Catholics Need Not Apply

CatholicVote.org ^ | 9.11.02 | Lawrence Cirignano, Esq

[Coleus]

CITIZENLINK
September 10, 2002


URGENT CALL TO ACTION

Peaceful Pro-Life Protest in Jeopardy

Your help is needed urgently to prevent a bill from
becoming law that would single out peaceful pro-life
protestors for harsh punishment.

The U.S. House of Representatives could vote as early
as Thursday on the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and
Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 333) -- a well-intentioned
bill that nevertheless contains an amendment targeting
peaceful pro-life protestors. Several pro-life
congressmen have announced they would not vote for
the bill unless the amendment is removed.

"The current bankruptcy bill would force peaceful,
otherwise law-abiding pro-life protestors to unique
punishment and financial ruin," said Rep. Rep. Joe Pitts,
R-Pa.

Pitts, who helped stall a vote on the bankruptcy bill in
July, said the amendment -- which was added by pro-
abortion Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. -- would prevent
peaceful abortion protestors who have been sued by
abortion providers from discharging the fines in
bankruptcy, while leaving other debtors unaffected.

The Pennsylvania congressman noted that current law
already provides for the punishment of violent acts
against abortion clinics or abortion doctors, so the effect
of Schumer's amendment would be to target only
peaceful protestors.

"The typical pro-life protestor, in my experience, is a
middle-aged homemaker or retired person whose
Christian beliefs compel him or her to protest the deaths
of more than a million unborn Americans each year," he
said. "Grouping them with violent pro-life protestors (of
whom there are very few) is like grouping the followers
of Martin Luther King with the Black Panthers."

Pitts, who is working on his own compromise bill, said he
could not support Schumer's provision because it "would
only punish people for standing in the wrong place and
speaking their minds."

David Varnam, issues response analyst at Focus on the
Family, said Pitts' compromise would clarify that the
Schumer provision only applies to violent protestors.

"So, if you had a 65-year-old lady who was arrested for
praying outside an abortion clinic, she wouldn't be
treated in the same way as a person who burned down
an abortion clinic," Varnam said. "While bankruptcy
reform is a pressing issue, this comes down to a
question of fairness."

Pitts concluded: "Why is it okay to have civil rights
protests ... union protests ... animal rights protests or
peace protests, and ... it (is) not okay to protest in
defense of unborn babies?"

TAKE ACTION:
A vote on this issue could come up as early as
Thursday, Sept. 12. Please take the following steps
IMMEDIATELY:

1. Call House Majority Whip Tom DeLay at 202-225-
0197 and urge him to oppose the Bankruptcy Abuse
Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 333)
unless the Schumer amendment is either removed, or is
replaced with the legislation being offered by Rep. Joe
Pitts.

2. Contact your House representative and urge him or
her to oppose the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and
Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 333) unless the Schumer
amendment is either removed, or is replaced with the
legislation being offered by Rep. Joe Pitts. If the person
is unfamiliar with the legislation Rep. Pitts is offering,
refer him or her to Mr. Pitts' office for more details.

Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or to find
out who your representative is and how to contact him or
her, see our Legislative Action Center:
http://capwiz.com/fof/dbq/officials/

3. Following is a list of key members of the House who
especially need to hear from their constituents on this
issue. If your representative is listed below, please make
a special effort to contact him or her and urge him or her
to oppose the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and
Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 333) unless the Schumer
amendment is either removed, or is replaced with the
legislation being offered by Rep. Joe Pitts. If the person
is unfamiliar with the legislation Rep. Pitts is offering,
refer him or her to Mr. Pitts' office for more details.

Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or to find
out more specific contact information, including phone and
fax numbers and an e-mail address, see our Legislative
Action Center:
http://capwiz.com/fof/dbq/officials/

<Alabama>
Terry Everett (AL-2nd)
Bob Riley (AL-3rd)
Robert B. Aderholt (AL-4th)

<Arizona>
J.D. Hayworth (AZ-6th)

<California>
Wally Herger (CA-2nd)
John Doolittle (CA-4th)
Richard Pombo (CA-11th)
George Radanovich (CA-19th)
Gary B. Miller (CA-41st)
Chris Cox (CA-47th)
Duncan Hunter (CA-52nd)

<Colorado>
Scott McInnis (CO-3rd)
Joel Hefley (CO-5th)
Tom Tancredo (CO-6th)

<Florida>
Jeff Miller (FL-1st)
Cliff Stearns (FL-6th)
David Weldon (FL-15th)

<Georgia>
Bob Barr (GA-7th)
Charlie Norwood (GA-10th)

<Idaho>
C.L. "Butch" Otter (ID-1st)

<Illinois>
Bill Lipinski (IL-3rd)
Philip M. Crane (IL-8th)
Jerry Weller (IL-11th)
Jerry Costello (IL-12th)
Dennis Hastert (IL-14th)
Donald Manzullo (IL-16th)
David Phelps (IL-19th)
John Shimkus (IL-20th)

<Indiana>
Tim Roemer (IN- 3rd)
Mark Souder (IN-4th)
Steve Buyer (IN-5th)
Dan Burton (IN-6th)
John Hostettler (IN-8th)

<Kansas>
Jerry Moran (KS-1st)
Jim Ryun (KS-2nd)
Todd Tiahrt (KS-4th)

<Kentucky>
Ron Lewis (KY-2nd)
Ken Lucas (KY-4th)

<Louisiana>
David Vitter (LA-1st)
Chris John (LA-7th)

<Maryland>
Roscoe Bartlett (MD-6th)

<Michigan>
Bart Stupak (MI-1st)
Pete Hoekstra (MI-2nd)
Dave Camp (MI-4th)
Jim Barcia (MI-5th)
Nick Smith (MI-7th)
Mike Rogers (MI-8th)
Dale Kildee (MI-9th)

<Minnesota>
Gil Gutknecht (MN-1st)
Collin Peterson (MN-7th)
Jim Oberstar (MN-8th)

<Mississippi>
Chip Pickering (MS-3rd)
Ronnie Shows (MS-4th)

<Missouri>
W. Todd Akin (MO-2nd)

<Nebraska>
Lee Terry (NE-2nd)
Tom Osbourne (NE-3rd)

<New Hampshire>
John Sununu (NH-1st)

<New York>
Tom Reynolds (NY- 27th)
John LaFalce (NY-29th)

<North Carolina>
Walter B. Jones (NC-3rd)
Mike McIntyre (NC-7th)
Robin Hayes (NC-8th)
Sue Myrick (NC-9th)
Charles Taylor (NC-11th)

<Oklahoma>
John Sullivan (OK-1st)
J.C. Watts, Jr. (OK-4th)
Ernest J. Istook (OK-5th)

<Pennsylvania>
Melissa Hart (PA-4th)
Patrick Toomey (PA-15th)
Mike Doyle (PA-18th)
Phil English (PA-21st)

<Rhode Island>
Jim Langevin (RI-2nd)

<South Carolina>
Henry E. Brown, Jr. (SC-1st)
Joe Wilson (SC-2nd)
Lindsey Graham (SC-3rd)

<Tennessee>
Zach Wamp (TN-3rd)
Van Hilleary (TN-4th)
Ed Bryant (TN-7th)

<Texas>
Ralph Hall (TX-4th)
Pete Sessions (TX-5th)
Joe Barton (TX-6th)
John Culberson (TX-7th)
Kevin Brady (TX-8th)
Ron Paul (TX-14th)
Charlie Stenholm (TX-17th)
Tom DeLay (TX-22nd)
Dick Armey (TX-26th)

<Utah>
Chris Cannon (UT-3rd)

<Virginia>
J. Randy Forbes (VA-4th)
Virgil H. Goode (VA-5th)
Eric Cantor (VA-7th)

<West Virginia>
Alan Mollohan (WV-1st)
Nick Rahall (WV-3rd)

<Wisconsin>
Paul Ryan (WI-1st)
Mark Green (WI-8th)

<Wyoming>
Barbara Cubin (WY-At Large)

==================
Ben Taylor
Editor

Pete Winn
Associate Editor

Trish Amason
Editorial Coordinator

Peter Brandt
Director, Issues Response

Tom Minnery
Vice President, Public Policy

Dr. James C. Dobson
President, Focus on the Family

[Askel5]

SORRY if this is a dupe ... glitch of some sort for a moment there.

