political stands of both presidential candidates. First the easy inaccuracy - the Catholic vote in the past has been split - this is not new. The famous story of President Kennedy choosing between talking to Catholic Bishops versus a group of Catholic Nuns - he choose the Catholic Nuns - because he said Bishops always vote republican.
On the abortion positions - Obama is pro choice, except for cases of late term abortions - he said he would have voted for the late term abortion ban - that was passed in congress. McCain is pro-choice also - in cases of incest and rape. In the Catholic faith there is no difference - abortion is wrong regardless of the 'situation'. You completely missed this point - which is key to the members of the Catholic faith.
Another point that is not called out in this article - in the past 20 years that the congress has been in the Republican majority - why has there not been a new law written banning abortion? Also the teachings of Pope Benedict - the leader of the Catholic Church is more nuanced than it ever has been about voting. He teaches us that we should not vote on a single issue - for a candidate - but look at the whole person. Just like Jesus would do.
I appreciate your discussions of my Catholic vote - but please don't simplify my issues/ challenges of deciding on whom to choose vote - I respect your newspaper too much.
Sincerely yours,
Molly K