Posted on Tue, May. 13, 2008

Archbishop’s rebuke of Sebelius

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann is demanding that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius not receive Communion (5/10, A-1, “Sebelius draws a church leader’s rebuke”). Where was the church with these demands when priests all over the country were sexually abusing children? They were enabling them to continue the abuse, and allowing them to partake in Communion.

As a former Catholic I’m saddened that the church continues this kind of hypocrisy. It is this hypocrisy that drove me away from the church, but not my faith. As a woman, one can only wonder if the church would have protected the abusive priests had they been women.

Gov. Sebelius was elected to represent the people of Kansas, not the Catholic Church. I’m thankful that she can separate her faith from government. And I’m grateful that there are many faiths that value women and value the separation of church and state.

Kathy Cook

Shawnee

Archbishop Naumann is to be praised for his efforts to pastorally counsel Gov. Sebelius in regard to her unwavering support for abortion rights. He sees clearly that such actions conflict with her claimed Catholic faith.

His decision to publicly request that she abstain from Holy Communion is not a political one but a spiritual one. Gov. Sebelius is free to advocate any policy she wants as a chief executive of the Sunflower State. However, she is not also free to claim to be Catholic when such policies so pointedly contradict the fundamental teachings of Catholicism.

That some, perhaps most, bishops lack the wherewithal to act as Archbishop Naumann finally has done is no discredit to him. The inaction of other shepherds discredits them and leads others to the never-never land of faith without conviction — the same place the governor seems to reside — until now, when she is forced to choose between a timeless teaching or an expedient political path.

Michael Lehr

Holt, Mo.

As a lifelong Catholic I am sad when I see my archbishop attacking Gov. Sebelius and asking her not to take Communion until she publicly repudiates her support for pro-choice rights. I am against abortion, but I am also against the archbishop publicly attacking Catholic political leaders.

Most Catholics go to church to be close to God and not to hear a political sermon.

Dan Lykins

Topeka

Archbishop Naumann’s attack on Gov. Sebelius is scandalous. Naumann’s inability to differentiate support for safe abortions being legal, under certain conditions, from support for abortion itself is unbelievable in the context of a tradition that counted angels on the head of a pin.

Surely his political bullying disqualifies his organization from tax-exempt status.

Tom Gould

Kansas City

Wright’s remarks on AIDS

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s supposed damage to Barack Obama has been eclipsed by his misinformation about HIV and AIDS. His statement that the high incidence of AIDS in the black community is due to a conspiracy by our government to wipe them out by mysteriously infecting them with the HIV virus is a lie.

As a white, HIV-positive person, I have heard this conspiracy theory many times from my HIV-positive black associates. I believe it is rooted in the “black church” denial that there are many gay and bisexual black people, and the fear of being stereotyped as promiscuous. I know this stereotype is not true.

It is clear that it has been historically difficult for many African-Americans to receive adequate medical coverage and that most of the medical doctors are white. It is no wonder African-Americans distrust the medical community.

I believe that improving medical coverage and education is a better solution to the HIV problem than conspiracy theories spouted by a previously unknown minister.

Richard Adams

Kansas City

Writing letters to politicians

Anyone who writes the president, senators, representatives or, for that matter, any high-level politician should know how their message is handled.

Your letter is handled by a low-level clerk who opens it, looks for a check and, if he doesn’t “round file” it, he will select a subject to comment on. The clerks have hundreds of pre-written comments on the computer. The clerk will select a subject, type in your name and address and punch “print.” There are gaps in the text where your name will automatically be added to make it seem personal.

Unless your name comes up as a high-level contributor, your comments will never reach the addressee.

Don A. Eberle

Freeman, Mo.

Medical marijuana in Missouri

For the second year in a row, House Speaker Rod Jetton has ignored repeated requests from patients, doctors, nurses and fellow Missourians to give medical cannabis legislation the attention it needs and deserves.

Like last year, Jetton waited until House committees are only hearing bills that have passed through the Senate to assign HB 1830 to the House Crime Prevention and Public Policy Committee, ensuring that it will not be scheduled for a hearing. This is unfortunate because this particular committee could have examined how medical cannabis legalization might enhance public welfare and address patients’ needs.

Legitimate medical cannabis patients must now live with the fear of being criminally persecuted, and doctors who would safely recommend this therapeutic herb are forced to remain silent for at least another year.

Shame on Jetton for abusing this bill as he has abused patients.

Jacqueline Patterson

Bolinas, Calif.

Legalizing medical marijuana would allow seriously ill patients to have safe access to cannabis. As a nurse I have seen how much difference cannabis can make to a patient. Believe it or not, doctors sometimes recommend it on the DL.

