"Catholic" Voter?

Please.

One of the many facets of American life of which I am deeply weary is this:

Kennedy’s.

My Kennedy fatigue, growing steadily and silently over years of politics and culture-watching, reached a peak of sorts midway through the recent Democratic Convention, when willowy, sophisticated, adored and barely lucid Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg took the podium. All it took was one line, passed through the lips of the representative of a family which, even amidst all the criticism and scorn is always given a pass of sorts because of what observers call their “faith.”

Caroline told the crowd that one of the many reasons Albert Gore Jr. must be elected to the presidency was that he, of course, would appoint Supreme Court justices who would “protect the Constitution,” especially “the right to make our own reproductive decisions.”

The crowd leapt to its feat, cheering long and loud as the shining star representing a family whose name isn’t often found mentioned without the word “Catholic” following close behind, sanctified the right to kill the unborn as an essential element of life in the good old U.S.A.

We’re not surprised, of course. Name me a pro-life Kennedy if you can. Heck, name me a pro-life Catholic politician from the Northeast, period, Republican or Democrat. It’s the exact opposite of situations you’d find it certain other states, such as Louisiana, in which at times the entire congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats alike, voted consistently prolife.

(Readers of this column reminded me of two politicians of the region who are indeed, Catholic and unequivocally prolife: Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Chris Smith of New Jersey. Of course, but in my own defense, in this piece I was focusing on the Northeast, and those are Mid-Atlantic states!)

I suppose I shouldn’t be quite so harsh. For my irritation at the whole Kennedy gestalt isn’t directed at them as individuals, but is more about what their apparently fascinating presence symbolizes: the fatuousness of celebrity worship, privilege and position obtained without regard to merit, intelligence or ability, and of course, enormous wealth built on criminal deeds.

But above all, in an election year, Kennedy-worship and nostalgic tears shed by Democrats for the myths called the “New Frontier” and “Camelot” make me crazy for one simple reason, much broader than the Kennedy’s, broader even than the simple truth that both John and Robert were, in their own ways (John, especially with his 1963 recession-fighting tax cut) much more conservative than the contemporary Democratic party. No, it's this:

The stupidity of the Catholic voter.

Not to speak of the cynicism of those who seek to win them over.

Ever since Reagan swiped a mess of them from the Democrats, pundits ponder the ways and wiles of the "Catholic voter". This year, the ruminations began with George W. Bush’s choice to speak at the virulently anti-Catholic Bob Jones University, and then John McCain’s use of that misstep in the Michigan primary. And they have continued ever since.

Mellifluous NPR voices tease apart that pesky Catholic demographic, wiseguy network news analysts cluelessly fight over it, and the midst of it the “Catholic voter” sits.

Watching Survivor along with everyone else, probably.

When I think of the “Catholic voter,” this is the story that comes to mind.

In the late winter of 1993, I attended a meeting of diocesan directors of religious education. Over lunch, the conversation drifted to the doings of one very recently inaugurated president named William Jefferson Clinton who had, as soon as he had cased out the Oval Office, set to issuing executive orders like mad, all of them expanding abortion rights: He overturned prohibitions against workers in federally-funded health clinics providing abortion information. He overturned the ban on fetal tissue research. He overturned what’s known as the Mexico City Policy, which prohibited foreign non-governmental agencies that received US aid from providing abortion services. And he directed the Department of Health and Human Services to promote the testing of RU-486.

All within literally days of his inauguration. All of this, as another reader pointed out to me, on the weekend the annual March for Life gathered under his arrogant eye.

Well, one of the attendees at this meeting I was attending was a Sister who professed great shock at these doings.

“I can’t believe he did all of that. I never would have thought he was going to do things that promoted abortion – I just can’t believe it.”

I couldn’t believe it either - could believe that she'd been so deeply hoodwinked. I politely reminded Sister to the fact, quite evident over months of campaigning, that the most frantic supporters of the Clinton candidacy were groups like NOW and the National Abortion Rights Action League.

She truly, honestly had no idea.

So here’s the situation: We “Catholic voters” are sought because we’re supposedly about twenty-nine percent of registered voters. So Democrats play on our rumored deep dedication to social justice but ignore the unborn. Republicans try to exploit our supposed opposition to abortion without every actually intending to do anything meaningful about it.