______________________

Believe me, I understand perfectly ... I just think we're kidding ourselves when we fail to realize that it was the GOP who served as architect of our nation's population control policy, it was the GOP, beginning in 1974, who made Legal Abortion the linchpin of population control at home and abroad in US defense strategy documentsd and it's been the "I'm personally opposed, BUT ... " GOP who's cinched things for the Democrats ever since.

I too am faithful to GOP who actually vote always in accordance with the Personal Convictions for which we elect them. (They're the rarity, however. Usually you can only count on Democrats to consistently abide by their personal convictions.)

I just don't think we've got more than maybe 30 representatives all told -- both Senate and Congress -- who do that.

Additionally, party rank and file who've bought the notion that truth operates the same as lies and we can "incrementalize" objective truth are all wet, that's all.

When you've got a President who talks in terms of "excess" or "already been killed" human lives as suitable for taxpayer funded human research sans Informed Consent and you have legislators who manage to crow over their defining life as beginning at birth ... rather than just criminalizing the killing of children born live from botched abortions, it's possible your Party is Potemkin.

[jwalsh07]

The constitution states that the senate approves judges, nowhere does it state that a judiciary committee must do it.

I know which is why I told snook to get pissed at the 10 dim senators rather than at Bush.

[chimera]

The even sadder irony is that probably at least 50% of Americans who call themselves Catholics, including a significant number of clergy, are deli Catholics at best who are also pro-abortion and simply ignore Church teachings in the matter

Not only that, but I am shocked by many supposedly-educated Catholics who seem simply not to understand the process. Before the last election I was talking with two women in my parish, one of whom was a leader in the RCIA team and the other on the parish council. They said they were Gore supporters and I challenged them on this because of Gore's pro-abortion stance. As best I recall, the "discussion" went something like this...

Me: Really? You're going to vote for Gore? Even with his pro-abortion position...?
Ladies: Well, that abortion stuff, the Supreme Court decides that kind of thing.
Me: Right, and who nominates people for the Supreme Court?
Ladies: Well...the President...?
Me: Right, and so, if you support a candidate for President who is pro-abortion, what might happen...?
Ladies: (Deer-in-the-headlights-looks.)

I'll tell you, when it comes to explaining the basic workings of our government, sometimes I feel like I'm the only sighted person in a kingdom of the blind.

[Coleus]

Yep, the president can only twist an arm far enough. That's why we here in NJ must elect Doug Forrester to the Senate. He has a good chance now since torricelli is in such hot water. I just hope Doug can recover from his little flub about raising gas taxes--not a good thing for a repubican candidate to say. http://www.forrester2002.com

[afraidfortherepublic]

Wow! Excellent sugestions for turning out the Catholic vote. However, how can we be sure that they won't all vote Dem? All of the "polls" indicate that there are more Dems among Cathoics than among Republicans -- and, yes, I realize that there is a difference between "church attending" Catholics and C & E Catholics (CINOs).

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thanks for trying to educate the American civics-challenged!

[NYer]

The irony here is that Senator Leahy who switched from Republican to Democrat and Senator Kennedy, call themselves Catholic but are ardently pro-abortion. Not just in favor of allowing a woman to "choose" to kill her baby but against any reasonable restriction and in favor of taxpayer funded abortion, on demand, right up until the moment of birth.

and the sheeples continue to vote them back into office!

[Coleus]

You can show the old ladies these sites:

http://www.nccbuscc.org/prolife/gospel.htm
this booklet can be purchased.

http://www.ziplink.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/kerygma/a.pl
just plug in the word abortion.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/656650/posts

http://www.priestsforlife.org/magisterium/bishops/trentonpolicy.htm

http://www.catholicvote.org/states/newjersey.htm#Bishops’%20Statement

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a380b3df1292f.htm


More sites on my homepage.

Yes, in my church too, many of the old Italians, including Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, etc., are FDR and JFK demonrats who will never change. Money (social security, handouts, and unions) come before God. Life, school vouchers, free enterprise, low taxes, are secondary.

