A Positive Development

A statistic that the Pilgrim finds encouraging from Sojourners/God's Politics Blog:

 

Iraq was considered the "moral issue that most affected your vote" by 45.8% of voters, almost 6 times as many voters as abortion, and almost 5 times as many as same-sex marriage. Iraq was the top moral issue among Catholics, born-again Christians and frequent church attendees.

War should always be seen as a moral issue.  One may make the argument that war may, at times and under certain circumstances, be morally appropriate.  Still, it should be viewed as a moral issue for the society to constantly monitor and reflect upon.

 

Furthermore, it is difficult to imagine that a war should not be the top moral issue on the social agenda in a society involved in war.  War involves significant loss of life, and a major re-allocation of scarce societal resources away from other important considerations.  War should top the agenda of moral issues as citizens begin to chart a course for their society with any election.

 

While it would be preferable to see the percentage of voters who believe the war in Iraq was the most moral important issue, the Pilgrim is thankful that the percentage who see the war in such a way has grown, and constitutes a plurality.  While believing this war to be the most important moral issue facing the nation does not necessarily lead to a particular outcome, it does, at least, mean that the war is being looked at through the proper lens.

 

GP