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Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to question Judge Roberts on Abortion
Vivificat! - A Catholic Blog of Commentary and Opinion ^ | 24 July 2005 | Teófilo

Posted on 07/24/2005 6:47:53 AM PDT by Teófilo

Folks, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is in Meet the Press as I type, defending his position that he will question Supreme Court nominee Judge John Roberts on the judge's position on "mainstream American values" such as "privacy, women rights, workers rights, and the environment." As a Congressman, Durbin opposed Roe v. Wade. When Russert confronted Durbin with his prior pro-life position, Durbin said he has changed his mind, asserting that he "rather be right some of the time, than wrong all the time."

Durbin stands now for "privacy, women's rights, reproductive rights." Read: "abortion rights." Note also how he referred to these as "values." To term the right to kill a gestating human being as a "value" is the latest Orwellian twist in the Liberal rhetorical arsenal. Durbin and all Liberals hope that if they call their twisted beliefs "values" enough times, the meme will persist and prevail enough in American culture to win them some votes.

Durbin, who in the past held a pro-Life position to attract votes, has switched to a pro-abort stance for the same reason. The man has demonstrated he lacks core principles and that would engage in Double-speak and Double-think when necessary to recapture power in Congress.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 109th; abortion; durbin; johnroberts; roberts; scotus
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Live blogging means typos, grammar errors and other blunders for which I assume all responsibility.
1 posted on 07/24/2005 6:47:54 AM PDT by Teófilo
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To: Teófilo
When Russert confronted Durbin with his prior pro-life position, Durbin said he has changed his mind, asserting that he "rather be right some of the time, than wrong all the time."

So when is he planning on starting to be right some of the time?

2 posted on 07/24/2005 6:54:06 AM PDT by highlander_UW (I don't know what my future holds, but I know Who holds my future)
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To: Teófilo; All

Ah, yes.

Since abortion is the high holy sacrament of the Pagan Left, this is a 1st Amendment "Free Exercise" issue for them.

They haven't come around to framing it that way yet, but that's what it really is.

I thought Turban Dustbin Durbin was leading an investigation into haute cuisine and HVAC issues at Gitmo?

Why isn't Turban Durbin concerned about the cuisine and comfort provided to American prisoners of war? Is it because they are mercilessly slain by their savage captors before these things can emerge as issues?

Nothing this double-tongued, mealy-mouthed commuist says has any credence.

When he asks Judge Roberts a question, the judge should just ignore him.

By the way, "Justice" Ginsberg did NOT answer ANY questions concerning how she would adjudicate ANYTHING.


3 posted on 07/24/2005 6:59:39 AM PDT by Westbrook (Having more children does not divide your love, it multiplies it!)
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To: Teófilo
Live blogging means typos, grammar errors and other blunders for which I assume all responsibility.

You have my sympathy. During one of the debates last fall, I think it was, I typed something like "Keerry haz mentiobef his viwtnam exprrienxw".

4 posted on 07/24/2005 7:03:09 AM PDT by TheGeezer
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To: Teófilo

"Well Senator, after hearing some of the lies, distortions, bankrupt logic, and policies, issued forth from this body, I can think of a few exceptions in which I'd approve of abortion for the health and safety of the NATION!"


5 posted on 07/24/2005 7:08:57 AM PDT by G Larry (Honor the fallen and the heroes of 9/11 at the Memorial Site.)
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To: Teófilo

Roberts should question Durbin on patriotism and aiding/abetting the enemy in a time of war.


6 posted on 07/24/2005 7:09:42 AM PDT by DTogo (U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
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To: Teófilo
Did Senator Durbin say if he would engage in hate speech while he is questioning Judge Roberts?
7 posted on 07/24/2005 7:11:25 AM PDT by Bernard (Land of Lincoln, birthplace of Reagan, and now Durbin; The Decline and Fall of Illinois)
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To: G Larry
Isn't Senator Durbin one of the deadly dozen ?
8 posted on 07/24/2005 7:12:24 AM PDT by TYVets (God so loved the world he didn't send a committee)
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To: Teófilo

Ex-Chicagoan checking in...

