One issue...

Hello Blogging World,
I have quite a few friends who are Catholic. Recently while browsing through Facebook.com I came across a note one of them had posted. It was all about "voting Catholic". As I read the letter, which was sent to my friend by the Office of the Bishop - Diocese of Dallas, I became slightly frustrated because the entire thing only concerned one issue: pro-life v. pro-choice. While I understand Catholics' views on the pro-life/pro-choice debate, I take issue with the fact that influential religious figures are telling people that only one issue should define an entire election. It is not practical to base your entire faith in a candidate because they may be pro-life. One of the hardest parts of this letter to stomach were the comments left by other Catholics. They argued that voting pro-life is an important step to establishing a Christian society. We aren't nor are we supposed to be a Christian society. The reason I personally am pro-choice is simple. I don't agree with the practice of abortion. However, I do agree with the ruling of Roe v. Wade, that it should be each individual woman's choice. I also strongly support stem cell research. For some women abortions are not a moral evil, and they should not have that belief imposed on them by the government. For many Americans, stem cell research is necessary to further medical advancements in some areas. I fully believe in the separation of Church and State, and I feel that pro-life arguments are toeing if not crossing the line. There are several important issues facing our country in this election, and it is not fair to completely disregard the issue of the economy or Iraq and solely focus on an individual's stance on abortion. This election is too important to America's future.