The following letters to the editor appear in the edition of April 22, 2004. Letters appearing in this space do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arlington Catholic Herald or the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. The editor reserves the right to edit letters as necessary. There is no guarantee of publication. Send letters to: letters@catholicherald.com.

Helping Christian Countries

I look to the HERALD mainly for news on the Catholic community and religious guidance. The editorial by George Weigel (ACH 4/15/04) belonged in the Post or other mainstream press.

I believe Weigel to be in the minority in still discussing the importance of the WMD issue and still not believing in the speciousness of the al Qaeda-Baghdad connection. And it hard to justify the criticism of Iraqi disregard for the UN compared to the disregard for the UN by the current administration.

The next to last paragraph on benefits to the Iraqi people of our continuing presence presents the real issue. I would like to counter that I’m an internationalist and humanitarian who does not see things as Weigel does. There are better uses for billions in public funds and the risk of American lives. I would like to suggest the following priorities, a different view for the great expenses and risks currently associated with Iraq.

Choice 1: spend the money helping the poor of our country. Choice 2: send money to other Catholic countries — many Latin American, Eastern European, Asian and African Catholic communities are desperately in need of poverty relief or relief from dictators. Choice 3: other non-Catholic, Christian countries — perhaps the Russian Orthodox resists the Church so strongly because they fear the wealth of the Catholic West. Donate money to the Orthodox with the understanding that they’ll level the playing field for a greater Catholic presence there. Choice 4: other non Christian, non-Muslim countries.

Choice 99: Muslim countries No societies are more inimical to our beliefs than Muslems.

The least important places in the world to sacrifice American lives and wealth are to prevent Muslims from killing Muslims. Leave that place of horror now and don’t worry about Iraqi internal strife. Almost anywhere else in the world is more deserving of American help than are Iraqis.

I believe that military issues important a year ago are settled and not important to current policy decisions. If Weigel wants to provide continuing support for the administration he shouldn’t bring up justifications from a year ago and, as I mentioned, should write his political opinions for the mainstream press.

Kenneth Brown
Springfield

Catholics in Support of the Church

I was encouraged to read that the Catholic Advocacy Group from the Arlington Diocese has been visiting our elected senators and house members, expressing their interest in pending legislation (ACH 4/08/04).

I find disturbing the amount of coverage of Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., who has voted against every bit of legislation ever proposed to protect the yet to be born babies.

Moran is quoted, "If the Catholic community organizes it could achieve just about anything it wants." Have we Catholics in the diocese not been in sync with our country’s bishops, cardinals and the Holy Father on the need to protect human life from conception to advanced age?

Please spend some quality time with our ethical elected members such as George Allen, Frank Wolf and Tom Davis.

Kenneth M. Haggerty

Catholic Call to Action

You quote Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., as telling a group of Catholic advocates with whom he met on Catholic Advocacy Day, "If the Catholic community organizes it could achieve just about anything it wants" (ACH 4/08/04). How true! If only Catholic legislators such as Moran would follow Church teaching on issues such as abortion, fetal stem cell research, euthanasia, gay "marriage," chastity programs, etc. — perhaps our country would advance toward a culture of life. The Catholic social justice advocates who spoke with Moran and others on Catholic Advocacy Day apparently did not include the unborn in "the least of these" for whom they purported to speak.

Chester J. Lewandowski
Berryville

Political Photo Op

The HERALD running a photo of James Moran, D-Va., was appalling and sickening (ACH 4/08/04). Either Sen. John Warner or George Allen would have been appropriate subjects for a photo op. These men consistently support Catholic positions, including abortion and family matters. I’m not sure what religion Sens. Allen and Warner follow, but they are men of fundamental integrity. They are friends of truth.

Moran claims to be a Catholic, but his actions prove that he treats Catholicism with utter disrespect and disdain. He has voted against pro-life issues, pro-family and all related matters of critical importance to authentic Catholics.

Many of us who have struggled to return to and defend the Catholic Church as the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic faith, need to insist on more honesty from inauthentic "Catholic" politicians. Moran is particularly offensive as he is not only anti-Catholic in voting, but he publicly defies Church teaching.

Giving Moran free public relations support in our diocesan paper is a disgrace. Shame on you.

Lynn Bateman
Alexandria

Preaching to the Choir

Let’s see now, George Weigel says the Iraq war was just (ACH 4/15/04). The pope said it was not. It seems like Weigel needs to be straightening out the pontiff, not preaching to the Arlington’s choir of FBI, CIA and DoD-affilated employees.

Tom Moriarty
Vienna

Commission Wastes Time

The Sept. 11 commission is investigating the events leading up to the tragedy in order to prevent future attacks. This commission has wasted the time of the president and his administration in a time of war.

It is time for the Democratic Party to stop undermining the Bush administration for cheap political gain. The security of the American people is at stake.

Brian Schafer
Arlington

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