Is It Wrong to Vote For Kerry?

I do have a question for you Father. I was planning to vote for John Kerry, since I disagreed so strongly about invading Iraq, plus I never could stand George W Bush. Someone just sent me this link however, which clearly shows the depth of Kerry’s pro-abortion stance. Is it wrong to vote for him? I figured that the likely hood of the president being able to change the abortion law was remote compared to his very definite power over foreign policy.

Since I won’t vote for Bush, I might abstain, if it’s wrong to vote for someone so pro-abortion. It’s very discouraging. Here’s the article about Kerry, it’s really pretty shocking.

Sincerely, Jan Skiba

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Dear Jan,

Thank you for your email - and the important question. You have put your finger on the dilemma for those of us who believe our faith should influence every choice we make. Although voting is not the greatest duty we have, nevertheless it is a duty and a serious one because, thanks be to God, we are citizens of a democracy.

The most helpful short pamphlet I have seen is Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics. It identifies five "non-negotiable" issues which would disqualify a candidate. I encourage you to read the whole article and see if it makes sense to you. It has a concise section on the role of conscience which will help clear up common misunderstandings. It even has a suggestion on what to do when there is no "acceptable" candidate.

As a way of thinking about "non-negotiables" Fr. Frank Pavone wrote an article titled You Wouldn't Even Ask. Here is part of what he said:

"If a candidate who supported terrorism asked for your vote, would you say, "I disagree with you on terrorism, but where do you stand on other issues?" I doubt it. In fact, if a terrorism sympathizer presented him/herself for your vote, you would immediately know that such a position disqualifies the candidate for public office — no matter how good he or she may be on other issues. The horror of terrorism dwarfs whatever good might be found in the candidate's plan for housing, education, or health care. Regarding those plans, you wouldn't even ask."

Support for terrorism is not on the list of five non-negotiables because it is extremely unlikely any candidate would take that position. Just like no candidate today would favor slavery or taking citizenship away from Jews. In other times those would have been (or should have been) non-negotiables for any Christian. Today we face different, but no less serious, challenges. Catholic Answers has again provided a concise, authoritative statement to help a serious Catholic respond to our current challenges.

Most important for us is prayer. We do have to pray for Kerry, Bush, all others who have such important roles in our society. And for us little people. We have more power than we think - and we will likewise be judged both by history and by God for how we use it.

God bless, Jan.

Fr. Bloom

Show Truth to America
(Demonstration at Seattle University, September 27, 2003)
Warning: Contains Graphic Images

**Q. What business does government have in regulating medical procedures? Isn't this a private matter? A. Here is a short list of seven areas where government regulates medical practice in Washington state.

Former Pro-Life Democrats

A Challenge to Our Pro-Choice Friends

Picture from March for Life (January 17, 2002; Olympia)

Post-Abortion Healing

Abortion and Early Church Teaching

An impassioned Pro-Choice response.

The fate of the aborted child

The overpopulation question.

Gen 1:28 - Have we "filled the earth"?

From Abortionist to Catholic: Bernard Nathanson, M.D..

Abortion and Forgiveness.

The question of conscience.

How this issue relates to Salvation.

Relation of Abortion to Birth Control.

Homily on Birth Control and Abortion.

A Pro-Choice Argument

God's Weak Ones

Does Birth Control solve or cause Poverty?

The Moral Law and the Existence of God.

Holy Week Reflection (Abortion and Immigration)

From Sarah: "Do you honestly believe that making abortion illegal will solve the problem?"

Lifeissues.net (Clear Thinking about Crucial Issues)

He Approached the Victim: "It's much more likely one of your relatives will lose his life by surgical abortion than by heart attack."

Stem Cell Research: Teaching of Bible & Catholic Church

Germaine Greer on Birth Control

Human Cloning: A Catholic Perspective (How the Unthinkable Became Inevitable)

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