Cardinal George Frames Issue Succinctly – Abortion and Racism Similar Injustices

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, the head of the national Catholic bishops’ conference, has succinctly framed the issue of abortion in a manner that has been a long time in coming.

While congratulating the American people for electing the first African-American president, George also challenged the nation and Obama.

“If the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision, that African-Americans were other people’s property and somehow less than persons, were still settled constitutional law, Mr. Obama would not be President of the United States,” said George.

“The common good can never be adequately incarnated in any society when those waiting to be born can be legally killed at choice.”

This argument needs to be used over and over in convincing the public of the following: In the same manner that we justly decry racism as evil, society should denounce the killing of the helpless child in the womb as a fundamental injustice. It is just as wrong to be pro-abortion as it is to be racist.

The Catholic bishops are rightly concerned that the pro-abortion tilt of Obama and some in Congress will deny conscience protection to Catholic medical professionals and facilities. The bishops talked at their recent meeting of closing Catholic hospitals rather than comply with any mandate forcing them to perform abortions.

The bishops are planning to lobby Obama regarding the conscience issue, FOCA, embryonic stem cell research and taxpayer abortion funding. It is a hefty agenda. Will Obama listen?

Barbara Lyons