EDITORIAL

Ms. Pelosi’s delusional partisan ponderings

Posted

Having once described herself as a “conservative Catholic,” U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has once again proved just how delusional she really can be at times.

During her recent visit to Rhode Island to raise campaign funds she suggested that those who oppose the recent Obama Administration Healthcare mandate “like to pick fights with women.”(The mandate forces religious institutions to purchase contraceptives, drugs that cause abortion, and sterilizations against the tenets of their faith and in violation of their conscience.)

Whether the topic is contraception or abortion, Ms. Pelosi has at times displayed confusion and ignorance of the teachings of her professed Catholic faith. Throughout her political career, she has marched in lock-step with the dictates of the powerful pro-abortion lobby in advancing the culture of death in our nation. The former Speaker of The House’s recent comments while visiting the Ocean State suggest that the one of the greatest threats to religious liberty in U.S. history aimed directly at her own Catholic Church is merely a fight with women. This outrageous and erroneous suggestion stretches the imagination. Ms. Pelosi appears to have been so blinded by pure partisan politics that she cannot not even accurately comprehend the nature of the debate surrounding the unconstitutional Obama Mandate.

In their recent letter concerning this issue, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops clarified that “This is not about access to contraception, which is ubiquitous and inexpensive, even when it is not provided by the church's hand and with the church's funds. This is not about the religious freedom of Catholics only, but also of those who recognize that their cherished beliefs may be next on the block.“ This is not about the Bishops' somehow "banning contraception." Indeed, this is not about the church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the federal government forcing the church—consisting of its faithful and all but a few of its institutions—to act against church teachings. This is not a fight we want or asked for, but one forced upon us by government on its own timing. Finally, this is not a Republican or Democratic, a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American issue.”

No, Ms. Pelosi this issue is not simply picking a fight with women. Rather, the issue is an unprecedented attack on religious liberty and a rather blatant partisan and political attempt to pander to special interest groups. Yes, Ms. Pelosi you are correct, it is indeed a fight. A fight not initiated by the Catholic Church but by President Barack Obama and it is a fight for the religious liberty and the free exercise of conscience of all people of faith and good will. In spite of Ms. Pelosi’s partisan ponderings and delusional diatribes, Catholics and those who cherish religious liberty must remain vigilant in keeping up the fight for religious freedom and those rights granted to Americans (even Catholics) under the Constitution. Only then can liberty triumph over partisan campaign politics.