Doug Kmiec Writes President Obama: 'Friendship Will Not Permit Me to Disregard Duty to Faith and Country'

2/7/2012

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of marriage, free unions, trial marriages as well as the pseudo-matrimonies between people of the same sex are instead expressions of anarchic freedom which falsely tries to pass itself off as the true liberation of man."

In his warning about "anarchic freedom" Pope Benedict echoed what Blessed John Paul II referred to as a "counterfeit" notion of freedom as a right to do whatever once chooses. This can lead to something John Paul warned of in his encyclical letter "The Gospel of Life", the "death of true freedom"

In "Introduction to Christianity", Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: "One could very well describe Christianity as a philosophy of freedom." The men and women of this age are asking the fundamental questions men and women of every age have asked. They hunger for truth and they yearn to be truly free. They will never be really free without God who is the source, author and way to true freedom.

When freedom is authentic in its exercise it leads men, women and Nations to true liberation because it connects them with the good and thereby makes them more fully human. However, our age has become intoxicated on the wine of a false notion of freedom as a raw power over others who are weaker and a "right" to do whatever one wills. Pope Benedict once opined concerning legal abortion and creeping euthanasia: "The freedom to kill is not true freedom, but a tyranny that reduces the human being to slavery."

By calling what is always wrong a "right", contemporary men and women are becoming imprisoned by the lies and empty promise of "anarchic freedom." To this age the Catholic Church proclaims the unchangeable truth that some "choices" are always and everywhere wrong. Choosing them does not make one free, rather it erodes freedom. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that: "Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself." (CCC, 1861.)

Doug Kmiec succeeded in convincing many Catholics to elect President Barack Obama. After the election he received an appointment to an ambassadorship to Malta. He also became a lightning rod in the Catholic community - and way beyond.

I tried to stay in touch with Doug. He is a friend, even if he was wrong. I pray for him. I agreed with his detractors, Doug made a truly incorrect moral analysis. It was compounded by writing a book which misstated the process of how one makes a moral analysis as a faithful Catholic. My articles on Catholic Online addressed my disagreements with Doug on many of the issues he raised.

I also followed his rather odd foray into other moral quandaries raised by the Obama Administration, such as the President's failure to defend true Marriage and the family and society founded upon it. I watched as Doug even tried to make sense of the President's horrid record concerning religious freedom.

I followed the news concerning Doug's resignation from his ambassadorship and the speculation it promoted. I followed the tragic news of his involvement in an auto accident, his return to Pepperdine and his continued efforts to defend the current Administration. I also prayed for him and his family. However, I have not heard from him.

That is until last weekend. I received this short note from Doug and the letter which accompanied it, which he recently sent to President Barack Obama. I obtained his permission to publish the note and the letter:

*****
Deacon,

I hope you are well. Perhaps this may be of interest.

Doug

The Feast of St. Cornelius
Mr. President Obama,

Thank you for your prayer breakfast remarks this morning. You have always impressed me as a person of sincerity in recognizing the interrelationship between the success of our country and our reliance upon God, informed by the greatest possible freedom for each person to practice their faith and come to understand God in different ways.

In deciding against a reasonable accommodation of Catholic concerns in the implementation of the health care program, you lost sight of your own beliefs. For this reason, your words this morning touched neither soul nor heart in the room.

We still want you to succeed Mr. President and we are admiring of many things you have accomplished. I, for one, would like to extend your opportunity to address significant inequalities and divisions that unnecessarily exist in our country and the larger world.

Yet, this matter goes to the heart of who we are as a people. The polite, but tepid applause this morning was a sign of concern that you have lost your way on this most essential topic. You have already lost the votes of many individuals who stood as people of independent mind against those who sought to defeat your efforts to promote the common good.

Where is the common good, Sir, in not making room for the great Catholic traditions of education, health care, and meeting the needs of the least among us? Mr. President, I asked you some months ago to explain why you remained silent when our international inter-faith efforts were wrongly assailed. You did not respond.

Today, Sir, I ask you no longer as an Ambassador, but simply as a friend, why put the cold calculus of politics above faith and freedom? Please respond, for friendship will not permit me to disregard duty to faith and country. The Barack Obama I knew would never have asked me to make that choice.

