CHOICE IN ELECTION!!!

This election, perhaps poses the biggest challenge of choice for American Catholics. It is like being caught between the devil and the deep sea. Many Catholics, knowing that I have no voting rights in this country, asked my counsel in choosing a candidate. I would not, of course, like to propose any candidate, although I am one who followed the campaigns very closely.

On the one hand we have a candidate who calls himself a maverick, having many years of experience, fought for the country, suffered permanent injuries to his physique, and who of course, professes to be pro-life. If elected he will be the oldest first term president of the U.S. But he has picked a running mate who is totally ignorant and inexperienced of world affairs and economy, unprepared and under-prepared in case of an eventuality of assuming the office of the president and by default the leadership of the world.

On the other hand we have a candidate, who is young, energetic and vivacious, excellent in debates, creating history as the first African-American candidate, whose slogan is ‘change we can’. However, his pro-choice posture poses problems in the minds of so many Catholics. His running mate, a Catholic and tested politician, does not even know or pretends not to know when life begins in a fetus! The liberal agenda of this team makes them the untouchables for many.

Many Church leaders have appeared on the scene, calling for choosing the candidate with pro-life stand. According to them, choosing a candidate who supports abortion, which is an intrinsically evil action, is equal to bartering your salvation, inviting hell fire on you.

In this scenario, it is important to see what the issues of LIFE are. Abortion, an intrinsically evil action, nothing short of murder, of course is the most important issue here, but not the only issue. There are other killers like war, tobacco, guns, etc. which are equally lethal and dangerous. War in Iraq under the present president has not only killed millions so far, injured and maimed many more, permanently handicapped a nation, destroying its infrastructure, food supply, and financial recourses. This is done in the name of fighting Al Qaida, which is obviously non-existent in Iraq, but rooted in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan. Which candidate supports and gets campaign money from tobacco lobby which is another big killer in this country? Which candidate supports and protects the gun lobby, making deadly guns available to school children and criminals?

So where do we stand on issues of LIFE? The unborn is the most precious, yet vulnerable and innocent human being who needs our protection. But what about the millions of vulnerable, innocent and unarmed Iraqis and over 5000 US soldiers who lost their lives? Aren't they precious too? I am waiting to hear the views of the leaders of the Church on this issue. The Holy Father, of course, had spoken very strongly against Iraq war on many occasions. So if voting for abortion, which is equal to murder, is inviting judgment and hell fire, what about all those who voted four years ago for the present administration which happens to be one of the most destructive, murderous and intrinsically evil in history?

I am not in any way proposing or advising a choice between two candidates, but only posing some questions which many people have shared with me. My only advice to them is to follow your conscience in voting. Please pray, and reflect and follow your conscience and do not feel guilty for it. The voice of your conscience is the voice of the Holy Spirit.