Editor:
Republicans want to bully us into believing cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits and other dangerous budget cuts, such as those that would take food aid from hungry children, weaken education and food safety and let our bridges and roads crumble, are the only thing we should be talking about.
It's time to stand up to their bullying. We can't let them take our economy hostage by threatening to drive it into the ground.
Working families shouldn't take the hit again so we can maintain expensive tax loopholes for Wall Street, drug companies, corporations that outsource jobs and the richest 2 percent of Americans.
The most serious economic challenge facing America is the continuing jobs crisis, not the deficit or the national debt.
Our priorities should be creating jobs by investing in infrastructure and education, raising wages, reducing inequality and increasing economic security for working people. And we can do it by first ending tax giveaways for Wall Street and the richest 2 percent.
Danny Wells
Chapmanville
Sad to see Jay not running again
Editor:
I was deeply saddened to learn that Sen. Rockefeller does not intend to run for another term as U.S. Senator from West Virginia.
However, we must be grateful that he has been willing to spend a large portion of his life serving the people of our state, always striving to make life better, especially for those who are most vulnerable.
We wish you well in your retirement, Sen. Rockefeller. You certainly have earned it.
Elizabeth Mow
Buckhannon
Catholic Church welcomes gays and lesbians
Editor:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Gazette misspoke in its Feb. 1 editorial, "Boy Scouts -- Linked to West Virginia," when it stated that "Both churches (Mormon and Catholic) denounce gays."
I will not speak for Mormons, but a review of Sacred Heart ads in local papers and sermons preached at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral will show that the Catholic Church not only has many gay and lesbian members but welcomes gays and lesbians and condemns discrimination against them.
To quote from the official position of the Catholic Church on homosexuality:
"The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition."
We are all sinful and repeatedly in need of God's forgiveness and God's help. The Catholic Church continues to denounce sinful actions but not sinful people. Even when we turn from God, God does not turn from us. I find your oft-repeated term "evolving morality" troublesome. I sadly acknowledge that "moral values are changing," not necessarily for the better. In the estimation of many, human life only has value when it is healthy and productive.
Msgr P. Edward Sadie
Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral
Charleston
Obama's new gun rules nothing new
Editor:
The NRA needs to take a huge "chill pill." Maybe NRA leaders could watch a few reruns of "Dirty Harry" while sitting in a corner and fondling their .44 Magnums.
Gun rules proposed by President Obama aren't much different than those we lived under from 1994 to 2004. Boys and girls still had plenty of toys to play with, including AKs and ARs. These are two kinds of weapons not really suited for home defense and even less suitable to take downtown for dining and drinking at Appleby's or Outback.
The only reason to have a magazine that can hold 10, 20 or 30 rounds is that you can't shoot very well. I suggest you spend some time at the range.
I remember the right-wingers chanting, "Kill a Commie for Christ," back in the 1960s, and stating avidly "Murder a Muslim for the Messiah" more recently. Maybe it's time for someone to start a movement titled, "Shoot Someone for the Sake of the Students." Surely some rich Republican can come up with a few million to pay for it -- or you could just blame it on Obama.
Bruce Greene
Elkview
Stop the schoolyard bullies in Congress
Editor:
Republicans want to bully us into believing cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits and other dangerous budget cuts, such as those that would take food aid from hungry children, weaken education and food safety and let our bridges and roads crumble, are the only thing we should be talking about.
It's time to stand up to their bullying. We can't let them take our economy hostage by threatening to drive it into the ground.
Working families shouldn't take the hit again so we can maintain expensive tax loopholes for Wall Street, drug companies, corporations that outsource jobs and the richest 2 percent of Americans.
The most serious economic challenge facing America is the continuing jobs crisis, not the deficit or the national debt.
Our priorities should be creating jobs by investing in infrastructure and education, raising wages, reducing inequality and increasing economic security for working people. And we can do it by first ending tax giveaways for Wall Street and the richest 2 percent.
Danny Wells
Chapmanville
Sad to see Jay not running again
Editor:
I was deeply saddened to learn that Sen. Rockefeller does not intend to run for another term as U.S. Senator from West Virginia.
However, we must be grateful that he has been willing to spend a large portion of his life serving the people of our state, always striving to make life better, especially for those who are most vulnerable.
We wish you well in your retirement, Sen. Rockefeller. You certainly have earned it.
Elizabeth Mow
Buckhannon
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