23 Gennaio 2021 Pubblicato da Marco Tosatti

Marco Tosatti

Dear friends and enemies of Stilum Curiae, Prof. Leo Conti sent us from Washington this commentary on the first, immediate decisions announced by the new president of the USA, Joe Biden, who claims to be Catholic and who will instead reverse the pro-life measures and those of unborn children in particular put in place by the Trump presidency. It is no coincidence that the leader of Planned Parenthood, the powerful abortion multinational that funded Biden, sends jubilant messages for the new course: “This will be our year.” Happy, sad reading.

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BIDEN ON THE ATTACK AGAINST THE UNBORN AND TRUMP’S PRO-LIFE LEGACY

 (Dr. Leo Conti – Washington DC)

Contrary to the energetic and pragmatic farewell speech to the Americans, which President Trump delivered on January 19,[1] Biden’s inaugural speech, the following day, was largely a mixture of banalities and ideology,[2] with trite key words: white supremacy (but who really continues fomenting violence in American cities?!), systemic racism (and, yet, Biden’s vice-president is not white, and the same is true of Obama, whose vice-president Biden was for eight years), and growing inequity (better for Biden to think twice before adopting measures that will really increase disparities!). If this were not enough, in his speech there was also a quotation from St. Augustine, with no indication, though, that the common object that elevates a multitude into a community is ultimately God.[3] The fact is that Biden’s relationship with God is fairly problematic. One can certainly take an oath on a copy of the bible that has been in one’s family for over a century, but the physical presence at home of such a precious item, for such a long time, does not produce much fruit, unless one is firmly committed to obeying God’s commandments, starting from due respect for the unborn. But Biden seems to be quite deaf to this need.

Indeed, the contrast on abortion, between Trump and Biden, could not be greater and, considering the magnitude of the issue, could not be more consequential. Trump’s presidency is regarded, by supporters and enemies alike, as the staunchest pro-life administration in American history.[4] Crowning the many pro-life measures adopted in the course of four memorable years, one of the last actions by President Trump was proclaiming a National Sanctity of Human Life Day, to be observed on January 22, 2021, the anniversary of the infamous decision by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade. Many passages from this proclamation deserve being quoted:

“Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the holy image of God… [On this day] we celebrate the wonder of human existence and renew our resolve to build a culture of life where every person of every age is protected, valued, and cherished.

This month, we mark nearly 50 years since the United States Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision.  This constitutionally flawed ruling overturned State laws that banned abortion, and has resulted in the loss of more than 50 million innocent lives.  But strong mothers, courageous students, and incredible community members and people of faith are leading a powerful movement to awaken America’s conscience and restore the belief that every life is worthy of respect, protection, and care…  

Since my first day in office, I have taken historic action to protect innocent lives at home and abroad. I reinstituted and strengthened President Ronald Reagan’s Mexico City Policy… took action to protect the conscience rights of doctors, nurses, and organizations like the Little Sisters of the Poor… protected the vital role of faith-based adoption… made clear that global bureaucrats have no business attacking the sovereignty of nations that protect innocent life.

As a Nation, restoring a culture of respect for the sacredness of life is fundamental to solving our country’s most pressing problems.  When each person is treated as a beloved child of God, individuals can reach their full potential, communities will flourish, and America will be a place of even greater hope and freedom.  That is why [I was] the first President in history to attend the March for Life, [why I took action] to improve our Nation’s adoption and foster care system, secure more funding for Down syndrome research, and expand health services for single mothers. Over the past 4 years, I have appointed more than 200 Federal judges who apply the Constitution as written… including three Supreme Court Justices…  I also increased the child tax credit… I signed an Executive Order on Protecting Vulnerable Newborn and Infant Children, which defends the truth that every newborn baby has the same rights as all other individuals to receive life-saving care.

The United States is a shining example of human rights for the world.  However, some in Washington are fighting to keep the United States among a small handful of nations — including North Korea and China — that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks… this is morally and fundamentally wrong, and today, I renew my call on the Congress to pass legislation prohibiting late-term abortion.

Since the beginning, my Administration has been dedicated to lifting up every American, and that starts with protecting the rights of the most vulnerable in our society — the unborn.  On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we promise to continue speaking out for those who have no voice. We vow to celebrate and support every heroic mother who chooses life…”[5]         

What noble concepts! What moving and inspirational words! These are precisely the principles around which the unity of a nation should be cemented, and not the empty rhetoric of cheap appeals while the exact opposite is being pursued. And what did Biden do? Firstly, together with Harris, he issued a statement which ran contrary to Trump’s reflection on the anniversary of the infamous Court’s decision on abortion in Roe:

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to codifying Roe v. Wade and appointing judges that respect [not the constitution but] foundational precedents like Roe… [and to] increase access to contraception”.[6]

Secondly, as any cunning politician who pleases the powerful to the detriment of the defenseless, he sent ubiquitous Anthony Fauci to a meeting of the WHO executive board to deliver this message:

“it will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally.  To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world”. [7]

What moral misery! What mystifying language, which aims at hiding a horrible crime!

