Catholics Warn Gingrich, Santorum On Race Baiting

By David Gibson
Religion News Service

(RNS) More than 40 Catholic leaders and theologians have issued an open letter to Catholic candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, warning them "to stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail."

The signers of the open letter, which was released Friday (Jan. 20), cited Gingrich's repeated criticisms of Barack Obama as a "food stamp president" who encourages government dependency for the poor, especially for African-Americans.

They also criticized Santorum's statement that he does not want "to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money." Santorum later said he intended to use a word other than "black" but did not say what that word would have been.

At Thursday's debate in South Carolina, both Santorum and Gingrich continued to blast the Obama administration for allegedly encouraging the use of food stamps.

Those statements have been criticized for encouraging racially charged associations between blacks and government welfare, and have drawn sharp denunciations from civil rights groups and many pundits.

In their open letter, the Catholic leaders -- many of them associated with progressive and Democratic causes -- say that raising "racist caricatures is irresponsible, immoral and unworthy of political leaders."

"Some presidential candidates now courting 'values voters' seem to have forgotten that defending human life and dignity does not stop with protecting the unborn," the authors write.

"We remind Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Santorum that Catholic bishops describe racism as an 'intrinsic evil' and consistently defend vital government programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits that help struggling Americans."

Since December 2008, a month before Obama took office, food-stamp use has increased 46 percent, The Associated Press reported. Even though the economy has begun to recover, total spending has more than doubled in four years to an all-time high of $75.3 billion.

Research shows that more whites than African-Americans receive assistance through food stamps. Some 41 percent of all recipients live in households where family members are employed. Surveys show that strong majorities of Americans say they do not want food stamp programs cut.

Comments

[edward60]

04:50 PM on 02/08/2012

The GOP has no shot with these bottom feeders

[Warren Harrison]

04:48 PM on 01/23/2012

Well these catholic leaders and theologians are now in my ballpark. No Priest or any preacher has the right to impose upon the Presidential Candidates or the American Populace their views as policy or political power. These men not only disregard Christs teachings, but disrespect the statute of separation of church and state. They continue to precariously clutch at political power. Trying to strike a blow at conspicuous political agendas they do not agree with. Priest and Prophet belong in the church and are to look after the spiritual welfare of their parishioners and congregations. Pinpointing outside the church is to relish the ideal of relinquishment of values that have already been destroyed, perhaps by the clergy themselves, by the interference of political thought. These men and others perhaps should be alittle more careful in their pursuit of a christian political bureaucracy. The consequences just may bring a denial or reluctance to accept the christian faith as legitimate.

[BrittaNYC07]

05:58 PM on 01/24/2012

Excellent points. I kind of roll my eyes whenever people bring up the idea of "separation of church and state," however. Not because I believe the philosophy to be incorrect, but because I believe our use of it (or lack thereof) to be at times laughable. How often to political candidates (conservative and liberal, Republican and Democrat) use religious references and inspiration for their speeches? Criticizing the church for chiming in is very fair, but we should also point fingers at these candidates for their use of religion to manipulate voters and mix up politics (with real, secular implications for our lives) with "morals," i.e. a moral code based in Western Christian theology..

[Justin Werner]

11:53 AM on 01/22/2012

Now if only the so-righteous and caring Catholic Church would also tell Frothy and Newt to also not be so sexist, and homophobic, as well. I'm sure they meant to do so, but just forgot...

[onenvrnos]

09:06 AM on 01/22/2012

Thank you, Catholic church. Your stance is very important in stopping the hate and greed that has dismantled our system of ethical justice.

[Mary Shelley]

07:39 AM on 01/22/2012

I would like to know what the official Catholic stance is on Gingrich's current marriage. Just because his first marriage was not performed in a Catholic service between Catholics does not mean that the church does not consider it legitimate (16 years of Catholic education, including years with Jesuits taught me that non-Catholic marriages were not necessarily illegitimate in the church's view). Also pre-marriage "sexual activity" can also be a hindrance to the legitimacy of a marriage. So are Newt and Callista living in sin?

[Justin Werner]

11:56 AM on 01/22/2012

I'm the Chuch will employ its usual moral calculus: "If X proves useful and convenient to us, the n X, though not in our approved moral subset, may be rationalized."

[cheaptrick00]

02:35 AM on 01/24/2012

I think the more important "stance" for the catholic church is the one concerning PEDOFILES

[333Cathy]

10:30 PM on 01/29/2012

I suppose you don't know that protestants have more pedophile issues in their churches than the Catholic church has.

Nope, you don't know...

[Qjersey]

07:35 AM on 01/22/2012

I swear Jesus said a lot about taking the care of the poor and the sick, though I could be wrong.

[nh3man]

06:35 AM on 01/22/2012

I do not understand why any Blacks, Gays, or for that matter women support Republican candidates.
How many times must you be insulted and/or demeaned for you to realize you aren't respected, represented or served by the Good Ol' Pricks party?

[Justin Werner]

11:58 AM on 01/22/2012

Some people are willfully ignorant if it means that they may continue to hold a cherished notion or two or ten.

[LilacGypsy]

11:06 PM on 01/21/2012

My mother was Italian born and raised a Catholic in Brooklyn NY. She met and married my Southern Baptist father in a South Carolina civil ceremony. I was born a year later and I was christened when they visited NY at St Patrick R.C. church in Bklyn. The priest choose to hand write in Ink at the bottom of my Baptismal Certificate ,, "Nata ex invalido matrimonio" which is Latin for "Born from an invalid marriage" . Given the strict stance of abortion and the fact that I wasn't planned (in the 1940's, no birth control meds) I find it so hypocritical of the Catholic Church to advocate anti abortion/ birth control but then to take the time to classify my birth as illegitimate because they were not married in a Catholic Church. It was a no win situation...