And as for us – we sit. Just like the rest of the population, about ten percent of us are aware of what's going on in the political world and actually seek to shape our opinions according to our principles. The remainder - we're just like the ninety percent of every other group in the land. We half listen. We make vague, undeserved positive associations between Catholic family dynasties and our faith. change the channel when the speeches get boring and in the end we do what everyone else does:

We vote for someone who appeals to our emotions and whose positions we couldn’t describe if someone paid us to.

“Catholic" voter, indeed.

READER REACTIONS

Like yourself I've reached the stage of frustration with `Catholic voters' Having lived in Florida as a priest(a Redemptorist) for 50 years I know the Kennedy story from the inside, only too well...and have no patience with those who worship at the shrine of the Camelot crowd...Not one of them was truly Catholic,- if you except Bobbie's wife Ethel Skekel and Rose the mother.

My mother loathed the Kennedy dynasty for all the reasons which you outlined, and passed her beliefs down to me. I agree that Caroline's support for the right of choice among women was nothing short of blasphemous. I do believe that Rose Kennedy was a saintly woman and I wonder how Caroline's and Teddy's behavior in regard to the Catholic faith would sit with her.

Unfortunately, the opinion expressed in the "working class" comment is too prevalent and needs to be overcome. (Note: This was in response to my sharing with this reader of another reader's comment (which has unfortunately disappeared from my emailbox) that credit should be given to Kennedy's and other such politicians for all they've done for the working classes in their regions.) Let's assume for a moment, for sake of argument that the Kennedy's truly were the champions of the"working class. (I don't believe that for a nanosecond as he and his comrades' policies do nothing but ring of class warfare/envy.) Ask him where he would be if his mother chose to exercise her "right" to abortion during his stay inside his mother. Where would he be? This comment goes to the fundamental problem: people do not seem to understand the relative gravity of various issues. Without life, there ae no other relevant issues; therefore, the protection of life should not only rank ahead of any "working class" issues, but no issue should even come close to importance on the human condition.

In regards to the Kennedy family your weariness is my weariness. I have another person in mind also whom I have seen many times on the Fox news channel and other stations. Geraldine Ferrero. Many times I have heard her describe how she always goes to Catholic mass on Sunday morning, very piously in one breath, then in the next describe how a woman should have the right to choose to slice and dice her baby. In regards to these folks, I have often wondered how many impressionable young women are led astray by these people. Especially young Catholic women with weak faith who see Geraldine as a Catholic female role model and celebrity. I also wonder, does her or Kennedy's parish priest or diocean bishop EVER challenge or counter her or them through articles in the parish bulletin or diocean newspaper, not necessarily mentioning names. I truly doubt it. Many are led astray with no countering by what they say and their celebrity star status. How I have prayed for a huge backboned, loud mouthed, hated by the politically correct press, controversial priest or bishop, with guts, to speak out and counter these people to the fullness of our faith and teachings and to heck with what the rest of this secular society thinks or says about us Catholics.

I am an old man who grew up in the forties and fifties. As a youth I proudly gazed upon the flag of this nation, as I could see the faces of America's young fallen servicemen. Today as it flutters all I see is the state sanctioned murdered faces of forty million babies. Thinking of this horror often,and unable to reconcile it. One evening I was thinking of our blessed Lord's , whom the world rejected, last hours on the cross. He was between two thieves, one who mocked and chastened him, the other chastized the first thief and told him that Jesus was guiltless and didn't deserve what was happening to him, while they did. He also asked Jesus to remember him when he entered his Kingdom. Jesus replied that for his repentance and remorse that he would be with him that day in paradise. This is recorded not just for the remorseless thief, but for all of mankind. My conclusion that while denied life and ALSO rejected by this world, these holy little innocent ones surely must be with God in paradise. But this horrendous madness and crime against them must end! Let it begin to end within the body of the Church.

My inkling is to go 3rd party where they state and I believe they mean they are amongest other things Pro-Life. However I am a realist also and know that the system will not let a 3rd party in the game. So I'm left with a choice of the lesser of two evils and hope that the lesser"bush" will not make the Pro-Life situation worse(I hope) whereas the other I know what will happen. What are we to do?