[Coleus]

We don't know how they vote since 50% don't vote in many elections and those who do vote it's almost a 50-50 spread. Many just don't vote and are uninformed. And many vote Demoncrat because that's how they were brought up. CatholicVote intends to inform people of the Catholic perspective with issues and candidates. Send in your bulletins and those e mail addresses so we can get the ball rolling in every state. Thanks.

[Coleus]

http://www.catholicvote.org

http://www.catholicvote.org
http://www.catholicvote.org
http://www.catholicvote.org
http://www.catholicvote.org
http://www.catholicvote.org
http://www.catholicvote.org
http://www.catholicvote.org

[afraidfortherepublic]

Do you want bulletins from states other than NJ?

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

BumPing

[Coleus]

Yes, all states, they are a National Organization.

[Coleus]

http://freedom.house.gov/library/economics/dasch50.asp

Free Senator Tom Dashole (click above)

http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2001Mar/mar12hh.htm

Excommunicate Dashole and other Catholic Pro-abortion Politicians

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200107/CUL20010717b.html

http://www.cathfam.org/


http://www.cathfam.org/cfexcom/Excom.html


Sign up with http://www.catholicvote.org send church bulletins and e mail addresses so they can build a Catholic Database for the election process which will reach out to Catholics during an election with voter guides and other issues and statistics which have to do with Catholic teaching.

[Coleus]

Fine, go on the web site and tell Larry.

What the article is trying to point out is that the among worst pro-abortion politicians (those who are in favor of partial-birth abortion and those who use federal funds to pay for abortions) in the Senate are Cahtholics. Catholics need not Apply meaning run for office.

If you look at post #29 and click on "Living the Gospel of Life" by the US Conference of Catholi Bishops they clearly state the Catholics and Catholic Politicians MUST vote pro life. Also, check out the Catechism link where it clearly states that abortion is and has always been murder.

[victim soul]

You cannot be Catholic and pro-abortion.

[rdb3]

Thanks, but I'd much rather that Bush would spend his limited political capital to get pro-death Saddam off the planet.

Thank you.

[Coleus]

Sunday, October 6, 2002, is the last day to register voters. There are over One million Catholics in New Jersey who are not registered to vote.

Please ask your pastor to put a notice in the Sunday Bulletin and to have registration forms available.

People who have moved since they last voted, women who have gotten married and changed their names, students who are away at school and anyone who has become a citizen or turned eighteen need to register.

Every election is won by the person who gets the most votes and too many Catholics are not voting. Only one person in eight will vote for the winner in most elections.

Half the people are not registered and half the people who are do not vote. That means only one in 4 are voting and half of them vote for the loser.

If we can get one more person in every pew to vote and vote for the candidates who support Catholic teaching we all will win.

To download the registration form: http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/voter_reg_app.pdf

For the list of your County Election Commission go to:
http://www.state.nj.us/faqs/elections.html

From the US Catholic Conference of Bishops
http://www.usccb.org/ogc/guidelines.htm#drives


Nonpartisan Voter Registration/Get-Out-the-Vote Drives. Both IRS and the Federal Election Commission [11 C.F.R. §114.4(d)] permit Catholic organizations to sponsor voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, provided that no bias for or against any candidate, political party, or voting position is evidenced. Such bias would be indicated by distribution of partisan literature or materials indicating the organization's positions in connection with the voter registration or get-out-the-vote drives, by targeting registration or get-out-the-vote drives toward individuals who support the organization's positions or a particular candidate or party, by coordinating with candidates or their committees, etc. Thus, voter registration or get-out-the vote efforts should not be conducted (1) in cooperation with any political campaign, (2) according to the identity of the candidates, (3) based upon a candidate's or party's agreement or disagreement with the sponsoring organization's positions, or (4) in a manner targeting members of a particular party. Targeting voter registration drives at historically disadvantaged groups, whether based on economic status, race, gender or language, generally should not be objectionable 8.


Please let me know if your parish is participating and how many people you register.
Larry Cirignano, Esq.
http://www.CatholicVote.org
PO Box 70695
Washington, DC 20024
609-781-0090 cell
202-318-0789 fax