Catholics are responsible to consider all issues

This letter is in response to Cindy Northon's Sept. 22 letter ("Decisive Issue"), judging and chastising Catholics who would vote for Barack Obama.

I am a Catholic and I am proudly supporting Mr. Obama. Contrary to Ms. Northon's declaration that "Catholics cannot justify voting for Barack Obama," indeed, the United States bishops' reflection "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" includes guidelines informing the Catholic electorate of the moral duty to weigh all issues when casting a ballot for president.

I'm sorry, but I vehemently disagree that issues such as unjustified war (like the war in Iraq, which the Catholic Church condemned as unjustified and which Barack Obama was against from the beginning), insuring the nation's uninsured (including expectant mothers and children) and fixing a broken economy (which would lift many in our country out of abject poverty from which they suffer) are equally important, if not more important, than the issue of abortion.

In fact, Douglas Kmiec, a pre-eminent constitutional scholar, former Republican administration official and staunchly anti-abortion Catholic, supports Barack Obama as the candidate of Catholic values in this election.

I urge all Christian voters, and particularly Catholics, to consider all social justice issues in this election and consider which candidate's policies on all issues best represent Christ's words in the Gospel that "the last shall be first."

CHRISTINE McBRIDE COSENTINO
Mt. Lebanon

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Other beliefs

Cindy Northon ("Decisive Issue," Sept. 22) wrote that Sen. Barack Obama shouldn't be courting Catholic voters because he is pro-choice and that violates Catholic teaching.

I submit then that Sen. McCain also should not be courting Catholic voters. Sen. McCain has repeatedly voted in favor of the death penalty and the Iraq war -- both have been condemned by the Catholic Church.

GREGORY DAUBNER
Mt. Lebanon

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Totally pro-life

This letter is in response to the letter from Cindy Northon ("Decisive Issue," Sept. 22). My husband and I are practicing Catholics and anti-abortion. However, there is more to being pro-life than being anti-abortion. In Matthew 5:2-12, Jesus gave the eight beatitudes, including blessed are the peacemakers. How does this square with the derisive and unlawful war being waged in Iraq that John McCain wants to continue?

Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me," yet President Bush and Sen. McCain vote against health care for children, while approving $10 billion a month for war.

This administration, which John McCain embraces, goes against everything Jesus taught. If people are pro-life, then be pro-life totally.

RITA BRINK
Ross

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Third-party hope

I, like so many Americans, am tired of the candidates barking at each other. Our intelligence is being insulted by the promises they are making and never intend to fulfill. We can be so gullible!

What we need desperately is a third party and an end to the "old boy network." An honest government we have not had in many a year. The biased news media have to take a long sabbatical until they see the light.

What a mess we are in. We have to find a cure, and that truly would be electing a third party. Voters, be brave!

RUTH SHOFF
West Deer

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Highlights a threat

I was encouraged by the Post-Gazette's distribution recently of the DVD "Obsession."

As a young father of a 5-year-old boy, I am very concerned about the direction and future of our country as evidenced by the number of Americans voting in this year's elections. Most of what we hear in "the news" -- comments on the differences between Democrats and Republicans, Wall Street corruption, gay marriage, abortion (all of which have an important, appropriate place in our world) -- take a significant back seat to our national security.

I'm no expert on radical Islamic extremism. Far from it. Although I do understand that I would most definitely be considered an enemy, as would most of us. At times, it's difficult these days to sift through fact and opinion. But if you're a person who can tell the difference between good and evil and can do a little research, this DVD should make you aware that we do have an enemy. That enemy is very strong, very capable and certainly willing to extinguish our way of life.

This DVD highlights a small fringe of the Muslim world. Some experts say it is a bigger fringe than we think and I tend to believe that. It may do us some good to understand the real threats that we and the next generation face.

I appreciate the "other sides" of this argument, but in our country, freedom of speech is a foundation. Keep sending the facts and we'll all be better informed. God bless America!

SCOTT EAFRATI
Canonsburg

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Drivers should pay

Your "Road Rumble" editorial (Sept. 17) concluded that privatizing the turnpike seems to be the only viable option for funding our roads, as "raising the gas tax seems a nonstarter." While I'm not particularly opposed to privatization, I don't understand the reluctance to put the cost of maintaining our roads where they belong -- on the people who use them.

Our state government is willing to tax smokers and drinkers and use the proceeds for totally unrelated needs but doesn't want to burden drivers with a direct cost of their activity. Please don't think I'm immune -- I put 20,000-plus miles a year on my car. It just seems like the fairest way to pay for what we use, and if it motivates people to drive less or drive more fuel-efficient cars, so much the better.

KEVIN MORSEK
Lincoln Place

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Sign of weakness

I am a senior citizen, born and raised during the Great Depression and a veteran of World War II. It is, with heavy heart that I read of Gov. Ed Rendell's plan to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a foreign entity ("U.S. Says No to I-80 Tolls," Sept. 12).

You can be sure that the leaseholders are not offering their money out of the goodness of their hearts and that huge profits will be made at the expense of our citizens and go into the coffers of foreign countries.

The bill for repairing and making new roads is going to be paid by our citizens and leasing the pike only delays this issue and makes it appear to be a free ride. We all know that there is no such thing.

This leasing is a sign of weakness for America. What has happened to us that we cannot pay our own way? Why must this generation pass the burden onto our children and grandchildren?

If the governor really wants to solve the money problem, let him first make sure that the turnpike commission is run efficiently, and if it takes a tax increase of 8.5 cents a gallon on gasoline, so be it.

These are our Pennsylvania roads and it is our responsibility to fix and improve them. Shame on Gov. Rendell and shame on us if we are so wimpy that we must go begging and let foreigners take over our country.

Shame, shame, shame.

ROBERT E. PINKERTON
Plum

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Residents will bear the brunt of this policy

The Pennsylvania System of Higher Education elected to ban smoking both indoors and outdoors on university campuses ("Smoking Banned Entirely at Colleges," Sept. 13). This has prompted protests from students, faculty and unions. To my knowledge, the effect on the university's host communities has been totally ignored.

When workers can't smoke on an employer's property, neighbors complain about employees leaving the property to smoke. The complaints range from cigarette butts on lawns to noise from the assembled smokers.

The smoking students accompanied by friends will be forced to enter the host community. They will be kids. Residents will be disturbed. There will be a higher level of tension between the university students and the host community residents. Few care if a student has a smoke at 3 a.m. by the dorm on the university property; an elderly resident seeing a student standing alone having a cigarette at that time may become alarmed -- a result that was unintended by the student and unwanted in the life of an elderly resident. This will be the direct result of an unwise administrative policy.

While I commend PSHE for concerns about student health, the university host communities live in reality. These communities derive many benefits and deal with special problems. I would hope that the General Assembly would reverse this decision, if it is needed.

B. KIRK HOLMAN
California

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