Catholicism is subtext of U.S. abortion ruling

[Ian David]

WASHINGTON: The five justices who turned the U.S. Supreme Court around last week and upheld a ban on one form of abortion have much in common. All are men. All were nominated by conservative Republican presidents. And, it was widely noted, all are Roman Catholic.

Did their religion matter? Should it even be discussed? Following the 5-4 ruling in Gonzales v. Carhart, these questions have been raised and debated in venues from the blog of the American Constitution Society (where Geoffrey Stone, a constitutional law professor, said the justices' religious identity was "too obvious, and too telling, to ignore,") to ABC's "The View," (where Rosie O'Donnell declared, "How about separation of church and state in America?" according to ABC News.)

The pushback from conservative Catholics was immediate, even pre-emptive. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, declared, "We need more, not fewer, Catholics on the Supreme Court."

On his Web site, the Reverend Richard John Neuhaus, an influential conservative who converted to Roman Catholicism in 1990, wrote last week, "I expect it is on the minds of many, but so far there has been only marginal public comment on the fact that all five in the Carhart majority are Catholics." He added, "What can one say? Know-Nothings of the world unite?" The Know-Nothing movement opposed permitting Roman Catholics to immigrate to the United States from Ireland in the 1850s.

More:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/25/europe/scotus.php

[Raven]

1. Disasterous combination: Older, Catholic, Men. n/t

[DURHAM D]

6. You are so right.. And this needs to be fully discussed.

I posted a comment on DU right after the Supreme Court decision that it could not be fully discussed without the context and recognition of the religious affiliation of the 5 men who made the decision.

Naturally I got blasts from various posters 'cause they thought I was anti-Roman Catholic.

Wakeup everyone.

[YOY]

2. You are aware that there are a good many Liberal Catholics, are you not?

Like my entire family save one half-redneck-NASCAR-watchin' cousin. (the only one of us with no higher education I may add...) He came into church dipping Copenhagen during my cousin's wedding...

Anyone who thinks all Catholics are fundie brainwashed right wingers need to meet my good Catholic very pro-choice RN of a sister.

[Ian David]

3. Yes, I am. I have no problem with Catholics or Catholicism itself.

It's the guys in the dresses who try to impose their vision of it upon the rest of us that I have a beef with.

[YOY]

4. As do 50% of Catholics

You hear about a good many 'recovering Catholics' like myself. A good deal of us would come storming back in the church with joy if they would get out of the middle ages.

[Ian David]

8. Not like you guys voted for Pope Ratso. n/t

[SharonAnn]

5. Why aren't there any on the Supreme Court? Or in power in the church?

It seems to be the ultra-conservative, right-wing Catholics who are in power everywhere. Of course, they've working on getting power for many years, instead of working on being Christians.

So, how do we get Liberal Catholics, who by and large are not in power anywhere, into positions of power?

Think about it.

The ultra-right wing of any organization works methodically to obtain power. Eventually, they usually get it and then destroy their part of the world with it. Liberals are not usually power-hungry so they give it up by not seeking it.

[YOY]

7. Um...because Republican propose them and not Dems in SC nominations?

Pretty obvious there.

Also the trend for many South American Catholics tend to be rather left-wing. Not all, but strongly. RW Catholics try to force us out and are doing a bang up job.