Kelly Should Be Ashamed

You are most likely getting a lot of letters disagreeing with John Kelly’s “DNC Response: Democrats Are People of Faith,” (May 25). So I will comment on only his third paragraph where he states, “The core values of the Democratic Party are in line with key Catholic teachings.”

The most important key Catholic teaching is that abortion is intrinsically evil and that a family made up of a female mother and a male father is intrinsically good. These two issues are contrary to the Democratic Party platform. The Pope’s question, “Is it consistent to profess our beliefs in church on Sunday, and then during the week to promote business practices or medical procedures contrary to those beliefs?” sums up the Democratic Party very nicely. It is inconsistent to state they are creating a society that meets the needs of the poor, the sick, promoting peace, sustaining the environment for the health and life of us all, when the DNC sees nothing wrong with killing the future of the world by aborting the most innocent.

John Kelly is that Sunday morning Catholic the Pope spoke about, and he ought to be ashamed of his participation in aiding and abetting the killing of babies. Both Hillary and Obama are 100% pro-abortion. How can he even consider working for their advancement?

Paul Kachinski,

Greenwood, Indiana

Glaring Omissions

John Kelly, in “DNC Response: Democrats Are People of Faith” (May 25), makes a pretty good case in stating: “The core values of the Democratic Party are in line with key Catholic teachings.” He almost succeeds in glossing over the fact that the majority of Democrats do not support a clear, strong pro-life position. He also completely ignores the support for the homosexual agenda, to include same-sex “marriage,” shown by many of the more visible and vocal leaders of the Democratic Party.

These glaring omissions of support for traditional, moral family values were undoubtedly a factor in the Republican victories in the last two presidential elections and could be in the next, as well. Certainly, the positions of the two leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination on these issues are well-known.

I believe the vast majority of Americans still hold to traditional family values and know what is morally correct vs. politically correct. The Catholic bishops do remind us that “no candidate or political party completely embodies our teachings, and we are each called to take up the work to continue to transform our political system and parties.”

If only Kelly and other Catholic Democrats had the courage to call upon their faith and stand for Truth. Until they recognize traditional family values and respect the sanctity of all human life, the party will be deficient in principle and vulnerable regardless of their work for the common good.

C.W. Helfeldt

Rockledge, Florida

Democratic Inconsistencies

In your May 25 issue, John Kelly recently provided a spirited rejoinder to those who think that Catholics in the Democratic Party have lost their way.

His overarching theme is that “the core values of the Democratic Party are in line with key Catholic teachings, creating a society that meets the needs of the poor, caring for the sick, supporting families.”

We know the Church consistently articulates its “preferential option for the poor.” But it also uncompromisingly reveres the fundamental dignity of the human person. It is hard to understand how presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, fulfills this description.

His record, in addition to his consistently pro-abortion stance in the U.S. Senate, includes a vote to destroy the lives of babies that have survived abortion attempts. This pattern betrays a deep misunderstanding of the inherent dignity of human beings made in the image and likeness of our Creator — a core Church teaching.

Kelly informs us that “the Democratic Party realizes that life does not end at birth.” But does it realize that human life begins and shouldn’t be terminated before birth?

Many Democratic values emerge from a peek into the details of our health-care system, which, as Kelly states, is a high priority within the Democratic Party.

Existing health-care laws are primarily the result of Democratic initiatives, although to be fair, some Republicans have also supported them. These laws frontally attack Catholic teaching and, in some cases, actually persecute those who attempt to hold to their faith while executing their vocational responsibilities.

For example, millions are uninsured because state mandates (coverage that must be offered and paid for in every health insurance plan) drive the cost of insurance much higher and out of their financial range. Minnesota imposes the most mandates at 64.

Specific health benefits that violate Church teaching include: abortion (10 states allow teenage abortion without parental consent), contraception (teenage children receive contraceptives without parental consent in all 50 states), in vitro fertilization (covered by mandate in health insurance laws in 13 states), and domestic partner benefits (available in 13 states).

