Voters asked to weigh life issues

"It's very difficult today with the nature of politics, because we're only seeing sound bites and only hearing attack ads, and we're asked to inform our consciences," noted Kathleen Gallagher of the New York State Catholic Conference. "How can we, if we don't have the information? Do we really know where these candidates stand on the issues?"

Beginning this week and continuing throughout October, The Evangelist is providing information to Catholics who want to learn more about the political candidates' positions on issues of concern.

Mrs. Gallagher, associate director for the Catholic Conference, which represents the state's bishops on public policy issues, offered some thoughts on life issues; other topics will be explored in the future.

ABORTION

The Catholic bishops in this country make the same point in a 1989 statement, noting that "for citizens and elected officials alike, the basic principle is simple: We must begin with a commitment never to intentionally kill or collude in the killing of any innocent human life."

Mrs. Gallagher remarked that when she enters a voting booth and considers the issue of abortion, she asks herself the now-popular question, "What would Jesus do?"

"With abortion, the big issue is still partial-birth abortion. It's not over," she said. "A legitimate question for candidates is, 'Do you agree with the [Supreme Court] decision [allowing the procedure]? Is there any kind of abortion where you would support a prohibition?'"

She believes that in voting, "abortion has to be the starting point. If our government can allow that kind of brutal and painful destruction of an innocent baby, then why should the government care about immigrants or farmworkers?"

EUTHANASIA

Richard Doerflinger of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' secretariat for pro-life activities noted in a 1999 article that "a campaign viewing death as a solution to the problems of the sick and elderly will devalue their lives and put pressure on them to acquiesce in their own premature deaths."

"Euthanasia is not a state issue any more, because our state has a good ban on physician-assisted suicide," stated Mrs. Gallagher. However, she said, Catholic voters should go further, asking candidates whether they would support more palliative care research and other alternatives to euthanasia.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Mrs. Gallagher's primary question for candidates on the death penalty is: "Would you support a moratorium on capital punishment until we thoroughly review issues such as wrongful convictions, racial discrimination, adequate counsel, DNA evidence etc.?"

She admitted that such a moratorium "doesn't quite cut it, but most candidates are pro-death penalty, so one way to move them is to say, 'Would you support a suspension while we look at this?'"

GUN CONTROL

Again, a 1995 bishops' statement titled "Confronting A Culture Of Violence: A Catholic Framework for Action," noted that "violence in our culture is fed by multiple forces....We have to address simultaneously declining family life and the increasing availability of deadly weapons, the lure of gangs and the slavery of addiction, the absence of real opportunity, budget cuts adversely affecting the poor, and the loss of moral values."

Mrs. Gallagher applauded New York State's recently passed comprehensive gun control laws but added that safe storage of guns is still an issue. She suggested asking whether candidates "would support safe storage requirements to prevent gun violence by children. It's also important to find out where candidates stand on restricting violence in the media."

DISCRIMINATION

In 1979, the American bishops issued "Brothers and Sisters to Us," a landmark statement in which they declared that "racism is an evil which endures in our society and in our Church....Racism is a sin that divides the human family, blots out the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates the fundamental dignity of those called to be children of the same father."

Mrs. Gallagher's comment was simple: "We're not called to just tolerate people who are different from us; we're called to love and respect them."

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

"We do not believe that anti-religious discrimination is rampant," he said. "But anti-religious feelings, especially about religious minorities -- and we are all a minority somewhere in this country -- is still felt even if it is not expressed....Churches, mosques, synagogues and individual practitioners routinely conflict with the demands of the bureaucratic, highly regulated society. When we lose the right to be different, we lose the right to be free."

Rev. Bernardo Cervellera, director of the Vatican missionary news service Fides, said while speaking on China's failure to respect religious liberty: "Freedom of religion is often affirmed in words, with no real consequences. We must convince governments that there can be no economic opening without a political one, without discussing the question of human rights."

Mrs. Gallagher brought up a different aspect of religious liberty by noting: "There are a lot of efforts under way to prohibit Catholic hospitals from following their ethical directives." She explained that some proposed legislation would mandate Catholic hospitals to provide abortions and sterilizations.

Catholic voters, she said, should ask if candidates "defend the right of religious hospitals and agencies to carry out their work in accordance with their ministry."

HUMAN RIGHTS

Pope John Paul II recently decried the lack of human rights in many countries in the world. In responding to the U.N. Human Development Report 2000, he said, "Necessary food, health care, education and work do not only represent objectives of development: These are fundamental rights, unfortunately still denied today to millions of human beings."

Mrs. Gallagher listed several questions for candidates on this issue: "Would this candidate deny basic benefits -- health care, education, child care -- to immigrants? Would he or she support a living wage and systems for those transitioning from welfare to work? Would this candidate support better working conditions and adequate pay for farmworkers?"

CONCLUSION

* Respect politics; don't denigrate it;

* Promote the common good;

* Revive genuine public discourse on important issues; and

* Vote responsibly.

"Politics is there to help us, to protect the health and well-being of the citizens -- and only we can make it better," she stated.

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