Catholic Leaders Call On Gingrich And Santorum To ‘Stop Perpetuating Ugly Racial Stereotypes’ About Poverty

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Faith in Public Life reports that more than 40 Catholic leaders and theologians across the country are calling on two of their "fellow Catholics," GOP contenders Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, to stop using divisive rhetoric about race and poverty on the campaign trail. Noting that Catholics consider racism an "intrinsic evil," the open letter confronts the two candidates about their comments singling out minorities who receive welfare:

As Catholic leaders who recognize that the moral scandals of racism and poverty remain a blemish on the American soul, we challenge our fellow Catholics Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail

. [...]

Labeling our nation's first African-American president with a title that evokes the past myth of "welfare queens" and

inflaming other 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

. 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.

Gingrich frequently derides President Obama as a "food stamp president" and recently said he would go to the NAACP and tell African Americans they should "demand paychecks and not be satisfied with food stamps." He also said "really poor children…have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works," and don't know how to earn an income "unless its illegal."

In Iowa, Santorum proclaimed, "I don't want to make black people's lives better" through government aid — conveniently ignoring that only 9 percent of Iowans on food stamps are black. After facing criticism for his remarks, he tried several times to deny he had ever made them.

Despite the fact that 39 percent of Americans on welfare are white, Gingrich and Santorum have directed their vitriol toward minorities in speeches before mostly-white audiences. Instead of acknowledging that millions of American families are looking for help in difficult times, the candidates have played up stereotypes of "lazy blacks" who prefer a government handout to hard work.

Those stereotypes are inaccurate as well as offensive. As Tanya Somanader notes, an increasing number of food stamp beneficiaries actually do have jobs and receive paychecks that are the primary source of their income — but most of those incomes still keep them below the poverty line. The Catholic leaders who signed the letter call it "misleading and insulting" to suggest that the unemployed would rather collect benefits than work at a time when there are four job seekers for every job opening.

http://thinkprogress...erty/?mobile=nc

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Those stereotypes are inaccurate as well as offensive.

Inaccurate? Really?

Offensive? Only if you find the truth offensive.

The DEMOCRATIC party has worked its butt off for decades now to try and make sure that as many minorities as possible stay on welfare cradle to grave.

The party of the KKK is still alive and well, despite what they try and tell you to your face.

[slim 1,530]

Standards.

Yes, they are double.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Inaccurate? Really?

Offensive? Only if you find the truth offensive.

The DEMOCRATIC party has worked its butt off for decades now to try and make sure that as many minorities as possible stay on welfare cradle to grave.

The party of the KKK is still alive and well, despite what they try and tell you to your face.

A society that helps those in need is promoting the general welfare. Something our Founding Fathers envisioned our country to be. It's unfortunate that a Russian immigrant named Ayn Rand created a cult of Libertarian fanbois who never got the right amount of nurturing in early childhood to understand how humanity works.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

A society that helps those in need is promoting the general welfare. Something our Founding Fathers envisioned our country to be. It's unfortunate that a Russian immigrant named Ayn Rand created a cult of Libertarian fanbois who never got the right amount of nurturing in early childhood to understand how humanity works.

Here's where you're mistaken.

The founding fathers never intended for GOVERNMENT to take care of the people. Your "general welfare" statement has nothing to do with "welfare" in the terminology in which you are trying to bastardize it into being.

Humanity doesn't work by forcing and coercing others to take care of other people. Humanity works in its natural state by letting people take care of those who they want and/or feel the need to take care of. Humanity isn't government dictating and creating a handout. That's not humanity at all. The idea behind it is a part of human nature, but you destroy the human aspect of humanity by creating a wall between people. Section 8 housing, welfare checks, etc. just show people that they can get something or nothing and make others think that those people are taken care of. The only exception to this is the mentally ill who you see wandering the streets/shelters, etc. a lot of them time. Those are the only ones who we see "suffering" and the only ones we can even begin to care about.

[slim 1,530]

A society that helps those in need is promoting the general welfare.

They're also promoting those on welfare STAY on welfare and breed more on welfare. When you subsidize something, you encourage more of it. Quite amazing that lefties want to subsidize public transportation because "more people will take the bus if it's free" but then they miss the bus on the point of "more people will stay on welfare because it's free."

Your "general welfare" statement has nothing to do with "welfare" in the terminology in which you are trying to bastardize it into being.

Nor does "well regulated" mean a lot of regulations.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Stop saying poor people vote for Democrats?

