Okay, so now I'm worried, not so much about Roe v Wade, though that is troubling. In fact, my concerns with the Catholic Church began pretty much with the last election, when certain Bishops threatened to withold communion from John Kerry due to his Pro-Choice beliefs. This of course could easily have been interpreted as interference by representatives of a sovereign nation-the Vatican-in the internal affairs of U.S. politics. Thankfully, the various Bishops were divided on this issue, some issuing objections to this policy, and we were never quite sure exactly where the Vatican itself stood. Though there were rumblings.
But even this stance fell fall short of the recent self-serving position recenty advocated by a group of American Bishops as regarding U.S. border policy. They in effect called for an easing of border restrictions, an appeal for amnesty for curent illegals, aid for those illegals who may get in dire straights as a result of flouting our laws, and allowing ever more imigrants to move here legally.
This is self-serving, obviously so, when you consider the statistics. The Catholic Church-and the Vatican-gets the largest share of it's financial contributions from the pockets of American Catholics, more than from any other single group, possibly even more than all others combined. Yet, at the same time, it is a fact that Church conversions are down, as is overall church attendance amongst American Catholics. For the past twenty or thirty years, there has been a troubling shortage of priests and seminarians. If the downward trend continues, it can bode no good for the American Cathoic Church, or the Catholic Church in general, as financial contributions can not for very long fail to also decline, in fact they probably have somewhat all ready done so.
Then, you realize, the majority, if not all, of Mexican immigrants are Catholic, and would add a considerable number of practising members. In time, this would lead to an increase in donations, as well as a much needed boost in seminarians and priests. The Catholic hierarchy aren't just looking at Mexican immigrants and seeing a cash cow, of course. They are seeing a whole damned herd, crossing the desert, swimming the Rio Grande, from California to Texas, and they want them roped and branded. Not only for the reasons I have mentioned, but due to the fact the Mexicans are for the most part socially conservative. Which bring us to the most important, and scariest, reason of all for the Catholic border position. That many faithful, and grateful, practising Catholics, presumably regular church attendees and generous donors, soon to become American citizens, would prove to be one hell of a voting bloc. A socialy conservative, presumably pliant voting bloc that would vote for the candidates who would certainly increase, and perhaps ultimately cement, the Catholic Church in America's power in Washington, possibly to a position of unchallenged control.
This brings us back to the issue of John Roberts. He will doubtless be confirmed in his position on the Supreme Court, though it might turn out to be a nastier struggle than I had envioned. Once this occurs, what would happen if there are tough new immigration laws passed, one for example that might seem fair, yet at the same time seeks to limit immigration to manageable levels, and at the same time adopts a policy aimed at rigidly enforcing current border policies to ensure that the only Mexican immigrants that move here are the ones who do so legally, out in the open? That all others are stopped at the border, and turned away? That those who are caught after sneaking in are immediately sent back, with the admonition they will never be allowed to return? That there will be penalties for employers caught hiring undocumented ilegal aliens, or for anyone else that aids them in such a way as to be intended to assist them in staying here illegally? That cities who allow the presence of illegal aliens as a policy in oppossition to federal laws will be cut off from all future federal funding and other federal aid as a consequence?
Whatever the laws might state, regardless of how well worded and considered, it will no doubt face stiff legal challenges, which would more than likely eventually place it before the Supreme Court. In such an event, how will John Roberts vote? Conservative, Catholic, John Roberts?
No, I don't like the looks of it.
