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cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
Sat Jan 21, 2012, 12:18 PM Jan 2012

Catholic Leaders Challenge Gingrich and Santorum on Divisive Rhetoric Around Race and Poverty

More than 40 national Catholic leaders and prominent theologians at universities across the country released a strongly worded open letter today urging “our fellow Catholics Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail.”

--snip--

The open letter reminds the two presidential candidates, vying for Christian conservative voters, that U.S. Catholic bishops have called racism an “intrinsic evil” and consistently defend vital government programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits that help struggling Americans.

The full text of the statement and signatories follow.

An Open Letter to Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum

As Catholic leaders who recognize that the moral scandals of racism and poverty remain a blemish on the American soul, we challenge our fellow Catholics Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail. Mr. Gingrich has frequently attacked President Obama as a “food stamp president” and claimed that African Americans are content to collect welfare benefits rather than pursue employment. Campaigning in Iowa, Mr. Santorum remarked: “I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.” Labeling our nation’s first African-American president with a title that evokes the past myth of “welfare queens” and inflaming other racist caricatures is irresponsible, immoral and unworthy of political leaders.

Some presidential candidates now courting “values voters” seem to have forgotten that defending human life and dignity does not stop with protecting the unborn. We remind Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Santorum that Catholic bishops describe racism as an “intrinsic evil” and consistently defend vital government programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits that help struggling Americans. At a time when nearly 1 in 6 Americans live in poverty, charities and the free market alone can’t address the urgent needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. And while jobseekers outnumber job openings 4-to-1, suggesting that the unemployed would rather collect benefits than work is misleading and insulting.

As the South Carolina primary approaches, we urge Mr. Gingrich, Mr. Santorum and all presidential candidates to reject the politics of racial division, refrain from offensive rhetoric and unite behind an agenda that promotes racial and economic justice.

Francis X. Doyle
Associate General Secretary
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (retired)


http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/newsroom/press/catholic-leaders-challenge-gingrich-and-santorum-on-divisive-rhetoric-around-race-and-poverty/
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Catholic Leaders Challenge Gingrich and Santorum on Divisive Rhetoric Around Race and Poverty (Original Post) cleanhippie Jan 2012 OP
The problem is... Viva_Daddy Jan 2012 #1
For once, I agree with a group of Catholic leaders. MarkCharles Jan 2012 #2
Fantastic. nt ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #3
I'm glad they're speaking out Dorian Gray Jan 2012 #4

Viva_Daddy

(785 posts)
1. The problem is...
Sat Jan 21, 2012, 05:35 PM
Jan 2012

these candidates cannot "energize" their "Conservative Evangelical Base" without their racially divisive comments. So, no matter how "wrong" it may be to their "faith", they'll keep doing what works for them.

 

MarkCharles

(2,261 posts)
2. For once, I agree with a group of Catholic leaders.
Sat Jan 21, 2012, 10:04 PM
Jan 2012

Sort of like a stopped clock being right once or twice a day, but in this case, I hope all religious leaders could do the same and see any number of atheists agree as well.

Dorian Gray

(13,493 posts)
4. I'm glad they're speaking out
Sun Jan 22, 2012, 08:26 AM
Jan 2012

Gingrich's ascendency in the SC primary disturbs me greatly. I don't think he could beat President Obama bc of his history, but it disturbs me that people are voting for him at all. He's hateful. I'm glad some in the Catholic hierarchy in the US are speaking out against him.

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