Regarding “Go nonpartisan,” Jan. 22, Page 31:

Katie Scott is to be commended for some comments and also corrected for erroneous statements and assumptions. Scott correctly states that the Catechism declares the death penalty is “inadmissible.” But she needs to realize, that, as Christian author Randy Alcorn writes, “Capital punishment and abortion are radically different issues. That these differences are not obvious to many … raises the question of whether they are thinking clearly about moral issues.”

We agree with Scott that “Catholics in the pro-life movement should [not] blindly embrace Democrats.” But her assumption that the pro-life movement is partisan is incorrect. Pro-life Catholics who support the Republican Party do so because of facts. Republicans support the protection of the unborn. Democrats support unlimited access to abortion, which has resulted in more than 62 million innocent children having been put to death since 1973. There is nothing comparable to this in the Republican Party.

Further, according to Michael New of The Catholic University of America, the Centers for Disease Control statistics showing that abortion rates are lower under Democrats is false. Plus, Monica Snyder, from Secular Prolife, sites many studies showing that abortion restrictions do decrease abortion rates. Overall, Democratic policies that remove abortion restrictions and give millions of dollars to the multi-billion-dollar abortion industry do not lower abortion rates.

Those in the pro-life movement are not concerned only with abortion. Rather, they see abortion as the most important issue. The right to life is the first right, the right that all other rights depend on. The USCCB has proclaimed abortion as the preeminent issue. “It is false to invest different social issues with the same moral gravity. ... Deliberately killing innocent human life, or standing by and allowing it, dwarfs all other social issues,” said Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia. And Archbishop Sample recently stated: “We can’t talk about having adequate health care for those not allowed to be born. We can’t speak about a right to education for children who never see the light of day.”

Catholics should consider supporting the most vulnerable, those who have absolutely no rights, the unborn. Choose life, not death.

Therese Ruesink, Northeast

Portland

Mary Nordlund, Eagle Creek

Randy Stewart, Northeast

Portland