Durbin's only socially redeeming value is that he is bio-degradable.


9 posted on 07/24/2005 7:13:03 AM PDT by panamagringo
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To: Teófilo

These Senate morons are mental pygmies compared to someone
like Roberts.


10 posted on 07/24/2005 7:13:37 AM PDT by beethovenfan
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To: Teófilo

Senator Durbin would like to be a Catholic like Osama ben Laden wants to be an American citizen living on Long island and keeping Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs as pets.

We have many Democrats in Illinois who have the idea that an informed vote is similar to blowing one's nose--you just do it and always vote Democratic. These folks inhabit the trendy areas like Hyde Park, the North Side, Evanston and Oak Park as well as being corralled and manipulated within the inner city by Democratic Party minority operatives.

So we get Democratic clowns like Durbin and Schakowsky as well as RINOs like Judy Baar Topinka.

Normally, a state would be embarrassed by a Durbin. But this is Illinois...mother lode of corruption, chicanery, and gutless wonders.


11 posted on 07/24/2005 7:13:50 AM PDT by Winston7000 (Near Chicago)
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To: Teófilo

The far left has Durbin by the short hairs since he stumbled over the whole Gitmo debacle, and they'll have him doing their bidding until he's voted out. What a pathetic excuse for a man.


12 posted on 07/24/2005 7:18:58 AM PDT by randog (What the....?!)
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To: Teófilo

Durbin will be followed by the Hon. Senator Ted Kennedy who will question Roberts on morality.


13 posted on 07/24/2005 7:22:41 AM PDT by sandydipper (Less government is best government!)
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To: Winston7000

I grew up there, and although I agree totally with your assessment of Illinois, I must remind you that President Ronald Reagan grew up and lived a lot of his formative years in Dixon, Ill., my hometown. I remember Dixon, as being conservative, patriotic and having more churches than any other same type of buildings in town. It was America before the 60's and that changed a lot of towns. Durbin will go after Roberts wife, and call it checking into his background.


14 posted on 07/24/2005 7:24:09 AM PDT by cousair
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To: Teófilo
Image hosted by TinyPic.com
15 posted on 07/24/2005 7:28:34 AM PDT by Jackknife (No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.-MacArthur)
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To: Jackknife; All
Folks, I just love all the feedback. You guys all made me laugh--in a good way. I am not laughing at you, I am laughing with you and a hearty laugh it is. Thank you all for your feedback! -Theo
16 posted on 07/24/2005 7:36:03 AM PDT by Teófilo (Visit Vivificat! - http://www.vivificat.org)
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To: Teófilo

I guess Roberts will be required to perform an abortion at the hearing if he wants Durbins vote.


17 posted on 07/24/2005 7:41:47 AM PDT by Mister Baredog ((Minuteman at heart, couch potato in reality))
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To: Teófilo

Catholic Citizens condemn Durbin and Harkin's "anti-Catholic bigotry"
Illinois Leader ^ | August 4, 2003 | Chicago Bureau


Posted on 08/06/2003 12:19:43 AM PDT by TheEaglehasLanded


Catholic Citizens condemn Durbin and Harkin's "anti-Catholic bigotry"

Monday, August 04, 2003

By The Leader-Chicago Bureau - Catholic Citizens challenge bishops to express outrage with politicians "pagan" behavior

IL Democrat Senator Dick Durbin's words against practicing Catholics while speaking on U.S. Senate floor is brewing outrage among Catholic citizens.

CHICAGO -- On Friday, the Catholic Citizens News reacted angrily to recent anti-Catholic public statements made by Democrat U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (IL) and Tom Harkin (IA) about President George W. Bush's judicial nominees.

A strong statement on behalf of the Catholic Citizens' news titled, "How Stupid can pro-abortion Catholics be?", author Karl Maurer called on downstate Illinois Durbin's bishop George Lucas to make a public statement on the issue.

Catholic Citizens' News report today that they have since been notified by Bishop Lucas that he has written a letter to federal and state lawmakers who claim to be of the Catholic faith and continue to uphold abortion on demand and encourage the homosexual lifestyle. The letter reportedly conveys the Holy Father's instructions for Catholic believers to uphold the culture of life.

Maurer, editor of Catholic Citizen News, wrote:

While it is encouraging to hear that the bishops are making efforts to hold pols like Durbin more accountable, it is unclear how far they will go when the pols again thumb their noses at the teachings of the Church. One could argue that such gross disobedience represents an act of self-excommunication, and in fact, it doesn't take much arguing at all. By definition, a politician who rejects the teachings of his or her own faith is hardly in communion with the church they profess to be a member of.

Bishop Lucas did not release the contents of his letter to the lawmakers, or the list of who received the letter, but it is clear that lawmakers are being told that they should abandon promoting abortion and homosexual activity in public policy.

The contents of Catholic Citizens' editorial is as follows:

How Stupid Can Pro-Abortion Catholics Be? Ask Sen Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Who Still Believes He is is a Practicing Pro-Abortion Catholic

On July 27, the New York Times quoted Sen. Orrin Hatch, who said "the left is trying to enforce an anti-religious litmus test" in which "nominees who openly adhere to Catholic and Baptist doctrines, as a matter of personal faith, are unqualified for the federal bench in the eyes of the liberal Washington interest groups."

Conservative magazine Human Events Assistant Editor David Freddoso went to Capitol Hill to personally ask Tom Harkin if this was true. Here is a sample of their exchange:

HUMAN EVENTS: Sen. Hatch said liberals are imposing "an anti-religious litmus test" against appellate court nominees "who openly adhere to Catholic and Baptist doctrines" on abortion. Is Hatch right to say that?

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D.-Iowa): Well, what I objected to, I just heard this the other day, Hatch asking a witness what his religion was.

I've been in Congress 29 years, and I've never heard anyone ever ask anyone what their religion was. To me, that's just not right. You should not ask people their religion. And then (Hatch) said, are you a practicing Catholic, or, do you adhere to the faith, something like that. I mean, it's so far out of bounds, it has no place in our deliberations. But I just think Senator Hatch, who's a good friend of mine, was way out of bounds on that one. That's the kind of thing that could just degenerate this whole place could degenerate. There shouldn't be any religious questions or religious tests at all.

HE: Senator, in your opinion, can anyone be fit to serve on the Supreme Court who publicly agrees with the pope on abortion, that it should be illegal?

HARKIN: Illegal? Or immoral?

HE: The pope says it should be prohibited by law.

HARKIN: I don't think the pope said that. I am a Catholic, and the pope has not said that.

HE: In "Evangelium Vitae" the document, "The Gospel of Life".

HARKIN: That has to do with belief and moral teachings; it has nothing to do with legality.

HE: He wrote, actually, that public policy makers should oppose abortion. He had instructions for that.

HARKIN: No. You're way off base. Sorry, David. You're just off base on that one. I mean, it's one thing about religious teaching and religious adherence, but that has nothing to do with the laws the laws of our country or any other country.

Harkin’s feigned ignorance and hair splitting regarding Catholic teachings on abortion, and participation in the culture death (where Catholics like Harkin, Durbin, Kennedy, and Kerry are at the vanguard) is scandalous. Sen. Harkin may want to have one of his staffers actually verify his opinions before he attempts to fraudulently pawn them off as being Catholic. In fact, the doctrines of the Catholic Church couldn’t possibly be clearer, that abortion is wrong, and Roman Catholic politicians have a grave moral duty to use their authority to stop it.

