Archbishop O’Brien’s thoughtful reflection (CR, Sept. 3) on the legacy of Sen. Edward Kennedy reminds readers of a sad reality of political expediency taken by so many Catholic political leaders of our time. Frequently we will hear devout Catholic men and women who hold political office – from all levels of our local and state jurisdictions, as well as the halls of Congress – who will say something like “I am personally opposed to abortion, but I will vote for legislation to support a woman’s right to choose.” I have no doubt that in their hearts they realize the gravity of the evil of abortion. These progressive politicians could become highly effective heroes in the fight for the dignity of life from natural conception to natural death. Instead they allow politics to trump strongly held moral beliefs. That is a tragic spiritual choice for those individual politicians and certainly tragic for the moral fabric of our society and for the lives that are lost to abortion.