Polls have shown that a majority of people in the U.S. want medical cannabis to be available to seriously ill patients.

John Schneider

Harrisonville

Regulating oil profits

At last one of our politicians, U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski of Pennsylvania, has demonstrated enough intestinal fortitude to introduce legislation to throttle big oil’s windfall profits (5/11, Opinion, “PRO-CON: Should Congress regulate oil company profits?”).

This unchecked, unregulated monopoly has done more harm to this country than the terrorists ever dreamed of.

Rep. Kanjorski and his peers need to go one step further by creating a regulatory body that will keep the greedy mercantile exchange and oil company profiteers in check.

Years ago the railroad robber barons ran roughshod over the economy, and public safety and Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate them. If any entity ever demonstrated the need for regulation, the oil companies are at the top of the list.

I would hope our elected officials will recognize this threat to our economy and way of life and act responsibly to end this current act of domestic economic terrorism.

William A. Brown

Kansas City

Kent State anniversary

I was a senior at Kent State University on May 4, 1970, so I am able to respond to Ben Nicks’ (5/10, Letters) allegations concerning the tragedy with firsthand information.

While it is true the students symbolically buried a copy of the Constitution, they did so because on April 30, 1970, Richard Nixon announced the U.S. had invaded and bombed Cambodia, an act of war and a violation of the Constitution.

The students at Kent State were exercising their constitutional right to peaceably assemble when the National Guard began tear-gassing them. None of the students killed had threatened the Guard in any manner. Sandra Scheuer, an honors speech therapy student, was walking between classes 130 yards away when a bullet ripped through her throat and killed her. Bill Schroeder, an ROTC member, was watching the protest from 120 yards away when his life was ended. Allison Krause, who gave flowers to National Guard members the day before, was 110 yards away when she was killed. Jeff Miller was 90 yards away when he was shot through the mouth and died instantly.

I regret the loss of Nicks’ son, who died defending the Constitution that Nixon violated and ignored.

Robert Lewis

Independence

Winning the ‘white vote’

Hillary Clinton’s most recent argument for her claim to the throne is that Barack Obama cannot win the “white” vote where she has showed strong support.

In theory, the Democratic candidates are supposed to rally behind the nominee and encourage their supporters to follow suit. Both Democratic candidates have vowed to do so.

So essentially she is asserting that she will do little to encourage her supporters to back Obama, or that she will be ineffective at rallying her supporters behind him. Either case certainly questions her leadership.

Jim Waltz

Pleasant Hill

Help for stuttering

As the parents of a child who stutters, my wife and I enjoyed your article “Sproles working to overcome stuttering” (5/8, Sports) about former Kansas State star and current San Diego Chargers star Darren Sproles and his courageous struggle with stuttering. So much about stuttering in movies is negative, so it was a breath of fresh air to read your positive article. I am sure that it will help both children and adults who stutter in terms of getting speech therapy.

I was happy to see that Sproles has given his name to the Stuttering Foundation of America (stutteringhelp.org). Their Web site has a national listing of qualified speech therapists in addition to offering countless DVDs and books on the speech disorder.

I am certain that virtually every parent of a child who stutters would agree that Darren Sproles is an excellent role model for young people who stutter.

Maurice T. Reardon

Grandview

Barbara Walters’ poor example

Apparently if everything is correct that Barbara Walters writes about in her new autobiography, Walters has fooled the world (5/2, A-6, “Walters reveals affair; Her relationship with a married black senator in the ’70s could have cost their careers, she says.”)

The “View” ladies have always limited their “shady” topics when Walters was on the set so as not to offend the prudish, proper “lady.” Now they must know that anything goes.

She and those who have been interviewing her seem proud of her illicit affair. Wouldn’t you think Walters would be more concerned about the example she could set for young journalists and leave her tales of adultery for her biographers?

No wonder Walters had trouble raising a daughter. Someone should have suggested that setting a proper example would have been the best way to go.

I can’t believe she is able to face the nation with her stories of illicit affairs. Oh well, that’s what sells books. Shame on her.

B.J. Taylor

Overland Park

Thanks, KC School of Dentistry

Recently I took a friend to the Kansas City School of Dentistry for his appointment, and I would like to say what a positive experience that was.

At the appointed time, the dental students came into the waiting room and looked for and called for their patients, approached them with a smile and handshake and personally escorted the patients to their workspace. After the dental work was done they brought the patient back to the waiting room and thanked them.

At a time when our medical care is often impersonal and appears indifferent, this was the opposite. Their care and concern was very welcome.

I would like to express my thanks to this fine school for the great job they are doing.

Delia Tankard

Leawood

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