Right to choose not same as a choice
Having enjoyed a K-12 Catholic education, I feel compelled to respond to the Sept. 6 Free Press editorial "Catholic Bishop's Word for Biden." I respect Bishop Stika's authority and obligation to discuss the church's teachings, and his right, as a citizen, to express his political opinion.
However, I believe the editorial only highlighted part of the Catholic church's, and by extension Bishop Stika's, pro-life stance. Bishop Stika questions how Pelosi and Biden can claim to be Catholic because of their pro-choice stance.
I assume he equally questioned the faith of Catholics who support the death penalty because a truly pro-life stance is to respect life from conception until natural death. And, honestly, what is a better, more difficult demonstration of following Jesus' example than opposing the death penalty?
Questioning someone's faith can support politically convenient but incorrect assumptions.
One quote states that Pelosi and Biden "promote unlimited abortion." Supporting someone's right to choose an abortion is not the same as promoting abortion. If it is, then Bishop Stika respecting someone's right to choose their religion could be portrayed as him promoting Catholics to leave the church.
Promoting the right to choose is not the same as promoting a particular choice.
John Dorris
How would we know Fleischmann is running?
I am a constituent in Chuck Fleischmann's district. I was surprised to learn that he is running for re-election. Really?
How would I know? There is no evidence of it. He made no appearances on Zoom or in person during the congressional recess, a time guaranteed by the Constitution to allow congressmen to visit their districts.
Fleischmann has an established reputation of visiting his district for convenient photo-ops and very little else. These visits are never announced, so the people of his district cannot see him or speak with him.
In Congress, he has proven himself to be a reliable, spineless lapdog, who willingly does what he is told to support himself and his party, not necessarily his district.
I want my congressional representative to come here to his district. I want him to explain to me and all of his constituents what he has done that we should find impressive. I want to know his goals for his next term, what he intends to achieve.
I want Chuck Fleischmann to explain to us why we should vote for him.
Do I expect him to show up to do this? Not really.
Katheryn A. Thompson