Why American Christians Slept

The title of this blog is a play on the name of a thesis later published as a book by a college student named John F. Kennedy entitled “Why England Slept.”  It was a study about England’s unpreparedness for war with Germany in 1939.  

I am sitting here a couple days after our national election and wondering why American Christians and Catholics slept during this election.  A substantial number did not sleep and worked actively in support of our Catholic beliefs.  But, look at the initial data - less Republicans came out to vote for Romney than they did for McCain;  73% of the non-Cuban Hispanic population voted for Obama; the majority of unmarried women voted for Obama; and, a large number of the Jewish population voted for Obama.  What is going on with this?

In my last blog and earlier blogs on voting, I encouraged people to vote for their beliefs and principles instead of persons and their parochial self-interests.  But, this did not happen.  I am puzzled.  For all of my life, I always heard the saying that people voted their pocketbooks. And, usually, the people in office during economic problems are not elected or re-elected.  Based upon that alone and the dismal failure of the administration in its first term, it seemed like a no-brainer that the incumbent would not be reelected.  So, why did not the Republicans get out and vote for their party’s candidate?  Did they so much believe in this saying that they did not think their vote was necessary?

The Cuban Hispanic vote went by a greater number than the non-Cuban Hispanic population for the challenger.  But, why did the non-Hispanic population vote so overwhelmingly for the incumbent.  They are mostly Catholic or fundamentalist Christians who oppose abortion.  So, did their belief in legalizing illegal immigrants so overwhelm their religious principles?  Apparently, it is so.

Why did single and unmarried women vote for the incumbent by some 63% of their vote?  So, they could obtain insurance coverage for contraception and abortion?  And, because they feel that the incumbent would do more for them?

Another puzzler, the incumbent’s policy towards Israel has been much cooler than in the past and very limp in regard to Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and missiles to deliver them.  Yet, I have heard that the American Jewish community supported the incumbent.  It appears to me that is similar to one lamb opening the gate to its cousin lamb’s pen for the wolf.

In the 1960 election, there was the question as to whether or not there was a latent as well as overt anti-Catholic sentiment in the country and, in fact, there was although very few people would admit it.  The question from this election is whether or not there was a latent as well as overt anti-Mormon sentiment reflected in votes against Romney or those who could not bring themselves to vote for him because of his religion and who would not vote for the incumbent.

Another thing that we wonder and, I am sure, they are wondering is why did so many Catholics not follow the leadership of the Church and why did so many fundamentalist Christians not follow the leadership in their respective teachers.  I am sure that they feel like the general who orders a charge only to look behind and discover that his army was not following him.  What is going on?

   

I closed my last pre-election blog by writing - “So, what do we stand for, if anything?  When I hear people talking about their own pedestrian issues instead of their Catholic beliefs, I think of the saying WIIFM - what’s in it for me!  So, the question is will people vote because of what’s in it for them and their pet projects while tossing to the side their religious beliefs?”

Now, we know the answer - WIIFM prevailed.  That is why America slept in this election.  Let us now pray!

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer