Better option

Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, was first portrayed as a moderate Democrat by media pundits, but he has turned out to be what he has been told to be, an unprincipled yes-man. This shouldn’t be surprising.

Initially, Mr. Lamb told us that he was personally opposed to abortion but that he’d vote to support pro-choice legislation. To clarify this stance, he later offered this obfuscation: “I just want to say, I don’t use the term ‘pro-life’ to describe what I personally believe because it’s a political term. It’s not one that you learn in Catholic school, or anywhere else in the Church.”

As a practicing Catholic and former parochial school student, I find this tortured parsing particularly offensive. The Catholic Church has always condemned abortion, and Pope John Paul II extended this prolife position to include people convicted of crimes that carry the death penalty. For your edification, Mr. Lamb, Respect Life Sunday will be celebrated on Oct. 4 this year.

Sean Parnell, on the other hand, is unapologetically prolife and true to himself. As a captain of a platoon in Afghanistan, he led Army Rangers in combat on the Afghan-Pakistan border in anti-terrorist fighting for 485 days. Needless to say, he is an outspoken proponent of a strong military and the Second Amendment.

Mr. Parnell is not a politician, nor is he a member of a well-connected political family. He doesn’t believe he is entitled to a position of power, but he does believe America should remain the leader of the free world. Now, more than ever, voters in Congressional District 17 and all Americans need an accomplished and effective leader like Mr. Parnell. DENIS CUNNINGHAM

Mt. Lebanon