[Danno 1,228]

I wonder if these same so-called Catholics have also told all the Catholic Politicians to stop supporting Abortion?

I kinda doubt it..... I'm bettin this is the "social justice" only wing. (actually it's grown to more than a wing)

[luckytxn 2,265]

A society that helps those in need is promoting the general welfare. Something our Founding Fathers envisioned our country to be. It's unfortunate that a Russian immigrant named Ayn Rand created a cult of Libertarian fanbois who never got the right amount of nurturing in early childhood to understand how humanity works.

The founding fathers never envisioned a Socialist state. They would have never approved of a Socialist state. Can you even find a citation anywhere to substantiate this?

And please make it from the founding fathers and not from your Kindergarten teacher written in crayon.

Edited January 26, 2012 by luckytxn

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The founding fathers never envisioned a Socialist state. They would have never approved of a Socialist state. Can you even find a citation anywhere to substantiate this?

And please make it from the founding fathers and not from your Kindergarten teacher written in crayon.

Promote the general welfare is in the Preamble to the Constitution. I know you have a fetish with thinking that anything a government does for its people is a Socialist State, but that's just part of the crazy you demonstrate with issues like politics and science. Providing social safety nets for people is 'promoting the general welfare'. So is creating jobs. Ayn Rand must laughing in hell over all you Libertarian fanbois and your undying loyalty to a cult that has no basis in reality.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Mister Fancypants

[slim 1,530]

Promote the general welfare is in the Preamble to the Constitution. I know you have a fetish with thinking that anything a government does for its people is a Socialist State, but that's just part of the crazy you demonstrate with issues like politics and science. Providing social safety nets for people is 'promoting the general welfare'. So is creating jobs. Ayn Rand must laughing in hell over all you Libertarian fanbois and your undying loyalty to a cult that has no basis in reality.

You wanna talk reality?

100 - 146 = - 46

You can't spin it. You can't deny it. It's a fact... if you spend more than you take in, you will be in the negatives. We have "social safety nets" set up in this country that assume someone is "falling" when they need that net to "protect them." The fact of the matter is many of those folks were born and raised on that net, lived their whole life on that net, reproduced (gross!) on that net, and now there are so many people on that net the net is touching the ground.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

You wanna talk reality?

100 - 146 = - 46

You can't spin it. You can't deny it. It's a fact... if you spend more than you take in, you will be in the negatives. We have "social safety nets" set up in this country that assume someone is "falling" when they need that net to "protect them." The fact of the matter is many of those folks were born and raised on that net, lived their whole life on that net, reproduced (gross!) on that net, and now there are so many people on that net the net is touching the ground.

Dude, you could sell me a cheap-#### computer within 5 minutes with your art of persuasion.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Inaccurate? Really?

Offensive? Only if you find the truth offensive.

The DEMOCRATIC party has worked its butt off for decades now to try and make sure that as many minorities as possible stay on welfare cradle to grave.

The party of the KKK is still alive and well, despite what they try and tell you to your face.

So you're ok with stereotypes as long as they actually do pertain to a minority of people in the offended group? Your delusional paranoid ideals are getting old Paul. If we applied your flawed reasoning to todays republican party, we would assume that the RNC convention is a klan rally. Are there some democrats that don't see the big picture and advocate increasing entitlements? Sure, but they are the minority. Just as I don't think the Westboro Baptist church is indicative of all christians, nor is David Duke a fair representative of republicans. Your absurd hackneyed commentary is old and played, time for a new trick Paul.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

So you're ok with stereotypes as long as they actually do pertain to a minority of people in the offended group? Your delusional paranoid ideals are getting old Paul. If we applied your flawed reasoning to todays republican party, we would assume that the RNC convention is a klan rally. Are there some democrats that don't see the big picture and advocate increasing entitlements? Sure, but they are the minority. Just as I don't think the Westboro Baptist church is indicative of all christians, nor is David Duke a fair representative of republicans. Your absurd hackneyed commentary is old and played, time for a new trick Paul.

The DNC is the Democratic party, just as the RNC is the Republican party.

At the end of the day not all members may act a certain way, but the main leadership does and they are representative of the agenda that the party will push/positions that it will take regardless.

It's why we need more than two parties in this country.

I don't say what I say because I enjoy it and get a thrill out of it. I say what's true. Nothing more and nothing less when it comes to issues of race and what's happening with it.