Catholic League: "Roberts, Catholicism and Abortion"
More on Judge Roberts from the Catholic League:
July 21, 2005
ROBERTS, CATHOLICISM AND ABORTION
Catholic League president William Donohue offered the following comments today on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts:
“In an AP poll just released, 52 percent of Americans said that Judge Roberts should give his position on abortion when asked by lawmakers. Whether he does or not is of little interest to the Catholic League, though it is important to recall that Ruth Bader Ginsburg positively refused to answer questions on gay rights and capital punishment, and she did so with impunity. What is of interest to us is the way some are trying to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between Judge Roberts’ Catholicity and his presumed position on abortion. Indeed, even his wife, who is avowedly pro-life, has been dragged into this debate.
“Let’s begin with the AP. In the story on the survey, it says, ‘While deputy solicitor general in 1990, Roberts, a Roman Catholic, helped write a legal brief’ that Roe v. Wade be overturned. Now there is nothing in the AP style-book that merits mentioning Roberts’ religion in this context. For example, in today’s New York Times, it several times mentions that Roberts is a Catholic, but its use is entirely descriptive and biographical: it was not cited to imply a causal relationship with his presumed position on abortion. That’s not a small difference. To the unconvinced, imagine reading, ‘Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Jew, helped write a legal brief’ for the ACLU upholding Roe? And keep in mind that every survey has disclosed that Jews are more uniformly in favor of abortion rights than Catholics are pro-life.
“AP is not alone. Yesterday, NPR’s Lynn Neary said of Roberts, ‘And he is a Roman Catholic, and that might affect the way he views an issue like abortion, for instance.’ American University law professor Stephen Wermiel went one better, asserting, ‘It could make a difference. It could also make a difference in church-state separation issues.’
“These are more than red flags—these are the marks of bigotry, politely expressed. And these people consider themselves to be tolerant.”
posted by Pro Ecclesia 8:05 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
This is in response to the blog that says that questioning Roberts' Catholocism is "Bigotry." The writer points out that Ruth Bader Ginsberg"s Jewishness was never made an issue during her confirmation.
There is a distinct difference. Jews do not answer to any individual authority. There is no one who can excommunicate them from the religion if they choose not to follow certain rulings.
This is not the case for Catholics. In the last election John Kerry was refused communion by one Bishop because of his position on abortion.
Bigotry is defined by it's irrational nature. It is not irrational to question exactly what Roberts would do if faced with an edict from Church authortity such as Kerry recieved. I am quite impressed by Roberts' credentials, but this is a real question.
While the irrational derogation of any group is rightly condemned as bigotry, questioning an individual who will have supreme power over the lives of many, most of whom do not share his religion, is a responsible excercise of democratic process
Post a Comment
<< Home