No Picture
News Briefs

Democrats debate immigration, healthcare but not abortion

July 31, 2019 CNA Daily News 2

Detroit, Mich., Jul 31, 2019 / 03:00 pm (CNA).- During the most recent round of Democratic primary debates on Tuesday, candidates for the presidency expressed support for systematic reform on immigration and healthcare, but were not questioned about abortion or religious liberty. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called for the decriminalization of illegal border-crossing, though the proposal was not widely supported by the other candidates. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) reiterated his support for offering free healthcare and college education to immigrants already in the United States illegally, while also proposing increased border security to prevent the policies acting as an incentive for further illicit crossings.

“A sane immigration policy moves the comprehensive immigration reform,” said Sanders. “It moves to a humane border policy, and which, by the way, we have enough administrative judges, so that we don’t have incredible backlogs that we have right now.”

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper offered a more moderate platform on immigration reform, saying that the country needs to “secure the borders, make sure whatever law we have doesn’t allow children to be snatched from their parents and put in cages.”

Referencing the recent reports of dangerous and unsanitary conditions at many border detention centers, Hickenlooper said the situation strained belief. “How hard can that be?” he asked. 

The lack of abortion questions on abortion was criticized by both pro-abortion and pro-life advocates. Planned Parenthood, tweeting from its PAC account, called it a missed opportunity for the candidates to discuss a “fundamental issue that impacts their lives.” 

“Candidates spent more than 30 minutes debating health care, but it’s meaningless if we cannot access it, said Planned Parenthood.

The American public “deserves” to hear what the candidates have to say about abortion access, tweeted Planned Parenthood.

“We call on the Democratic National Committee and CNN to ensure that effort to protect abortion access are discussed,” they said. 

Previous attempts to address the issue during debates resulted in confused statements by some candidates on the right to abortion of transwomen, biological males who identify as women. All of the candidates participating in the July 30 debate have endorsed healthcare plans that would pay for abortion with taxpayer funding. 

Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, used the debate to invoke his Christian faith in support of some labor issues, including the minimum wage and unionization. 

Buttegieg criticized “so-called conservative Christian senators,” whom he accused of blocking a bill that would raise the minimum wage. 

“The minimum wage is just too low,” said Buttigieg. “Scripture says that whoever oppresses the poor taunts their maker.”

In April, Buttigieg previously expressed his belief that abortion “is a moral question, it is not going to be settled by science,” and that it was not appropriate for abortion policy to be set by a “government official imposing his interpretation of his religion.”

The second night of debates will be held on Wednesday evening, featuring the candidates who did not debate on Tuesday.

[…]

No Picture
News Briefs

US bishops call for new gun legislation after garlic festival shooting

July 31, 2019 CNA Daily News 8

San Jose, Calif., Jul 31, 2019 / 10:17 am (CNA).- After a shooting at a food festival in California on Sunday in which the gunman killed three people and injured 15, the US bishops’ representative for domestic justice called for legislation to prevent such losses.

Santino William Legan, 19, opened fire at a garlic festival in Gilroy, Calif., 30 miles southeast of San Jose, the evening of July 28. He was shot dead by police shortly after beginning to fire a rifle. Police have been investigating reports of a second suspect.

Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose said July 29 that “our hearts are heavy with sadness in the wake of the horrific shooting … I am grateful for the first responders and individual citizens whose quick thinking and professional actions saved countless lives.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, survivors and their families in this time of sorrow. May God, the source of our faith and strength, grant comfort and hope to all those affected by acts of violence. May grief give way to healing and grace, as we work together to protect the innocent and prevent future massacres, so that peace may prevail in our hearts and communities.”

The Diocese of San Jose held a bilingual prayer vigil July 29 at St. Mary’s parish in Gilroy.

Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice in Florida, chair of the US bishops’ committee on domestic justice and human development, said July 30 that “our legislators must make changes to our gun policy to prevent the loss of life.”

“As Americans, we must be honest with ourselves that we have a sickness, almost a plague, with the problem of gun violence. As Christians, we must look to the cross, repentant of the ways that have led us to this point and, with God’s grace, abandon such senseless, inhuman acts. Let us resolve to make the sacrifices necessary to end the violent killing that saturates our nation.”

He added that “the Lord calls us to comfort those who mourn and to be peacemakers in a violent world. We pray, and we must, for the victims and their families. The Church should act in ways that heal and support all those affected by gun violence.”

[…]

The Dispatch

Lessons in virtue from Apollo 11

July 31, 2019 George Weigel 3

Fifty years ago this week, the crew of Apollo 11, the world’s latest heroes, were doing decidedly unheroic things: napping, drinking beer, playing cards, reading magazines, and otherwise killing time in the Manned Spacecraft Center’s […]