In Jon Monteith’s recent column titled, “Blatant Hypocrisy,” he stated that the religious of the Roman Catholic Church are hypocrites if they cast their votes for President Bush this November. He lists many issues on which Sen. John Kerry does not deviate from the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church – mainly capital punishment and the Iraq war. Mr. Monteith, I feel your pain. I concur that some actions of the sitting president are not morally justifiable, but I am basing my vote on one number: 44,300,000.

The number 44,300,000 represents the total number of abortions that have been performed in this country since Roe v. Wade as decided in 1973. The number 44,300,000 is far greater than the 933 executions throughout the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The number 44,300,000 also is far and above even the most liberal estimate of 15,248 people who have died as a direct result of U.S. operations in Iraq. The number 44,300,000 is even greater than the two combined! As a person who has firm beliefs in the complete sanctity of all life, I must be willing to confront the meat of the problem before I address the side dishes.

Daniel James Nugent

sophomore in ACES