The reason I am writing is to object a little about your recent column on "The stupidity of the Catholic voter." I disagree with your statement "Republicans try to exploit our supposed opposition to abortion without ever actually intending to do anything meaningful about it." I can't help but think about the great efforts of Henry Hyde, Chris Smith, and Sen. Hatch. Also, who was it that established the pro-life policies you mention that Clinton overturned shortly after assuming office? And, of course, you well know that it has been Republicans who have led the fight against partial-birth abortions. You probably know that the National Right to Life Committee has endorsed Bush, but I will mention it anyway. A problem with your statement is that it gives an excuse for Catholics to vote for Gore even though they have pro-life sympathies. It must be very difficult for our bishops to realize that despite their teachings, Catholics have voted mostly pro-abortion. And if it weren't for Catholics, starting with Justice Brennan and continuing with Catholic legislators from the Northeast, abortion-on-demand would not be the law of the land. If only Catholics were half as pro-life as the Southern Baptists here.

To let you know where I'm coming from: just passed my 90th birthday as a rednecked Irish Catholic conservative Republican, and as Lonesome George used to say "you can't hardly find one of them there things any more." I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw an article in the August 20 Sunday Visitor by Father Frank Pavone on "Mobilizing Catholics" and then your article on Stupid Catholic Voters in the September 10 issue. I relies that Catholics are born registered Democrats and felt that someone should open Catholic Voters eyes. To date the Catholic Hierarchy has been strangely silent. Now to the supposedly Catholic Kennedy Clan. It all started eight Honey Fitzgearal; a slippery ward healer from the South side of Chicago and Father Joe K. While Ambassador to England during WW11 the American President had to by pass Joe who was giving military secrets to the Germans. That is also where he garbed the franchise for Scots whiskey using his position as Ambassador. Then came Jack and Bobby and their bedroom conquests; then that degenerate criminal who if he had not been a Kennedy in Massachusetts would be in prison for the death of that girl in a drunken affair. Then came the bar hopping with a nephew and the attempt rape of a bar girl. It was discussing to see a Catholic Cardinal use the lame excuse of a funeral to allow Teddy to receive communion at his mothers. This kind of flexibility does not exist in the Catholic religion. This election is no doubt the most important for all Christian and moral citizens of this country to date. There are hundreds of federal judgeships and half theta members at stake.

I wish you wouldn't have made the remark about the Republicans at the end, as I think the Congress has done well despite having Bill Clinton in the White House. Who would have thought they would send up a bill with a ban on partial-birth abortion 3 times. OSV seems to give Catholic voters excuses to vote for pro-choice candidates, when this year the choice for Pres should be so clear. Keep in mind that Catholics WILL swing this election. If Catholics vote for Gore with the same % that they did for Clinton, he will win, we will continue to have partial birth abortion, liberal Supreme court, no school choice for all, ...

As you indicated, the stupidity seems to be greatest not among ordinary pew Catholics but among those in positions of intellectual and spiritual leadership. Here, in large part, it is willed stupidity. I have spoken to meetings of church pastors who were so wed to the Democratic party that they went into a defensive crouch when I suggested that the Democratic Party was now as much wed to the abortion culture as it once was to slavery. They loudly applauded one of their members when he replied by waving the Seamless Garment. (Abortion gets neutralized by school lunches.) It's all very discouraging

It is a sad statement, unfortunately true. For the past eight years I have watched my fellow parishioners during elections and have come to that conclusion. They've not only put Bill Clinton into office, but praise him, still. They've put into office a Congressman who has voted against every abortion ban put before him; and that Congressman feels the partial birth abortion must be kept "should his daughter need it". He, too, is supposedly Catholic. We've spoken to Democratic, elected officials who attend our parish Church, and they see no conflict with "choice" and Catholic teaching. I'd long ago decided they are woefully ignorant. I pray for them and my country.

...The point I am trying to make is it is the Catholics that are the swing voters and it is the Catholics that have consistently put Clinton in office and are about ready to do so again. There is a Catholic woman in Brooklyn whose name is O'Connell. She is a stay at home mom of six and she is going to vote for Gore! Why? Because he is going to bring more money to her district! Multiply her by a million and we have a Gore in our future. The NCCB stated in "Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics" that we should vote our principles and not self interest. Know anyone who has read this document, or for that matter Pope John Paul II's "The Gospel of Life"? Further, when was the last time you heard the "A" word from the pulpit? Just before Ted went over to vote against the ban on PBA, he went to mass and got a warm hand shake from the priest. What is wrong with this picture? .... The only really great mystery in the abortion issue is: why the silence from the pulpit....In the mean time we are about to be "Gored" by the Catholic voter who is more concerned with his/her pocket book than protection of innocent babes in the womb.
-Robert Brady, Florida