Catholics Mobilize. When will Congress?
Yet again, Congress and the President have squandered an opportunity to end the Iraq war. On Thursday the House of Representatives approved the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act 223-201, far short of the 290 necessary to override President Bush’s promised veto. The 219 Democrats and four Republicans who voted to end the Bush administration’s untenable, failed policy deserve commendation, but far too many of their colleagues refuse to heed the wishes of the American people and the faith community.
As reported in an article posted on Faith In Public Life’s Daily News, Roman Catholic members of Congress recently stepped up their effort to enlist the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in the movement to end the war. While the Conference has not yet taken new action, grassroots Catholics have heeded the call.
Catholics account for more than 1 in 4 voters, and a post-election poll in 2006 found that 47 percent of U.S. Catholics considered the war in Iraq the most important issue that affected their vote. On Thursday Catholics for an End to the War in Iraq launched a campaign to give church members a new avenue to work for peace. They are providing sign-on petitions, media campaigns, and targeted local events to pressure leaders to begin a responsible withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Thousands of Catholics joined this effort on the first day. People of faith continue to take the lead in demanding that Congress and the President end the calamity that is the Iraq war. What remains to be seen is how long it takes for our leaders to follow.