As far as I can see, the denial of communion to Obama supporters isn't widespread - but the printed anti-Obama propaganda seems to have been distributed everywhere among American Catholics (usually without official approval) - and the literature strongly states that it is a serious sin to even vote for Obama. Catholics who have committed serious sin are not permitted to receive communion unless they have repented - which would mean they would have to repudiate their support of Obama and THEN go to confession. Since the literature is so insidious, I think it would be good if the bishops would refute it strongly. I don't think that's going to happen, because then it would give the appearance that the bishops support Obama, and they don't want to give that impression. The most prevalent Catholi anti-Obama literature I've see is the Randall Terry stuff - and Terry looks on what the bishops said about voting as appearing to encourage Catholics to vote for Obama.

But as far as I can see, among Catholic clergy, it's only few extremists who have taken any action against people for their voting preferences. And hey, every group has extremists. We even have them at Mudcat. It's a byproduct of a free society.

I said above, "I think that in some cases, the "abortionist" label is just a cover-up for racial hatred. Many conservative Christians seem to think the election of Obama is a horrible evil that has been inflicted upon the United States, possible because we are no longer a Christian society." I see that in my mother-in-law, who is 93 and the daughter of Polish immigrants. She's not particularly concerned about the abortion issue - it's the Muslims and homosexuals and the "browning of America" that scare her. She is very afraid that something terrible is going to happen because of the election of Obama, and she's lost a lot of sleep worrying about it. She's Catholic but not particularly religious, so there doesn't seem to be a religious aspect to her fear of Obama. But I see the same kind of fears in other older people who are more religious; and for them, religion has become a partner to their anti-Obama fears.

My wife the chiropractor says that studies show that as people get older, the more sophisticated front part of the brain begins to shut down, and the more primal rear part becomes dominant. It becomes harder and harder for people to suppress the fears that center in that rear part of the brain, and that's why many older people seem so fearful. Reflecting on that, it seems to me that much of the racial fear we see in people is primal and uncontrollable. You see a very few people who are willful, hateful racists, and they span all age groups. But there are large numbers of very nice people who have deep-seated racial fears, and society is not going to overcome those fears simply by passing laws against racism and labeling these people racist. Beyond that, I think a lot of the strength of the conservative movement in our country is built on people's fears - listen to the radio talk shows, and you'll see what I mean. HOWEVER, if the Obama presidency is as successful as I hope it will be, eight years of exposure to a black president may do a lot to heal the deep-seated racial fears of our society. He may even be able to dispel some of the deep-seated fears of "liberals" and "socialists" that have been part of American culture since long before the days of Joe McCarthy.

Barack and Michelle Obama are both extremely attractive people and they also seem to be very nice people. Besides, both are very inspiring public speakers. I just love to hear them speak, and I think a lot of people feel that way. I love to hear Hillary Clinton speak, too - but a lot of people won't agree with me on that. Anyhow, I think that Barack and Michelle Obama are the best possible couple to be the first black president and first lady.

I think that at one time in my youth (when Richard Nixon was continually running for national public office), I heard a discussion about how it might be a sin for a Catholic to vote Republican. I wonder if that thought will ever come to the minds of Catholics again. I'm hoping to hear a completely different tune from Catholics in 2012. If Obama is as successful as I hope he will be, maybe Catholics will go back to being identified as Democrats [as God ordained it to be ;-) ].


-Joe Offer, who was brought up to believe that Good Catholics are Democrats-