By coming out four square for abortion, Obama is losing the Catholics who supported him.

Dear President Obama,

How could you look thousands of young and impressionable, innocent and idealistic Notre Dame Catholic graduates in the eyes and purposely mislead them?

When our new president first took office a few months back, I wrote a column offering my heartfelt support of the man I hoped would bring America together for a unified, common mission of respect for all mankind. I recommended that my readers do the same, and I received more than a few angry responses because of it.

But President Obama has made it difficult for me to keep supporting him, not just because of his views, but also because of his refusal to state them honestly, instead trying to dupe those who disagree with him into believing he shares THEIR view, while his actions say exactly the opposite.

Specifically, I am speaking of his actions on abortion and his treatment of the pro-life movement, to which he has been graciously extending one hand with his words while punching them in the face with his actions. He has gone out of his way to oppose any and all bills or government action that would in any way, shape or form show respect or even humane concern for the life of the unborn.

Let me be clear here. I am a political independent who acknowledges that debate between very thoughtful people might arise when trying to reconcile the rights of the mother with the rights of the child, especially for instance in the case of endangerment to the mother’s life.

But though many laudable moderate politicians on both side of the aisle have refrained from calling for the criminalization of abortion because of those complexities (for instance former President George W. Bush), at least they have made a genuine effort to clamp down on the widespread use of and government endorsement of abortion.

But Mr. Obama has rallied lock, stock and barrel against any such controlling legislation on the issue whatsoever. Quite contrarily he has opened the flood gates on abortion governmentally, in EVERY form, essentially using the Bully Pulpit to promote abortion as a sensible form of birth control!

Meanwhile, in his commencement speech at Notre Dame, while speaking to these young, enterprising and up and coming Catholics – all important voters sin 2012 – he posed as a moderate on the issue, truly adding insult to injury.

While these zealous youth looked to him for leadership, he had the audacity to call for “Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words. It’s a way of life that always has been the Notre Dame traditions,” exclaimed President Obama.

Noble words, but this is a man who has gone out of his way NOT to be open-minded or fair.

Illinois State Senator Obama and then U.S. Senator Obama repeatedly refused to vote against the vile and reprehensible act of aborting LIVE babies through partial birth abortion, an act which as bad it sounds, is worse in actuality, performed by strangling or suffocating a child once it has been delivered!

While a U.S Senator he voted AGAINST legislation that would make it illegal for a minor to be transported across the state line to obtain an abortion; it was specifically written to prevent nefarious influencers such as those who incestuously impregnated the youths from getting rid of their evidence. The bill went out of its way to stipulate that the act WOULD NOT be illegal if the minor’s life was in danger, but still it was of no interest to Mr. Obama.

He refused to vote against a bill that would stop funneling U.S. taxpayer money to groups that supported worldwide programs that FORCED abortions and mandatory sterilizations.

And most recently his proposed budget will cut virtually ALL funding for any programs that teach abstinence, while only a few moths earlier he reversed a Bush policy that would hold back money from international agencies that promoted abortion.

Is that being “open minded” on the issue?

If President Obama wants an open and honest dialogue on this issue, then he should start off by being honest himself, telling us all what he ACTUALLY believes and what policies he intends to support.

Then all those students that listened to him with open hearts, along with the rest of the American public, can decide whether they want to re-elect a man who supports radical policies that will allow society to extinguish life whenever it is “inconvenient.” Because the ramifications of that type of agenda may extend far beyond the topic of abortion!

Chris Benguhe is a columnist for the Catholic Sun and Author of “Overcoming Life’s 7 Common Tragedies: Opportunities for Discovering God” available at Amazon.com

May 25, 2009 · Posted in Politics