There's a saying: the voting booth is not a church, but a brothel. If you want clean hands, wear gloves.
The American two-party system is a problem, and should probably be dismantled. It won't be, and since it's the reality in which we live, we have to learn to operate in that reality. That means, every four years, we have to choose between two candidates who are deeply flawed.
But between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris we must choose.
Which is why when people -- specifically non-Americans -- get involved in our elections, they should largely be ignored.
The Pope's remarks, however, warrant commentary.
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WATCH:
The Pope says Americans must choose between the lesser of two evils to vote for: the man who deports migrants or the woman who kills babies. Who’s better? pic.twitter.com/SxcTPvtEY3
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 14, 2024
This writer ran the Pope's remarks through a translator, and the captions are pretty accurate.
There are plenty of issues on which to criticize Donald Trump but to say he's 'anti-life' by opposing illegal immigration -- and on par with Kamala Harris and her support of abortion -- is illogical, untrue, and contradictory to Catholic teaching.
I know. You're shocked. How could Pope Francis say something so diametrically opposed to Catholic teaching? It's not like he's ever done that before. Oh, wait.
Here's what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about immigration (emphasis added):
2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.
Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.
The language here is very clear: prosperous countries can only allow immigrants to the extent that they are able. America spends $150 billion on illegal immigrants each year; in cities like Denver, police and fire budgets are being slashed to fund the needs of immigrants. We are in trillions of dollars worth of debt. It seems we have far exceeded the extent to which we are able to, haven't we?
The Catechism also says that the host nation can enforce immigration laws and place conditions immigration and expects immigrants to respect our laws and culture. By illegally immigrating, they've violated the teachings of the Catholic Church. By comprising 75% of the arrests in NYC, they have violated those teachings.
Donald Trump is well within his rights as president to remove those who have violated our laws, exercise his authority to enforce immigration laws, and determine that America has helped as many immigrants is it able to.
This is not -- as the Pope asserts -- 'throwing away' immigrants. It is enforcing the laws and Catholic social teaching.
Meanwhile, this is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about abortion (emphasis added):
2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.
2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. “A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,” “by the very commission of the offense,” and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.
2273 The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation.
The Catechism leaves some room to interpret immigration teaching. The term 'to the extent that they are able' has as many definitions as there are options for addressing immigration.
But on abortion? The teaching is clear: it's a grave sin, a mortal sin. There is no room for interpretation. Life must be respected and protected from conception.
Kamala Harris supports abortion on demand. She has vowed to federalize abortion protections, and objects to restrictions. She's been very clear on this, time and again.
One is clearly evil. The other is not.
There are legitimate criticisms of Donald Trump. It can make for good, healthy political debate. We should always question our leaders and understand their flaws.
But to argue that Trump's immigration stance is somehow equal to Kamala supporting abortion is absurd on its face.
How is it that I -- with degrees in English and Nursing -- understand these basic tenets of Catholic teaching but the Pope does not?
Perhaps because only one of us is Catholic.
