Southern Cross echos calls for peaceful conduct in Next year's election- suggests voting- even via spoiling papers

(Scripturelink Voter's Guide; c.f. Southern Cross (Catholic Weekly: Fidelity Issues Discovered, therefore link removed!) 29/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The editor of the Southern cross, just today posted a recent commentary- in which he calls the fears of Cardinal Napier, our cardinal, archbishop of Durban- valid. The Southern Cross is asking of parties to conduct themselves respectfully in the election, or at least its editor- Gunther, who is the Editor of the above mentioned Catholic Weekly, is.

Recently, DA members were attacked by people who claimed to support the ANC, by an informal settlement in Johannesburg.

The Cardinal fears violence between different parties breaking out in bloodshed. Already, there has been violence between parties, use of the media, intimidation, and calls for what seems to be bloodshed by supporter's of the ruling ANC's president, Jacob Zuma.

Gunther Simmermacher, editor of the Southern Cross, says that if South Africans and Catholics vote, perhaps for our small, but vocal, and democratically supporting opposition, or, even spoiling their ballots- so as to show their voice; together they will show a powerful front. He believes that spoiling your vote could show that you don't believe any of the parties fit to represent you.

On this suggestion, unless absolutely necessary to get a vote- we must object, as we have proven- there are political parties, however small in the last election- in South Africa, for whom a vote would help change things, even a small opposition has a voice which can resonate though nations. Just as Catholics have no right to vote ANC, despite Lekota's status as a Catholic, I doubt they can vote for the off-shoot either- there was no huge media circus by either group's leaders when the entire ANC was obligated by Mbeki to uphold Mandela's ideas, by advancing abortion laws even further. Limiting the births in a population so as to reduce it constitutes genocide according to article 2 section D of the United Nations' General Assembly's '50's vote, by which war criminals are to be prosecuted for genocide.

Collaborating in abortion, and this cannot exclude voting for parties more likely to support it, is an excommunicable offense. What is the best way to fight this- we don't know- perhaps a vote for the invisible man, as Gunther suggests, or perhaps a vote for the opposition in a hope that their more stable views will help fight the madness of some decisions of South African politicians. Neither the ANC, nor the MF, nor the UDF, are parties, Catholics can with any amount of faith, knowing their stance on abortion and other issues, possibly in good conscience vote for- but that does not exclude every political party. We can vote for a less bad party, so as to demonstrate our voice, and help fight the great harm of a pro-abortion government.

When the election comes closer, we will do more thorough investigations into the other 5 non-negotiables, and how South Africa's parties stand on these, but in the meantime, we simply agree with the Southern Cross- vote, even if you vote by spoiling your ballot- we must fight this evil- but a vote for the opposition, is like spoiling your ballot twice. Which opposition party to vote for will be a hard decision.

The stance of most of the mainstream political parties on Homosexuality can be seen here, along with how they have voted on abortion; to aid your vote:

http://scripturelinkvotersguide.blogspot.com/2008/10/id-and-pac-acdp-da-on-gay-marriage-and.html

Big political parties:

DA's policy on Moral Conscience, which allows MP's to vote as they choose on moral issues, which differs from other parties, and ANC's ("Abortion should be a Right") Abortion mentality from before first post-apartheid election:

http://scripturelinkvotersguide.blogspot.com/2008/10/democratic-alliance-da-and-issues-of.html

Abortion is pointless and immoral

http://scripturelinkvotersguide.blogspot.com/2008/10/abortion-arguments-and-ultimate-illogic.html

7 non-negotiables for Catholics in South Africa

http://scripturelinkvotersguide.blogspot.com/2008/09/7-non-negotiables-for-catholic-voters.html