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Bottom of the Ninth
That another politician has sold out on abortion is only mildly
surprising. Especially in the case of Brian Joyce, whose betrayal is
seen by some as being quite in character. “I never trusted him,” is
a common sentiment among pro-lifers who have dealt with him. The
opportunistic nature of his switch prompted even liberal commentators to
excoriate Joyce.
Senator Choice denies, of course, that this was a political decision,
despite its convenient timing. Rather, it resulted from being confronted
by a friend involved with a “hard case” abortion. In addition, he
claims to have been pondering the matter since 1997, following a “conscience”
vote against the death penalty, which is ironic: opposing death for the
guilty prompted him to allow it for the innocent.
His former pro-life position was allegedly shallow, coming as it did
“from 10 years of Catholic schooling rather than deep consideration”
(Globe, 6-13-2001). His new philosophy, on the other hand,
features such cutting-edge profundities as: whether or not a woman
procures an abortion “should not be my decision, and I believe it’s
not the government’s decision either” (Boston Phoenix, June
14-21, 2001).
An early warning sign regarding Senator Choice was his support of “gay
rights.” He has voted pro-“gay” and marched in this year’s
homosexual Pride Parade. No word yet on whether this is the result of
“deep consideration.”
The only abortion opponent on the Democratic ticket so far, State
Senator Stephen Lynch, has also “evolved.” “We should provide for
a legal way to recognize gay unions. I think it's a matter of civil
rights. I'd be willing to vote that way and speak that way in Washington”
(Globe, 6/21/2001). In addition, he reportedly told the Randolph
Democratic Town Committee that he supports extending marriage benefits
to homosexual couples, to “level the field” (Globe,
6/26/2001). And don’t forget: Stephen Lynch was an honorary
co-chairman of Al Gore’s presidential campaign (Globe,
6/22/2000).
While the anti-abortion Lynch is the “lesser of two evils,” he
really is not much less. In the near term, there will probably be
more votes in the U.S. Congress that will advance the gay agenda than
will advance the pro-life agenda. And since the sanctity of life is
closely connected to the sanctity of marriage, any advancement of the
gay agenda is a setback for the culture of life.
I have no quarrel with casting a reluctant vote for Lynch; someone
must win and it might as well be him. But, if all goes well, there will
be a 100% pro-life candidate in the general election: Susan Gallagher
Long, plans to run as an independent. Unfortunately, she has little
realistic chance of victory. (And, as of this writing, self-proclaimed
lesbian and abortion advocate Cheryl Jacques has indicated she may,
after all, enter the Democratic primary, which is bad news for Senator
Choice.)
Both Joyce and Lynch are sad examples of how Catholic principles
fail to form the minds and agendas of Catholic politicians--Joyce, in
addition to “10 years of Catholic schooling,” is a Knight of
Columbus and a former lector; Lynch is a member of the Catholic Lawyers
Guild and a graduate of BC Law School.
Given the scandalous state of Catholic educational institutions
today, it is conceivable that both of these Catholic politicians could
easily be unaware of doctrines such as the Social
Kingship of Christ: Christ is the king over all creation and
over all men, even unbelievers. All are obliged to come to know, love
and serve God, and acknowledge Christ as King. Though His kingdom is
spiritual, his dominion includes civil authorities--in fact He is the
source of their authority. Therefore, civil legislation is obliged to
conform to Divine Law, and rulers have no right to govern as if God does
not exist.
Men, as creatures of God, are “endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights,” but these are relative rights--that
is, they are never independent of, or contrary to, God and His law. God
is the only one with absolute rights. Man has claim--a “right”--only
to what God has ordained and permitted; and he has an unconditional
obligation to obey God’s commands. Thus, free will and the capacity
to sin never constitute the right to sin. So “abortion rights,” “gay
rights,” and homosexual “marriage” do not truly
exist; indeed, they cannot exist.
It is a counterfeit humility that prompts one to vote for fictional
“rights” like abortion rather than “impose” one’s “personal
belief” upon the country: as if Divine Law were one’s private
possession, which the Catholic politician so magnanimously refrains from
burdening his fellow citizens with, forgetting the fact that flaunting
Divine Law will bring its own terrible burdens on society.
John Quincy Adams, our sixth president (1825-1829), was the secretary
of state on July 4, 1821 when he said the following:
“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it
connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil
government with the principles of Christianity.
“From the day of the Declaration… they all (the American
people) were bound by the laws of God, which they all, and by the
laws of the Gospel, which they nearly all, acknowledge as the rules
of their conduct.”
From 1831-1848 (after he was president!) Adams was a United
States Representative. This native of Braintree, which is in the current
Ninth District, opposed the “pro-choice” cause of his day, slavery,
with such determination that he was known as the “Hell-Hound of
Slavery.” In contrast to Joyce, Adams did not wilt in the face of the
unpopularity of the abolitionist cause. “Duty is ours. Results are God’s,”
said Adams.
It’s true that John Quincy Adams was not a friend of mine;
but it’s also true of the Democratic candidates from the Ninth District
: “You’re
no John Quincy Adams.”
— Bill Cotter
References:
Quas
Primas, Encyclical on the Feast of Christ the King; Pope
Pius XI,
December 11, 1925
Libertas,
Encyclical on the Nature of Human Liberty; Pope Leo XIII,
June 20, 1888.
Original Intent -- The Courts, the Constitution, and Religion
by
David Barton: excellent book, relying on thousands of primary sources.
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