Gutierrez on MSNBC: Challenge Pope on Abortion, Gays, But Not Illegals, Income Redistribution

September 23rd, 2015 9:28 PM

To quote the Church Lady: isn't that conv-e-e-e-e-nient?

On Chris Hayes' MSNBC show tonight, Dem congressman Luis Gutierrez claimed that while he was "challenged" by the Catholic church's teachings on abortion and gay rights and found them "difficult" [but not difficult enough to change his standard liberal positions], no one can really argue the Pope's positions on illegal immigration and income inequality.

NOTE: have the guts, Rep. Gutierrez, to ditch your "women's reproductive rights" euphemism and call it what it is: abortion. 

LUIS GUITERREZ: Look: you can, you want to argue climate change? I don't. It's happening. We need--global warming is going on. I'm at many times at so difficult, right, as I am challenged by my church. As I find it difficult with the teachings of the church when it comes to women's reproductive rights and the rights of the LGBT community. 

But can you really argue welcoming the stranger? Can you really argue challenging society to do better for the poor? Can you really challenge someone who says instead of building walls, we should build bridges and we should have compassion and we should be caring and we should love our neighbor as you love -- I don't know how you argue that. And so that gives me hope that I and my colleagues can see a way forward.