In the "Gospel of Life" (1995), Pope John Paul II wrote: "In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to 'take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it'....This task is the particular responsibility of civil leaders....they have a duty to make courageous choices in support of life, especially through legislative measures.")

Recently, self-described “practicing Catholic” Senator Dick Durbin was shocked, yes shocked, that a Roman Catholic like Alabama Attorney General William Pryor would actually hold the belief that the abortion "laws" of this nation were fraudulent, contrived, immoral, and should be overturned. Durbin’s anti-Catholic screed included the claim that he was a "practicing Catholic, " however, his social conscience came first. Durbin's proto-pagan diatribe was carried live on CSPAN.

And the response from Durbin’s bishop in Illinois, Springfield’s George Lucas? Well, whether he was shocked or not, we don’t know, because it’s going on two weeks now, and he’s not commented.

When Catholic authorities fail to speak out in cases where their own parishioners misstate, ridicule, and malign the truths of the Catholic faith, what are the faithful in the pews supposed to think? Are there no pubic consequences for public scandal, for claiming to be Catholic while living an unrepentant life of sin and error? Evidently, not if you’re a Springfield Diocese Catholic. This turn of events is a major catastrophe for Catholic America.

It’s easy to become infuriated with self-described Catholics like Sens. Harkin and Durbin, who predictably behave like the practical pagans they are, but in this writer’s opinion, the real fault lies in the Catholic bishops who have refused to discipline them.

In a free country, Americans are entitled to their personal opinions. But to posture as a Catholic and claim that abortion is a matter of conscience is an outright lie and a scandalous fraud. For a bishop NOT to object to this, in this writer’s opinion, is a greater scandal than the so-called Catholic politician making the ridiculous statement in the first place!

Senators Harkin, Durbin, Kerry and Kennedy, and those like them, are not Catholics, a fact belied by their very own words and deeds. They left the church decades ago. Any “practicing” Catholic knows painfully well how that works.

Sadly, anti-Catholic bigotry at the hands of bogus Catholic politicians is being peddled globally by the liberal, secular media. This will continue until the Catholic bishops have the guts to coreect these heretics.

Denver’s Bishop Charles Chaput spoke out recently against Durbin’s bigotry. Will other bishops go further? It is awful to ask someone to admit that they have, through their own actions, left the church, but isn't it more devastating to allow millions of Catholics to be deceived that sinful behavior merits neither rebuke nor rebuttal?

It’s not easy to be a Catholic bishop these days. But there are certain situations where speaking up is demanded. For Pete’s sake (that’s Saint Pete), the Pope has already given the bishops the script. All they have to do is read it into the microphone. There is no such thing as a 'pro-abortion' Catholic: the two terms are mutually exclusive. Period. The problem is, many of the bishops agree with Durbin...

The unwillingness of Catholic bishops to speak out, in the midst of Rome and Tradition’s clear teaching, is an ominous sign that the Catholic Church in America has not only gone over the falls, but is now about to crack up on the rocks below.

Heaven help us...

________________

What are your thoughts on what Catholic Citizens News published, and Bishop George Lucas' response? What are your thoughts on Senator Dick Durbin's public comments as a practicing Catholic?

Send your thoughts and comments as a letter to the editor at letters@illinoisleader.com, and include your name and town.


18 posted on 07/24/2005 7:44:14 AM PDT by doug from upland (The Hillary documentary is coming)
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To: Teófilo
Thank you all for your feedback! -Theo

Well, we DO like to show the absurdity of the left here at FR.

19 posted on 07/24/2005 7:46:38 AM PDT by Jackknife (No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.-MacArthur)
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To: Teófilo; All

FYI, Durbin on Abortion

Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
Voted NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on disallowing overseas military abortions. (May 1999)
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)
Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)


20 posted on 07/24/2005 8:20:46 AM PDT by AliVeritas (Ignorance is a condition. Stupidity is a strategy.)
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