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Petitions are a powerful way for Roman Catholics to witness to the Faith.

Freedom has been curtailed so much in the United States that many of the Founding Fathers wouldn’t recognize the country anymore. Many faithful Roman Catholics over-estimate the amount of freedom they really have today. Sometimes I like to look the situation right in the eye. One can often do this by asking oneself questions. Here are some. Do I feel free to post a photograph of a victim of abortion on my social networking site without needing to fear suffering from reprisals or being banned from the site? Could I place a prolife sign with the photo of an aborted child in my front yard and sleep well at night not needing to fear vandalism or for my personal safety or the safety of my loved ones? Do I feel free enough in America to go to a polling place on election day and stand next to electioneers carrying political signs while carrying a prolife sign or would I need to be with other prolifers and have a video camera mounted on my arm to record any violence that might be done to me?

Can I be a prolife Catholic today in America and feel free in the knowledge that current law enforcement and current civil law and courts would defend to the death my right to protest the murder of Americas children? Am I that free in America today? Or do I have to cautious? Or do I constantly have to consider the risks and benefits of every action I take? Or do I have to keep looking over my shoulder? Is this the “freedom” that millions of military men and women died for?
Am I even free enough in America today to be able to advise my fellow Catholics to bravely stand for the dignity of life without being afraid that at the end of the day my advice might lead another Catholic to do something completely innocent that would lead to their injury or death at the hands of some wacko?

When you ask questions along these lines you learn how far America has fallen from the ideals of the Founding Fathers. You learn that while soldiers have shed their blood overseas for our freedom, we have willingly given it up to an approaching tyranny that comes at us with a pin in its lapel of a little smiley face.

– CURT STOLER