That Front Page Photo

Dear Editor: In response to letters (Feb. 2) by Sister Camille D’Arienzo, RSM, and Elizabeth Kollmeier, I feel I must respond to their opinions.

In a recent edition of The National Catholic Register, the same photo of President Bush with consecrated religious at the Church of the Beatitudes inspired in me great hope for the advancement of peace in that troubled area of the world. It was significant to me that he placed his own life in jeopardy to advance a peace initiative in the Holy Land.

There is a legitimate difference of opinion as to how to respond to the reality of worldwide terrorists; however, as documented by Anthony Funaro (same “Readers’ Forum”), he explains clearly the basis for a just war theory as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Based on this teaching of the Church, I believe the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan is justified.

I have encountered many Right-to-Life issues in my various ministries and am aware that President Bush is the foremost defender of life of all previous American presidents since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision.

Defense of life is not a political issue but rather a profound moral one wherein each of us in the human family is called upon to respect and defend life from the moment of conception to natural death.

President Bush has been a consistent, reliable defender of life; and, for this reason, the two aforementioned opinions reveal an alarming deficit in perception and understanding of the president’s accomplishments in the ongoing struggle to preserve the sacredness of human life.

I would be most happy to see more photos of President Bush in The Tablet.

Sister Frances Price, CSJ
Flushing

Dear Editor: In response to letters (Feb. 2) in The Tablet from Sister Camille D’Arienzo, RSM, and Elizabeth Kollmeier, I would like to reply as follows: George W. Bush most certainly does represent the people of the United States of America, having been elected twice. President Bush is an honorable man. He is a man who believes he has had to take the steps necessary to protect this country.

I am sick of hearing that we should bring our troops home immediately because we have lost many service men and women, especially the spineless politicians who sound like a bunch of parrots.

If I remember correctly, we lost more lives in WWII than in any other war. What would have happened if we threw in the towel and said let Europe take care of itself! Hitler had already swallowed up most of Europe by the time we joined in but there was never any thought of giving in. And on the other side of the world did we have any choice but to fight the Japanese after they attacked Pearl Harbor?

Again, there was never any question about our defending ourselves. Our service members are all volunteers and the great majority of them believe that they are doing the right thing by trying to stem the tide of terrorism from spreading any further.  They also believe that to turn tail and run home would be dishonoring those whose lives have been lost in the battle. In other words they would have died for no reason.

I am 71 years old and in all generations my family has always served this country honorably. I had two great, great grandfathers and one great grandfather in the Civil War. My father in WWI, my three brothers in WWII, a brother-in-law who spent the whole of WWII in a Japanese prison camp having been in the fall of Corregidor, my husband, a veteran of the Korean War, a nephew, a veteran of Vietnam and another nephew who was one of the SEALS who was lost in the Grenada invasion.

There have been other family members along the way. We are proud of all of our family members who felt that this country was worth fighting for and were lucky to be able to keep the enemies away from our shores. I am sick and disgusted of hearing all the babble of those who stick their heads in the sand and pretend that it will all go away if they ignore it.

 Anne Varrone
Howard Beach

Dear Editor: I was extremely dismayed by the recent misguided (to put it charitably) maunderings expressed here by Sister D’Arienzo and Ms. Kollmeier about “that awful man” – George W. Bush.  The ensuing letters by Messrs. Funaro and Castello, though written in response to Father Brady’s earlier letter did an excellent job of pointing out the justice and necessity of the “awful man’s” “disastrous war in Iraq and Afghanistan.” 

I would like to point out further that the president has been an unwavering foe of abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. Surely these are matters of interest to us Catholics! 

Mr. Editor, please feel free to include Mr. Bush in The Tablet any time you deem it appropriate – I daresay that your wiser readers do not consider him to be the devil incarnate.

Edward D. Christman
Elmhurst

Dear Editor: In response to the letters received regarding President Bush’s picture being displayed on The Tablet’s front page (Jan. 19), let me say that as a pro-life Catholic, I’m always happy to see our president being honored. And I’m hardly alone. The pro-life organizations that I support (National Right to Life and American Life League) are only too glad to portray G.W. Bush’s picture on the cover of their publication.

And when the tens of thousands of pro-lifers march on Washington which is ignored by our mainstream media (however, they will broadcast five sign-carrying pro-abortion demonstrators), do you know what the highlight of their day is? Nothing less than when President Bush calls in to rally on the group. The reasons for this letter are clear, our president is strongly pro-life! He’s against abortion, partial-birth abortion, gay marriage and embryonic stem-cell research. Also, against opposition, he was successful in getting two conservative judges appointed to the Supreme Court with the hopes of overturning the horrible Roe v. Wade. Go Bush!

When it comes to Maureen Dowd spouting Scripture, she and the editorial board of the liberal New York Times consult their Ouija board. They endorsed none other than pro-abortion Hillary for president – who would have guessed?

 
There’s something wrong with this picture alright. But it’s not George W. Bush.

Michael J. McCormack
Brooklyn

Dear Editor: How could The Tablet, a Catholic newspaper, print such a mean letter like the one written by Elizabeth Kollmeier. Her remarks about President Bush belong in the NY Post or the NY Times not in The Tablet.

Speaking of the Times, Sister Camille D’Arienzo cannot really believe she gets the truth from Maureen Dowd and the Times, two well-known Bush haters. I read The Tablet every Sunday but if it keeps printing letters like those I will be using it to wrap my garbage.                

                                                 
Richard Dickson
Whitestone

Dear Editor: The front page of President Bush with nuns during a recent trip to the Middle East grieved Sister Camille D’Arienzo, as she said in her letter. I am grieved that in her objections she should align herself with the editorial policies of the very liberal, anti-Catholic and not always accurate New York Times, and further quote the vindictive columnist, Maureen Dowd, whose weekly tirades are predictable in the bias of their agenda.

Would that the president’s consistent pro-life efforts to protect the unborn and the elderly in his stands against abortion, partial-birth abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem-cell research, often against much criticism, were given recognition. I do not believe it was inappropriate for The Tablet to have printed the cover photo.

Janet Collins
Jackson Heights

Dear Editor: Thank you for the picture on the front page of President Bush visiting the Holy Land. The war in Iraq certainly is considered a just war and every day I thank God for our president.

The name of the game is freedom and that’s what the president and our troops are fighting for. The terrorists are our enemy, not President Bush.

Mrs. G. Roeder
Astoria

Dear Editor: I read the two letters to the editor by people who were grieved by The Tablet cover of Jan. 19.

In response to these letters, I would like to say I liked the cover very much. Thank you!

I noticed how each nun’s face seemed so happy to be there. Maybe because they were standing with the president that did more good for the unborn child than any president before him.

The majority of politicians from both political parties voted for this war and that is how it took place. It is a very sad thing to hear when a life is lost in war. Each one belongs to God and is precious to God. God bless them!

As for Maureen Dowd’s thoughts, all I can say is I don’t pay attention to pro-abortion journalists or care what they have to say.

Rosemary Mangino
Bensonhurst