O’Malley a Hypocrite on Death Penalty and Abortion?
Governor Martin O’Malley has cited his Roman Catholic religious beliefs in the past as part of the reason he opposes the death penalty. He’s marching with clergy today in Annapolis to oppose it further.
If O’Malley signs recent legislation that requires parental consent for tattoos, then there will be a situation in Maryland where teenagers can get an abortion without parental consent (only notice is required) but must get consent to get tattooed. Is this situation backwards to anyone else besides me?
Maybe O’Malley can cite his religious beliefs and use his political capital as a reason to work to overhaul abortion laws to reduce that abhorrent practice in the state of Maryland and not just the death penalty. Maybe he can work to end state funding of abortion and help repeal the state Freedom of Choice Act.
Laying aside the merits on both sides of the death penalty debate, it is amazing the zeal O’Malley has used to campaign against the Death Penalty. If he used even a small amount of that to help reduce abortions it might be time better spent.
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1
Are those people who are opposed to abortion but in favor of the death penalty hypocrites? I don’t find this to be a convincing argument. The two are not so easily linked.
Comment by Clark — February 25, 2009 @ 7:32 am
2
Clark,
If they claim to be following Catholic teachings for being against abortion then they are possibly hypocritical. Michael Steele has indicated in the past he has trouble with the death penalty and he’s also pro-life – citing his religious beliefs for both.
Comment by SM — February 25, 2009 @ 7:36 am
3
“Catholics” who support abortion are in the same league as Jews who eat ham. Except that said Jews are usually candid enough to say they are Jewish by birth, not by faith.
If you define yourself as a Roman Catholic, you must accept the entire package: papal infallibility, no direct access to the Creator, no recreational sex (solo or otherwise), no artificial birth control (other than abstinence or lactation), etcetera.
No religion (except perhaps Unitarian Universalism) is designed as a buffet, from which you get to choose the doctrines you want to follow and ignore those that inconvenience you. The problem is that most people lack the courage to admit to themselves that they are apostates, or perhaps Deists. They figure that if they stick to all the rules except the one or two they find unpalatable, God will forgive them. Many even cite in support of this a passage from one of the Epistles that says a person is saved not by his “works” (deeds) but by his “faith.”
Comment by Blogger1947 — February 25, 2009 @ 9:26 am
4
There’s a very big and compelling reason why O’Malley would be against one and tepid on the other: he isn’t the guy who is actually responsible for the abortions. As Governor of the state, he absolutely is responsible for killing prisoners on death row.
If I were him, it wouldn’t be a decision I’d want to make either.
Comment by Stephanie Dray — February 25, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
5
Stephanie,
There is a moratorium on the death penalty- he can serve as guv. forever and never have to make that decision.
He is hiding some other move he doesn’t want us to focus on.
Comment by Unconvinced — February 26, 2009 @ 10:17 am