IF this is another challenge to the vague philosophising on vital issues by Fr Kevin Ryan, this time “Buying into the Obama debate” (Real Life, CL 30/8/09) I can find no other way to respond.
Fr Ryan reflects the relativism rife in society that one opinion is as good as another and even that acceptance of one evil (war) doesn’t rule out confronting another (abortion).
President Barack Obama is a master of oratory. He is close to the best universal example of openly expressed sickening double standards by a leader as shown in his Cairo speech concerning Christians, Jews and Muslims and by his documented anti-life record.
In a long list, Mr Obama publicly declared that he believes the choice to kill the pre-born to be a “fundamental issue on which I will not yield”.
As a senator in 2007 he voted against banning partial-birth abortions. He vastly increased federal funding for research that kills human embryos.
However, these contrast with his pledge to support mothers and children, pregnancy support services and adoption agencies.
Yet the President’s Cairo speech oozed with quotes from the Holy Bible, Quran etc as he encouraged his listeners “to find common ground to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings”. He clearly didn’t include all human beings when he allows mothers the choice to kill their own unborn babies.
A quarter of Fr Ryan’s column was given to quoting Barack Obama’s Cairo speech.
It is really sad that he has been drawn in by the subtle, two-faced proclamations of this new international leader, notably when Fr Ryan declares: “We have to dream dreams and look for the ideal world. Can this new American President lead us along that path?”
From the undeniable evidence available, anyone who honestly believes so has his/her head buried in the ground.
PETER PHILLIPS
Springvale, Victoria