So unfortunately, while as Kelly maintains, the “Democrats are champions of the sick and fighting for health care coverage for all Americans,” the laws they successfully enact inflict tremendous harm upon its citizens — both physical and moral. This is particularly true of the teenagers who access many of these benefits.

The Center for Disease Control recently found that 25% of American teenagers have a sexually transmitted disease. This can lead to breast and cervical cancer.

How much responsibility should national and state health insurance bear as this epidemic grows? And how are parents supported in this process?

In addition, Catholic hospitals, doctors and pharmacists in many states must participate in these activities or face severe sanctions.

Finally, one laments the pejorative reference to “the narrow-mindedness of the conservative culture war.” Such “labeling” is disturbing to those Catholics who seek to adhere faithfully to all Church teachings. It does nothing to bridge ideological gaps.

While Kelly obviously has honest political convictions, he might want to seriously consider the practical result of his party’s legislative effects on the poor, the sick and the family.

Bob Mylod

Manasquan, New Jersey

Preaching Black Genocide

I was shocked to see the article “DNC Response: Democrats Are People of Faith,” (May 25), which is at odds with the Church’s position.

Abortion is the most sacred plank of the Democratic Party. For those aborted, all the other Democratic goals are meaningless. 

Obama contradicts America’s Declaration of Independence, which states that life is the first inalienable right even before liberty and happiness. He believes the taking of his grandchildren’s lives is fine if they are a burden. He fails to consider how an abortion hurts women who can never have their aborted child back.

In his graduation speech at Wesleyan, he called on people to dedicate themselves to public service, yet he seeks to eliminate family service by abortion. With the black abortion rate at more than twice their population percentage in America, Obama is preaching black genocide. How many Martin Luther Kings, Jackie Robinsons and Colin Powells have been lost in abortion?

He calls himself a Christian but preaches taking the lives of those “made in the image and likeness of God.” Jeremiah, the Psalms and Isaiah all tell us that God made us in the womb, yet he campaigns to destroy God’s creation. Obama’s preaching contradicts Jesus’ preaching, to “Love one another as I have loved you.” His preaching is more harmful than Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s.

I do thank the Register for publishing Marjorie Dannenfelser’s excellent pro-life article (“2 Ways of Seeing Babies,” May 25).

 William J. Downey

Manhasset, New York

Schiavo’s Shame

Regarding “Obama vs. the Right to Life” (May 18): This is an outstanding article with information that people need to hear.

However, I wanted to comment on one item that I believe is factually incorrect. You state in the article that Michael Schiavo had remarried and had one child while Terri was still alive. Actually I don’t believe he had ever divorced Terri (which I think legally is what gave him spousal rights over her treatment).

He was living with the woman he would eventually marry and had two children with her before Terri’s death.

Lynne Smith

Clarksburg, Maryland

Editor’s note: Michael Schiavo was said to have a new “common law wife.” But you’re right — that’s confusing. We fixed it online.

Mass in Rome

Many people come to Rome searching for a Mass in English and Legionary Father Thomas Williams celebrates one every Sunday at 6 p.m. at San Giovanni Fiorentini, just across the river from the Vatican. You may want to inform the readers of this, being many travel to Rome frequently.

Alethea Cameron
Rome

Contra Kelly

There are certainly areas of social justice that one could argue the Democratic Party pursues more than the GOP, but one cannot turn a blind eye to the glaring issues of abortion, partial birth abortion, proposed killing of children that were attempted to be aborted but were unsuccessful, euthanasia, homosexual “marriage,” stem-cell research using human embryos, etc.

The article was nothing but a self-serving attempt to tell Catholics to quit being so narrow-minded and “get with the program.” I am embarrassed to read this kind of trash in what I have always considered to be a publication that was faithful to Catholic values.

Christopher A. Olsztyn

Pittsburgh, Pa.