[cheaptrick00]

02:37 AM on 01/24/2012

so evidentally, there are no semi-catholics only bazturds???

[orixaguy]

01:01 AM on 01/25/2012

Correct. You are either in full communion with the Church's teachings or you are not a Catholic.

[RadioRhoda]

05:52 PM on 01/21/2012

More people are on food stamps because the "job creators" refuse to share their record profits.
Average American workers have taken huge pay cuts, not seen a cost of living increase in years and lost benefits as formerly full time positions became part-time. Yet CEO pay was up 27% in 2011.

[Justin Werner]

11:59 AM on 01/22/2012

Shhh. That is inconvenient and must be ignored. /s

[cheaptrick00]

02:39 AM on 01/24/2012

Yeah, and your guy Obama get MORE campaign contributions from CEO (who pose as bundlers) than any other candidate.....and he kicks back your tax dollars to, can you say Solyndra!!!! Do the home work homie

[jlglaze]

05:32 PM on 01/21/2012

The truth is hard to take at times, and this is one of those times. Truth is truth and there is no other way to cut that cake.

[onenvrnos]

09:08 AM on 01/22/2012

Depends on your definition, circumstances and perception of what "truth" is.

[The Late Benny Hill]

05:07 PM on 01/21/2012

It's good to see the Catholics standing up for what is right, but instead of chastising the candidates, perhaps they should consider backing better candidates.

[cheaptrick00]

02:40 AM on 01/24/2012

and clean their own dirty laundry ....can you say pedofiles

[orixaguy]

12:14 AM on 01/25/2012

They are cleaning their own dirty laundry ("do the homework, homie")! Catholics are reminding Catholics of their own teachings.

[Father Joseph]

04:20 PM on 01/21/2012

Man's technology continues to advance but the old sins of the past still hold sway over his soul. As long as we speak of our brothers and sisters as if they were a foreign and alien species we will carry the mark of Cain. Look into the face of the stranger and change your heart. Then you will recognize the face of Christ and see your brother. Men aren't objects or tools to be used for their votes or their buying power. When politicians talk about food stamps and hunger, they are speaking about theoretical concepts not abject reality. Look into the faces of the poor and see hunger as a daily specter that haunts them. Listen to the cries of the poor that call out for justice.

[Zaruga]

04:44 PM on 01/21/2012

Hello father. :)

[JesusSaidWhat]

01:39 AM on 01/22/2012

Can I interest you in running for president?

[Dnewsjunky]

04:03 PM on 01/21/2012

How the Catholics can vote for Newt Gingrich is beyond comprehension!!! His character speaks for itself -- whether or not it was 10 years ago, 2 years ago, or yesterday. Any man who divorces 2 wives while they are ill to marry the women he had been having affairs with is a cold, heartless, ruthless man and certainly doesn't belong in the White House as President of the United States.

Where are all of the networks on the story about the ex-wife of Gingrinch like they were on the story about Herman Cain with the women who revealed his inappropriate sexual behavior with them. This situation with Gingrich is MUCH WORSE in trying to persuade his ex-wife to have an OPEN MARRIAGE to continue his ongoing adulterous relationship with Calistta, now his third wife.

WHAT HAPPENED TO EXPECTING INTEGRITY IN OUR LEADERS? Women, especially, should stop and think about the character of this untrustworthy man and never think of voting for him or anyone else who betrayed two previous wives in such a despicable way!

[cheaptrick00]

02:41 AM on 01/24/2012

integrity; catholic; that's an oxymoron...remember the ongoing pedofilia investigations

[orixaguy]

12:25 AM on 01/25/2012

Also remember the same investigations are going on in every sect of Christianity. Evangelicals, with all that fire and brimstone, have managed to do a better job of scaring the hell into its victims. People are coming forth, though. Evangelicals are also higher in percentages of adultery, divorce, and (physical) child abuse.

[TimFredrickson]

03:59 PM on 01/21/2012

What happened to Jesus exhortation for compassion, forgiveness, charity, and tolerance. Just once I would like to see the rightwing christo-taliban actually behave as Jesus asked us to be. The self-called christian evangelists have no clue what it means to be a true christian. They want to turn much of the Bible into law except for the parts that are the most fundamental to the teachings of Jesus.

[jlglaze]

05:39 PM on 01/21/2012

Or the left wing. That would be such a nice jesture wouldn't it? Are you ready to do that? Thought not, so why did you mention it?

[TimFredrickson]

06:12 PM on 01/21/2012

I will mention anything I want to mention. You really shouldn't make assumptions. You sound just like a school yard bully. It must be easy for you to be a rightwingnut then. I understand compasion, forgiveness, tolerance, charity, tolerance, and love for others and try to live that way. Republican money worshipers like Mitster, Rickster, and Neuter are the camels that will never get through the eye of the needle. What exactly are you talking about: "Or the left wing." To what nice 'gesture' do you refer?

[patches04]

07:47 PM on 01/21/2012

TimFredrickson, one can forgive but don't need to put them in positions of power. Newt G. is a slimey adulterer. Why people would vote this lying scumbucket is mind boggling.

[TimFredrickson]

08:26 PM on 01/21/2012

Patches, I absolutely agree with you! As long as Neuter is contrite and apologetic which he is not. He is one of the most prideful people ever to rise to a position of importance in the United States

[firstamendment3]

03:46 PM on 01/21/2012

Wow! The Catholic Church providing timely and relevant moral leadership! Who would of thunk it!