In prayer and audacious hope that we may hear further from you on this,

Douglas Kmiec

Malibu, California

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Doug Kmiec, President Obama, Pro-Life, Prayer breakfast, Right to Life, Religious Freedom, Campaign 2012, Deacon Keith Fournier

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1 - 10 of 52 Comments

Harvey
8 months ago
This is all well and good, but this chump still needs to recognize the irreparable damage he did to the pro-life cause by supporting Mr. Obama and his clear agenda, which was: to pass legislation to expand abortion services and to nominate Supreme Court justices that were strongly supportive of Roe v. Wade, as well as other problematic stances that fly in the face of Catholics who understand subsidiarity, not to mention the Fifth Commandment. Doug, why could you not see through the fog back then?
As a fellow Catholic, I certainly welcome his turn toward sanity, and hold no grudge against him as a person. But the rest of us can't help shaking our heads and saying, "Why didn't you listen to us?"
BG
1 year ago
Mr. Kmiec is the kind of useful idiot that Barack Obama was counting on in his race for the Presidency in 2008. It appears that his role in the re-election bid is being filled by Sister Carol Keehan.
Judy
1 year ago
Gotta love that Irishsmile..especially the enormous points that were made! Bulbajer, glad to see you speaking your truth! (Haven't had I. connection for a while...see there is another new Judy,maybe I will add a letter). Bill Sr., Agreed! Jason F. Turk, Amen! Maureen, Well said. Steve, Bravo! And thank you to a host of other interesting inputs...WOW! Please allow me to also say that according to St. Thomas Aquinas: civil law has a "moral function", and that it should direct us "toward our perfection as rational beings", thereby, making good choices. This also would include civil law, "giving man his good use of mind and liberty in this world". I also quote Bishop Charles J. Chaput: Civil law that is simply an agreement arrived at by democratic procedure and guided by nothing higher than agreement can become gravely evil. In Germany, for example, Adolf Hitler came into power by legal, democratic means". Blessings...
J
1 year ago
Nice article Deacon. What an insightful, truthful and heartfelt article! I also appreciate the former ambassador's letter to the president. I also appreciate his coming around to the truth of the matter. I would urge others who supported the president and who are members of our faith to come forward and while not judging the president, state why they supported him then, and why they cannot do so now. As a Notre Dame parent, and someone who is in love with Our Lady's University, I would ask that President John Jenkins to prayerfully consider the above article and take the obviously correct course of action. Thanks again for a great article.
Theresa H.
1 year ago
Friendship is amazing and a beautiful thing. Sometime it even reaches across certain "divides." But real "friends," at some point--where there are "continental divides"--have to come together, or move apart--like in matters of faith and morals--especially where "always and everywhere wrong" things are at stake. Otherwise, moral relativism is at high risk of becoming a personal problem.... Obama is an erudite and savvy (emphasize "erudite" and "savy") "Community Organizer." His address to the Bishops was in such stark contrast to all he has been promoting on the life issues before and since he came into the Presidency, not to mention the "decree" he had just issued but a week or so before the Prayer Breakfast. I am amazed that he had the boldness to come and give such an magnificent address to the face of the Bishops; when there is such a contradiction in what he is doing! ....(One may wonder if he has a split personality, or something.) Yes, WHAT has he done during his Presidency that one would want him to "continue to succeed" in (?); the "list" would certainly be shorter than those in which he has more than just "failed." I fear very, very much for "my Country" if we get 4 more years under this President.
vance
1 year ago
Good article. Doug Kmeic is a great example of what a Devil's Hand puppet is. He is a tool of the diabolics to deceive the masses. I would invite readers to examine the book of Revelation on how Satan deceives the masses. He uses people to do his dirty work. I also appreciate how this article addresses "Good Intentions". This has been the tactic of the Marxists for decades which is to deceive the masses into accepting Liberalism under the disguise of "Good Intentions". Example; President Lyndon Baines Johnson's "War on Poverty". The "Intention" was to eliminate poverty but the "RESULT" is Blacks being a permanent 'Under Class' who are over whelminglly dependent on government. The rate of "Poverty" is now higher than it was during the Johnson Admin. The Marxists have sold "Good Intentions" of Abortion, Birth Control, and Euthanasia to the masses for decades. Obviously, they were highly successful.
Rob
1 year ago
Brian, I'm not sure how you can say Obama is anti-capitalist. He's kept the tax rates low and has given big banks everything they have come to expect from Washington. DC is only concerned in protecting Wall Street and those who fund their campaigns. Neither party cares about the little guy. That shipped sailed long ago.
Brian D.
1 year ago
President Obama is a socialist, big-government idealist, anti-capitalist, and anti-Catholic but keep in mind he is a Chicago politician at heart and no political fool. He believes in the power of the state and would like to see all hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, come under full control of the federal government. So why would he risk alienating the Catholic Church with this HHS ruling? Well he received over 50% of the Catholic vote in 2008; he has the support of CINOs like Pelosi, Biden and others, and he has the political instincts to see that many, if not most Catholics do not bring morals into the voting booth. As a whole he sees that Catholics just don’t care and will not allow the Church’s moral teachings to interfere with their political goals. Obama is rolling the dice because he knows Catholic voters do not vote as one on morals. Unfortunately the same can be said of our Christian brethren. Consider that the most recent census figures show that there are 228,182,000 adults in the United States and that of those there are 173,402,000 self described Christians (including 57,199,000 Catholics). Aligned together this is a voting bloc that cannot be defeated.
Lou
1 year ago
I don't believe Mr. Kmiec was "hoodwinked", "charmed" or "fooled" by Obama. Not even considering the intentional misinterpretation and emasculation of our Constitution and judicial legislation liberals like President Obama pursue with wanton abandon, Mr. Kmiec, like many of our fellow catholics, decided to make the false choice of "social good" over the paramount "right to life" issue defining our time against church teaching and despite the unambiguity of that teaching. He, like VP Biden, Congresswoman Pelosi and many people whom I count among my friends and who claim to be catholics have abandoned Christ's teachings for reasons only they can truly understand. In the end, we must pray for all of them, that they will be open to the Holy Spirit and surrender to God's will.
Bulbajer
1 year ago
Steve, a lot of horrible things happened during the French Revolution - acts committed by both sides. Every once and a while I see comments referencing the evils of the French Revolution. Your comment strikes me as particularly ironic. "He too thought that he could join forces with those who thought that government, not God, was the highest good--that leftist ideology could be compatible with Catholicism." Imagine, a Bishop foolish enough to think that the French monarchy might NOT be personally endorsed by God and entitled to rule the French people however they pleased. Imagine, a Bishop foolish enough to support the idea of rights and liberty. The French Revolution turned bad - it didn't star bad. It started as a movement that wanted a government that treated its people better. I don't know exactly what the Bishop of Paris thought he was endorsing, but I do know that the French monarchy wasn't a good form of government, even if it had the endorsement of the Church more or less.
Carol, the Bush administration and the neocons are responsible for worsening the situation in the Middle East. One major reason for the appeal of the modern Islamic terrorist movement to some Muslims is that the US and the West and general has demonstrated very little concern for the welfare of poor countries. Gas was cheaper during the Bush administration, sure. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Wal-Mart offers some of the cheapest prices, but guess why that is? They employ poor children in China (which is better than not employing them, I admit) and treat them like animals so that the products they turn out don't cost much to produce, meaning they can sell them cheaply. The United Fruit Company was responsible for several coups in Latin America - why? Because it wanted to be able to sell its fruits cheaply. Guatemala wants more of its land to go to the people and not the ultrarich and the companies? Too bad, we'll just use our influence in the government to get the CIA to overthrow the new government and paint it as an act against Soviet communism. Iran wants to be able to use some of its oil for itself, rather than it all going to the UK and US? Too bad, our friends in the oil business will just use their influence in the government to get the CIA to pose as sympathizers of the new Iranian government and do horrible things so that the people will support a coup. This kind of foreign policy has been championed by the neocons, but it didn't begin with the neocons. It began after World War II and every president since Roosevelt has supported it, some (like Reagan) more than others. I get the whole awfulness of the Obama administration thing. I've been told again and again that what he is doing is wrong. And I believe that. But could you conservatives please take a bit of your time to examine Dear Leader Reagan?

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