Now, did the Church say anything about this at the time of their inauguration, knowing full well Biden’s and Harris’s position on abortion? Let us see. The Pope’s telegram regarding the inauguration (to be assessed in the light of the Holy See’s diplomatic practice in her relations with states) mentions the need for “unfailing respect for the rights and dignity of every person, especially the poor, the vulnerable and those who have no voice”.[8] In the invocation prayer at the US Capitol on inauguration day, given by the Jesuit Fr. Leo O’Donovan, former Georgetown University president, there was nothing on point.[9] Likewise, there was nothing in the homely that the Jesuit Fr. Kevin O’Brien delivered during the Mass that Biden and others attended at St. Matthew’s Cathedral on inauguration day.[10] A pointed and articulate reference was instead present in the statement on inauguration issued by Rev. José Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles and USCCB president:

“…as pastors, the nation’s bishops are given the duty of proclaiming the Gospel in all its truth and power, in season and out of season, even when that teaching is inconvenient or when the Gospel’s truths run contrary to the directions of the wider society and culture. So, I must point out that our new President has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender. Of deep concern is the liberty of the Church and the freedom of believers to live according to their consciences…

For the nation’s bishops, the continued injustice of abortion remains the ‘preeminent priority.’ Preeminent does not mean ‘only.’ We have deep concerns about many threats to human life and dignity in our society. But as Pope Francis teaches, we cannot stay silent when nearly a million unborn lives are being cast aside in our country year after year through abortion.

Abortion is a direct attack on life that also wounds the woman and undermines the family. It is not only a private matter, it raises troubling and fundamental questions of fraternity, solidarity, and inclusion in the human community. It is also a matter of social justice. We cannot ignore the reality that abortion rates are much higher among the poor and minorities, and that the procedure is regularly used to eliminate children who would be born with disabilities.

Rather than impose further expansions of abortion and contraception, as he has promised, I am hopeful that the new President and his administration will work with the Church and others of good will. My hope is that we can begin a dialogue to address the complicated cultural and economic factors that are driving abortion and discouraging families. My hope, too, is that we can work together to finally put in place a coherent family policy in this country, one that acknowledges the crucial importance of strong marriages and parenting to the well-being of children and the stability of communities. If the President, with full respect for the Church’s religious freedom, were to engage in this conversation, it would go a long way toward restoring the civil balance and healing our country’s needs”. [11]

Considering all this, the question remains whether and how the Church is going to give her witness, raising her voice in defense of the unborn against the attacks by the Biden administration. At the time of communist dictatorships in Eastern Europe, the persecuted Church was known as the “Church of silence”, on account of the impositions to which she had been subjected. The hope is now that, with a view to influencing somehow the new Biden administration, a new “Church of silence” will not arise, silence being embraced this time by reason of misconceived “diplomacy” or fear. May the Lord help us all that it will not be so. In the meantime, Jesus’s admonishment to His disciples (Matthew5,13) is crystal clear like all His words:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot”.   

[1]           The text is at https://www.whitehouse.gov/farewell-address/. See also President Trump’s short speech at Andrews Base, on January 20, before taking off for Florida: https://www.newsweek.com/read-full-text-donald-trumps-final-farewell-speech-joint-base-andrews-1563052.

[2]           The text is at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/01/20/inaugural-address-by-president-joseph-r-biden-jr/.

[3]           The omitted part reads as follows: “For God is not the ruler of the city of the impious, because it disobeys his commandment that sacrifice should be offered to himself alone. The purpose of this law was that in that city the soul should rule over the body and reason over the vicious elements, in righteousness and faith. And because God does not rule there the general characteristic of that city is that it is devoid of true justice”. St. Augustine, Concerning the City of God against the Pagans (English translation Bettenson, 1984), 19.24. That the quotation was incomplete was promptly flagged by Prof. Pecknold at https://twitter.com/ccpecknold/status/1351947898225831945.

[4]           For a list of the main aspects of this pro-life commitment, see https://www.priestsforlife.org/elections/trump-prolife-accomplishments.aspx.

[5]           The text of the proclamation is at https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-national-sanctity-human-life-day-2021/. The archive of the documents regarding Trump’s presidency, worthy of study with respect to quite a number of its pronouncements, is at https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/.

[6]           The text of this statement, dated January 22, is at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/22/statement-from-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-on-the-48th-anniversary-of-roe-v-wade/.

[7]           The text is at https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/01/21/dr-anthony-s-fauci-remarks-world-health-organization-executive-board-meeting.html.

[8]           The Italian version is at http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/messages/pont-messages/2021/documents/papa-francesco_20210120_messaggio-presidente-usa.html.

[9]           The text is at https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/invocation-prayer-at-joe-bidens-inauguration-ceremony-by-catholic-priest-leo-odonovan-98616.

[10]          The text is at https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/read-homily-joe-biden-heard-inauguration-day-morning.

[11]          The text is at https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/usccb-presidents-statement-inauguration-joseph-r-biden-jr-46th-president-united-states.

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Tag: abortion, biden, PRO LIFE, trump

Categoria: Generale