Courtney McGrailDear Editor, While some Catholics have expressed reservations about the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the US due to his brash campaigning style, I would argue that when it comes to policies rather than personality Mr Trump’s victory should come as a huge relief to practising Catholics.
In contrast to the defeated Hillary Clinton, the Republican candidate has outlined his determination to appoint a pro-life Supreme Court justice in the mould of the late Antonin Scalia, who was a steadfast opponent of the Roe v Wade decision which legalised abortion-on-demand in the United States on the dubious ground of ‘a right to privacy’. To this end, Mr Trump has unveiled a list of 21 potential judges from whom the President-elect will nominate to fill the seat vacated by the death of Justice Scalia, all of whom have been rated as excellent by American conservative and pro-life groups.
Mr Trump’s decision to appoint the former Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate, and now Vice President-elect of the US, will also come as a huge relief to defenders of the unborn. Mr Pence has an outstanding record of defending the rights of the unborn child as a governor and former US congressman.
Finally, President-elect Trump’s nomination of the pro-life Senator Jeff Sessions as the next Attorney General of the US makes an immediate statement of intent, and is hugely reassuring as Mr Sessions in office will mark a major contrast to Barack Obama’s Attorney General, the incumbent Loretta Lynch who is in favour of the unrestricted availability of abortion.
Yours etc.,
Bernadette Fitzgerald,
Castleknock, Dublin 15.