The following comes from a March 16 Calbuzz article:
Now that Republican Assemblyman Rocky (his actual name — we asked) Chavez of Oceanside has officially joined the race for U.S. Senate from California, becoming Democratic Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris’s No. 1 and, so far, only opponent, Calbuzz spent some time the other day chatting with him about actual, you know, issues. Our motto: We do this so you don’t have to.
Turns out that while Chavez, 63, is at odds with the mainstream of California political sentiment on some key issues – abortion rights, health care, minimum wage, offshore oil drilling, for example — he is more thoughtful and not nearly as rabid nor strident as your hardcore, right-wing, Tea Party type Republicans. Talking issues with Rocky Balboa, you have to admire his openness and easy candor.
Pro-Cuomo on Abortion: Take abortion rights, for example, a position overwhelmingly favored by California voters. As a practicing Catholic, Chavez is pro-life. Importantly, however, he says he would not support an attempt to overturn Roe v Wade’s protection of a woman’s right to choose because “that’s been settled in the courts.” Nor, he said, would he vote for measures to further restrict abortion rights, like requiring parental consent for minors.
And it infuriates him when people from the anti-abortion right wing accuse him of being a “weak Catholic.” Basically, his position is similar to the one laid out at Notre Dame in September 1984 by former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.
Here’s what the late great Cuomo said, in part:
“The Catholic who holds political office in a pluralistic democracy — who is elected to serve Jews and Muslims, atheists and Protestants, as well as Catholics — bears special responsibility. He or she undertakes to help create conditions under which all can live with a maximum of dignity and with a reasonable degree of freedom; where everyone who chooses may hold beliefs different from specifically Catholic ones — sometimes contradictory to them; where the laws protect people’s right to divorce, to use birth control and even to choose abortion.”
That’s pretty much the position Gov. Jerry Brown also holds on the issue. So Rocky’s in good company.
For the record, he believes the big choice vs. life issue in California is not abortion, but assisted suicide and he’s absolutely opposed to allowing it.
Pinning one’s “Catholic” policy positions on the hide of Mario Cuomo tells real pro-lifers all they need to know about this “Catholic” candidate. Too bad he is too weak to bring his “Faith” outside the church doors.
Obviously he’s in the same boat as Gerry Brown, Harris and just about all the Democrats. But where and when did he claim to be pro life? The article above just asserts that he is pro life, which he obviously is not. It does not say he claims to be pro-life. I don’t think he is foolish enough to say “I’m pro life” while he holds the views he holds. I hope and pray, and please please let us all pray, that no pro lifers will be fooled into supporting someone like him if he uses the label “pro life” to describe himself, while he is in sync with the most avid pro abortionists in the legislature. Have we learned nothing in the past 50 years?
” Nor, he said, would he vote for measures to further restrict abortion rights, like requiring parental consent for minors.”
What about the civil rights of unborn innocent human beings ?
What about children (minors) who need the advice, and supervision of their parents?
“WORTHINESS to RECIEVE HOLY COMMUNION, General Principles”
2004, by Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)
” 3. Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war,
he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion.
While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment.
There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty,
but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia. ”
https://www.priestsforlife.org/magisterium/bishops/04-07ratzingerommunion.htm
In CA and OBAMACARE – – – – – abortions, contraception, voluntary sterilization, (and soon sex change operations with hormones for life) are all paid for by everyone through their taxes.
Let people pay for their own sins.
Instead politicians FORCE all of us to participate remotely.
This is a violation of Freedom of Religion.
It’s good that Rocky opposes assisted suicide, but his position on abortion is incoherent. Catholics oppose stealing, too. If the right to steal were settled law, would Rocky then not oppose stealing so as to avoid imposing his Catholicism on non-Catholics? Of course not. So, how is abortion any different? Boycott the Knights of Columbus for failing to expel Rocky and so many others like him. See Jeff Mirus’ excellent article on the Knights in Catholic Culture dot org.
Rocky Chavez is wrong. Abortion is murder!
Supports Roe v Wade and against parental consent for minors. But, we’re told, when called a weak Catholic, Chavez, a retired Marine Corps colonel, gets infuriated.
Puts me in mind of Lee Marvin in The Dirty Dozen: “I owe you an apology, Colonel. I always thought that you were a cold, unimaginative, tight lipped officer. But you’re really … quite emotional. Aren’t you?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2hkw-qYEWQ