Editor's Desk: Beyond Partisan Politics

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 9/23/04)

Last week’s discussion in Washington about the "public scandal" caused by Catholic pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion touched upon two additional facets of the controversial debate. The argument against legalized abortion is not just the teaching of the Catholic Church, but rather a violation against natural law. The second consideration is that abortion has become "deeply imbedded" in American culture since the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision precisely because it allows the sexual freedom that so many Americans desire.

Ave Maria School of Law and Our Sunday Visitor Foundation sponsored the Sept. 16 conference entitled "Public Witness/Public Scandal: Faith, Politics and Life Issues in the Catholic Church." The event was held at the National Press Club in Washington.

Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, started off the discussion with his "Critique of Pro-Choice Politicians’ Justifications."

The Church teaches that every human being deserves the right to life, George said. The argument that embryos are not human is scientifically flawed, he said, as is another argument that concedes the humanity of the embryo, but denies its personhood.

The "superior position," George argued, is that the equality of all people doesn’t depend on size, shape, stage of development or vulnerability.

"Attention should not be directed toward Church teaching," said Jesuit Father John Langan of Georgetown University. "Public opinion is deeply divided, but (abortion) is still morally wrong.

"It would be difficult to publicly prohibit the act of abortion," Father Langan added. "Compromise would be required in order to have a ban (on abortion) to maintain unity in society at large. It would cause civil disobedience and violence.

"We’ve reached a stalemate on this issue," he said. "Catholics are in favor of abortion at the same rate as the rest of society. We can’t write off these Catholics. We need to find ways of making our argument more palatable."

Ken Woodward, religion editor at Newsweek for 38 years, also talked about the lack of a political consensus regarding abortion. He said the common pro-abortion argument is, "I think (abortion) is wrong, but I wouldn’t criminalize it."

Woodward said abortion is deeply ingrained in the social structure, primarily because the majority of Americans approve of pre-marital sex or find it morally acceptable. Women, and especially men, need abortion to ensure the safety of pre-marital sex, he said.

Father John Neuhaus, editor of First Things magazine, said now is the "perfect time" to bring up the discussion about whether pro-choice Catholic politicians should receive Communion.

Kerry is the first Catholic to run for the presidency in 44 years and only the third in U.S. history, Father Neuhaus said. He pointed out the irony that in 1960, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy had to assure a group of Protestant ministers that his Catholicism would not interfere with him becoming president.

"Today, Kerry is criticized by Protestant Evangelicals for not being Catholic enough," Father Neuhaus said.

"What happened in the past 44 years to change the climate?" Father Neuhaus asked. Roe v. Wade — the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion — "changed the fundamental dynamics of how people understood American democracy," he said.

The Supreme Court’s use of "raw judicial power" wiped out the ban on abortion in all 50 states. "The only people who have rights are those who can exert rights," he said.

"Abortion is intrinsically evil," Father Neuhaus said. "This is not just Catholic teaching, but natural law. It is beyond the realm of partisan politics."— M.F.F.

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