Following are some "thought starters" for you to compose letters to the
editor. We have divided the suggestions into categories of
Catholic and secular
publications.
Overall recommendation: At the present time, as Congress and the states
are dealing with various Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Acts that bar
abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, it would be good to focus on fetal
pain and the agony unborn babies experience through abortion.
Back when partial-birth abortion bills were being litigated in the
courts, abortionists testified about various kinds of abortion procedures,
and their sworn testimonies are excellent sources of proof about how violent
and repulsive abortion actually is. To quote from these testimonies, and to
use the abortionists' descriptions about crushing heads and dismemberment,
is a powerful way to cut through the pro-abortion rhetoric of politicians
and others. While partial-birth abortion is now a federal crime, D&E
abortions before and after 20 weeks still continue.
Click here to read or download the court
transcripts.
Catholic Publications
Responsibility to Vote
- Active participation in our community is a fundamental element of
the Catholic faith.
- Catholics must make
registering to vote a priority rather than considering it a
secondary concern.
- The United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops states that active
citizenship is a moral imperative. "We encourage all citizens,
particularly Catholics, to embrace their citizenship not merely as a
duty and privilege, but as an opportunity meaningfully to participate in
building the culture of life. Every voice matters in the public forum.
Every vote counts. Every act of responsible citizenship is an exercise
of significant individual power. We must exercise that power in ways
that defend human life, especially those of God's children who are
unborn, disabled or otherwise vulnerable" (US Bishops, Living the
Gospel of Life, 1998, n. 34).
- While there is never an ideal
candidate, one can try to
determine which candidate who will best advance respect for life.
- If neither candidate respects life, a vote to prevent the candidate
who will promote the greater evil is morally permissible as a means of
limiting evil.
- Life is the foundation upon which all other rights exist. Therefore,
support for other rights is irrelevant if support for life does not
serve as its foundation.
Primacy of the Abortion Issue
- "Respect for the dignity of the human person demands a
commitment to human rights across a broad spectrum…. Yet abortion and
euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human dignity because they
directly attack life itself, the most fundamental human good and the
condition for all others" (US Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life,
1998, n. 5).
- "Abortion's direct attack on innocent human life is precisely
the kind of violent act that can never be justified. Because victims of
abortion are the most vulnerable and defenseless members of the human
family, it is imperative that we, as Christians called to serve the
least among us, give urgent attention and priority to this issue of
justice." 1985 Reaffirmation of the US Bishops' Pastoral Plan for
Pro-life Activities.
- "In a society where abortion is claimed as ‘a woman's right,’
the most fundamental right—the right to life—is denied, and the basis
for defending the rights of all women and men is, thereby, eroded." 1985
Reaffirmation of the US Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro-life Activities.
Supreme Court (President)
- Many observers think that the Supreme Court is within a single vote of
overturning Roe v. Wade.
- The winner of the next Presidential election could appoint from two
to four Supreme Court Justices.
- If a pro-Roe Supreme Court nominee replaces an anti-Roe
Justice, Roe v. Wade will likely remain in place for at least another
generation.
- The Supreme Court must have Justices who are willing to stand
up for life and the family rather than "discover" unwritten rights such
as abortion and gay marriage.
Supreme Court (Senate)
- If the Senate treats Catholic Supreme Court appointees as it treats Catholic
lower court appointees, practicing Catholics may never again serve on the
Supreme Court.
- If the Senate has a pro-abortion majority, a pro-abortion
Supreme Court nominee would likely be assured of confirmation.
Lower Courts
- Those who believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church have been
prevented from serving on federal courts expressly because of their
religious beliefs.
- Pro-abortion Senators have imposed an unconstitutional religious test on
court nominees. "… but no religious test shall ever be required as a
qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." (Article
VI of the US Constitution)
- Radical judges continue to write new anti-family rights, such as the right
to gay marriage, into the Constitution.
Secular Publications
Parental Notification
- Every year, at least a few parents receive a call from a hospital
stating that their minor daughter had died as a result of an abortion about
which they had no prior knowledge..
- Those who oppose parental notification are almost always those who receive
campaign donations from radical special interests.
- Minors who become pregnant must be able to speak with their parents rather
than fear them.
- Often, minors who become pregnant do so in a relationship that constitutes
statutory rape. These cases usually go unreported in the event that a child does
not notify her parents about her pregnancy.
Parental Consent
- Abortion is the only non-emergency medical treatment that a child can
receive without a parent's permission.
- Politicians who oppose parental consent do so because they know that parents
will frequently prevent their daughters from having such risky medical surgery.
- Opposition to parental consent is a complete rejection of any parental
rights.
- An abortion is an invasive surgery with short and long term physical and
emotional consequences, something adults usually consider more fully than
children.
- Minors who become pregnant, as shown by their actions, are incapable of
exercising rational judgement in important situations.
- When a minor procures an abortion, she is often unfamiliar with her medical
history and can omit vital information prior to the procedure, leading to a
greater likelihood of severe complications.
Waiting Periods
- Women, especially minors, experience fear and anxiety when they
unexpectedly become pregnant. These women need time to become fully informed
and consider their options before acting rashly.
- Women frequently change their minds about procuring abortions when taking
time to rethink their situations.
Laws Against Transporting Minors across State Lines for Abortions
- Politicians who oppose the transportation of minors to procure abortions
do so because Planned Parenthood, which funds their campaigns, does not want
to lose business.
- Statutory rapists frequently transport minors across state lines to deter
the girl from notifying authorities about his crime.
- Parental rights supercede the rights of any other adults in the lives of
children and are frequently trampled by those transporting minors for abortions.
Senate Races and Legislation (May also be used for House and state
races)
- Many Senators (use the name of your Senator if he or she is among them) have
assumed extreme positions, such as opposition to the ban on partial-birth
abortion, to satisfy radical special interest groups, such as Planned
Parenthood.
- Senators (your Senator, if one of your's is among this group and running for
reelection) who oppose even moderate legislation banning partial-birth abortion,
which many pro-choicers consider infanticide, are out of step with (your state)
values.
- (Your Senator) was elected by the people of (your state) to represent
(residents of your state), not extreme special interests.
- Opponents of the ban on partial-birth abortion either deny the reality
before them or were too afraid of offending extremist special interest groups to
do the right thing.
- Any person who thinks it should be legal to kill a child is unfit to serve
in the Senate.