Catholics and Fellow Buckeyes, please help!!

[Mandolinista]

I've been canvassing southern Cuyahoga county, where I'm seeing better than 3 to 1 Kerry. I need materials for curious voters on Ohio issue 1 and state Supreme Court Judgeships.
Also, I need something for Catholics who I know want to vote for JFK, but are struggling with the decision in light of the the Church's abortion stance. I have tried, but feel unable to connect with these folks.
Things as I see them are looking very good good for Kerry and I think we have the potential for a major coattail effect!

-Mandolinista!

[MacDo]

1. Whats Issue 1?

[lizzieforkerry]

2. catholicsforkerry04.org is a great site

and catholicsforkerry.blogspot.com. I have had several Catholic converts after sending them to these sites! Good luck, also liberalslikechrist.org is good for ANY Christian to read. On issue 1- There is a good site that another DUer has put up..go under Ohio's messages and look back a couple of days you'll see it. Her site talks about all of the Republicans that have come out against 1 and also a personal story and how 1 will affect non-gays also. It's a good site, sorry I don't remember its name!

[Mandolinista]

4. Thanks

I'll check it out. Issue 1 would amend the state constituion so that:
"Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effct of marriage."

Even the repug. governor and the two repug. senators oppose this, yet the issue looks like it will pass, despite a narrowing of the gap.

[MacDo]

6. Sorry

I can't help you there. I actually support that. Good luck though

[lizzieforkerry]

11. It is the 2nd part that will screw hetero people.

Please consider that before you vote for 1! It is badly worded and DeWine, Voinovich and EVEN the Cincinnati Enquirer have come out against it! Even if you believe in Man/Woman only marriage you shouldn't vote for 1!!! Please look into it!!!!!!!! Work after the election for a better worded amendment or something if you feel strongly about, it but don't vote for this one!

[Hello_Kitty]

14. OMG!!

That would deny status to ANY relationship that was not an 'official' heterosexual marriage! Co-habiting heterosexual couples would be denied legal status as well.

[Zephyrbird]

3. FAC Catholic here

I find that taking the stance that there is a movement within the Democratic party to work VERY HARD at PREVENTION in order to bring down and eventually eliminate the need for a vast majority of abortions is a stance most good Dem Catholics who are anti-abortion can get behind. And there is a movement there, I've met many many folks.

Remind these voters that Republicans consistently gut the funding for ANY provider of abortion such as Planned Parenthood, which in turn guts funding for preventing unwanted pregnancies by women who cannot get birth control anywhere else.

Although the Church frowns on birth control except for the rhythm method, I'd bet 90% of U.S. Catholics either practice BC or approve of its use, winking at the Church's restrictions on it.

GOOD LUCK! Remember these are decent folks wrestling with a soul-rending problem and trying to find a way to vote the way they want without violating their tenets of faith. Encourage them to join the party to work on that issue--not making abortion illegal, but working in their local areas and with the party to provide women with affordable birth control and through education to prevent it.

[AngryOldDem]

7. Another point

The GOP sees Catholics solely as a voting bloc. Use 'em and toss 'em when their usefulness is spent.

Someone made an excellent point on one of the boards here that many of Bush's "base" -- i.e., fundies -- have no use for Catholicism in any way, shape, or form. To them it is a cult, a false religion. Do you think religious tolerance will get better or worse in a Bush second term, especially if you have people who truly believe he has been "chosen by God"?

Those Catholics who are so wholeheartedly for Bush may be in for one hell of a rude awakening. I'll take no great pleasure in telling them I told them so.

(And, BTW, you are correct -- rates of bc use and abortion among Catholics pretty much mirror those figures seen in society in general.)

Kerry HAS to win on Tuesday.

[AngryOldDem]

5. Get copies of Faithful Citizenship...

...from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

There's a lot more to this election than one issue.

But I hate to say that you're probably in an uphill battle with some of these people -- not saying that you can't win them over, but it may not be worth your time this late in the game if there are other, more moderate Catholics who would be open to hearing reasoned argument and common sense.

By the way, if they throw the Catholic Answers book, Voting Guide for Serious Catholics, at you, that is nothing more than GOP propaganda dressed up as Church teaching.

As for the other information, the county HQ should have all the information you need on judgeships and issues.

[sandnsea]

8. Laws against birth control, condoms?

Do they expect that to happen? The Church forbids artificial birth control because it can cause fertilized eggs to be killed, amongst other things. Do they expect laws to be passed against that? Would it be right? Against condoms? Against fertility clinics? We talk about stem cell research, but with Catholics, those eggs shouldn't even be there in the first place. There's alot of things for Catholics to consider on abortion, most importantly that if a Republican President, House and Senate didn't outlaw it; they aren't likely to in the future. Abortion went up under Bush because we've cut health clinic services and aren't telling teens about prevention anymore. If the issue is stopping abortion, vote for the candidate who wants to put programs in place to do that.

It's not likely to work, but at least it'll make them think.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

9. "I can't legislate an article of Faith on someone who does not share that

faith" Catholics will understand that.

I should know!

[lizzieforkerry]

10. You can also remind them that the two leading states for

abortions are Texas (#1) and then Florida. Abortions went DOWN during the Clinton years and are back up now and are exceeding what they were under Bush 41. I told a woman the other day that the only news I can think of that would be more devastating than finding out my daughter had an abortion would be if I found out she was dead because she had an abortion in an ally. She agreed and said she hadn't thought about that I think she is going to vote for Kerry. The Dred Scott comment in the debates was code for saying Bush is going to assign judges that will overthrow RvW.
Catholics have a responsibility to care for the poor, and not wage immoral wars. The Pope himself has come out against the war, the Pope asked Bush not to kill the Christian on death row in Texas, and some articles suggest the Pope believes Bush may be the antiChrist...something to think about.

[Mandolinista]

12. wow...

...that one sure works on me! thanks for the insights:toast:

[kath]

13. Well, there's these quotes from an Ohio priest, from when Kerry

visited there 1 1/2 weeks ago:

>Father Lawrence Hummer, of St. Mary's Church, criticized church officials who condemn Catholic politicians who speak out for abortion rights, calling on them to use patient persistence and bring them into the fold.

>"It is the task of the church to convince and to encourage through all patience, by word and example, those who do not agree, not to ostracize them or treat them like lepers," Hummer said.

>"There are many people who think that the destruction of Iraqi life is as direct an assault on the sacred as is the taking of unborn life. There are many people who regard the death penalty as an admission of the smallness of our nature rather than evidence of our greatness."

>"God bless you. Win, will you?" Hummer told Kerry after mass ended.

http://www.chillicothegazette.com/news/stories/20041017/localnews/1430045.html

[DemBones DemBones]

15. Go to this site and download a flyer:

http://www.votingcatholic.org

I haven't downloaded the flyer, but it's based on the online quiz. Great online quiz will give you % of your agreement with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, with Bush*, with Kerry, on each issue -- and they address ALL the issues, not only abortion.

Overall, I agreed with the bishops 100%, Bush 0%, Kerry 70%. I was voting for Kerry, anyway, but I loved seeing that if you agree 100% with the bishops, you agree 0% with Bush!!!

EDIT: The quiz, flyer, etc., are all based on the bishops' "Faithful Citizenship," which Angry Old Dem referred to earlier. Sort of a Cliff's Notes version of "Faithful Citizenship." ;-)