Life is Complicated
Dear Editor: As Thomas Cullinane wrote in his letter (Following God’s Commandments, Nov. 23), one of the Ten Commandments forbids killing. Unless, of course, we are fighting a war, or believe in capital punishment, or justify other instances.
The point here is that human beings make life-changing decisions daily, and we weigh them with our consciences, morals, and faith. I don’t condone abortion, but my belief has never stopped it — for centuries.
Illegal abortions have killed desperate women throughout history. There are fetal conditions that are not supportive of life outside the womb but which also threaten either the life or the sterility of the woman.
If she chooses to live for her current or future children, then who am I to judge her?
Perhaps if we all tried to live the teachings of Jesus, some of the perceived need for an abortion would be obviated. There are nine other commandments.
Christine Napolitan
Park Slope
Kudos to Tablet, Jr.
Dear Editor: Whenever there is a feature of The Tablet, Jr., there is only one word I can use: Wow.
This was evident in the Nov. 30 copy of The Tablet with the contribution by the students from Midwood Catholic Academy, Brooklyn.
The article on children with disabilities struck a chord with me. It was not only well written, it described perfectly the challenges that children and all people with disabilities face. How well thought out this was for a child herself. She brought in the fact that we are all children of God and deserve dignity and respect. The article was spot on.
Kudos to her teachers, to The Tablet, to Sadlier. This is a wonderful forum for the students, and I, for one, am thrilled when I read this because these are the Catholics of tomorrow.
Maria F. Mastromarino
Manalapan, NJ
Thank You George Weigel
Dear Editor: George Weigel’s (Open Letter to J.D. Vance, Dec. 7) is far and away the best writing under his byline that I have read. Instead of his usual scorched-earth approach, he presents a reasonable,
empathetic argument that recalls the fraternal corrections of error described in Matthew 18:15-16 and 2 Corinthians 13:1-2, addressed to a fellow human being (rather than an incorrigible victim)
with the wonderful assurance that “you are better than that.”
I had previously despaired over any restoration of such civility in our ongoing religious and political interactions. Personally, I have found that the use of the “carrot” instead of the “stick” makes it far more likely that someone with whom one disagrees with will at least give one a civil hearing and, at best, that there may be some reflection rather than angry retrenching.
Edward R. Dorney
Park Slope
Americans Hard-Hit by Hurricanes
Dear Editor: Our hearts go out to our fellow Americans down south, who are still recovering from the hurricanes that wiped out their homes, with some living in tents and with winter upon us.
The issue still seems to be a shortage of FEMA funds, which should be a top priority for President Biden and his administration at this critical time. Instead, the president goes to Africa, offering billions of dollars to counter the influence of China in the region and somehow enhance his legacy.
His legacy as president, first and foremost, should be to help all our fellow Americans who are suffering such a tragic ordeal.
Thomas and Constance Dowd
Oakland Gardens
