Catholic Church doesn't dictate to all

This is in response to a recent letter to the editor regarding the Catholic Church.

Contrary to the letter, the church does not infringe on anyone's rights. The rules against contraception, "morning after" pills, abortion, and stem cells taken from aborted babies are the rules for Catholics to follow (although millions of liberal Catholics do not).

These and much else are the dogma of the church, and have been for centuries. This is called religion. We assume religion is well-covered under the Constitution, but if President Obama doesn't agree with that, maybe the thing to do is fire all non-Catholics from our hospitals, etc. and just hire Catholics.

I'm sure there would be many unhappy non-Catholics in this country at that point.

To conclude, how do the letter writers' reason that our religion is infringing on their rights, when they belong to a completely different one (or none at all)?

– JEANNE WROBLESKI, Springfield

---

City teachers make most of 'staycation'

Springfield Public School students and teachers rose to the occasion last week when they showed up for school as usual – even though it was supposed to be February vacation.

Although there was no rise in absences by teachers or students, it was not business as usual in many of the schools. Many principals "shook things up" in their building with fun, week-long activities. Washington Elementary School, for example, staged a "staycation" complete with Mardi Gras, Cruise Day and of course, a most popular Hawaiian theme day.

Black History Month was highlighted during the week at Warner School, and culminated with a performance Springfield musician Jo Sallins; Dorman Elementary Students highlighted the joy of eating with everything from Cool Cookie Day to Fruitty Friday.

Imaginations soared throughout the district as many principals seized the occasion to celebrate "School Spirit Week" with a different theme every day. To name just a few, there was Ells School T-shirt day, Sports Day at Harris School, Crazy Hair Day, Pajama Bottom Day and much more!

– AZELL CAVAAN, Chief Communications Officer, Springfield Public Schools

---

'Bridge to nowhere' fraught with danger

I had to shake my head when I read the front page story about the lack of a handicap exit ramp on the West Springfield end of the Memorial Bridge sidewalk. (Feb. 22).

It seems officials deemed it too dangerous. Therefore it has become the bridge to nowhere for wheelchair users. Apparently the alternative, which is to ride your wheelchair in the road with the fast moving traffic, is a safer option.

– ROSEANNE SORCINELLI, West Springfield

---

Krugman unmasks purpose of book

Columnist Paul Krugman's recent critical assessment of Charles Murray's book, "Coming Apart" is a well-reasoned and devastating expose of the contemporary conservative sociological imagination.

Far from relying on "many unrelated statistics," as one critic has claimed, Krugman simply turns Murray's own – statistically rooted, deeply simplistic – argument against itself.

Murray's various pronouncements on the causal link between alleged moral declension and social inequality thus turn into nothing more than an etiolated version of an old, reactionary, fig leaf, long advanced to justify ruling class prerogatives in the face of challenges from below.

It is precisely in times like these that the received wisdom regarding the fundamental nature of our society is questioned by those who bear its heaviest burden: Those of us (of all creeds and colors) who are forced to pay the bill for a crisis that we certainly did not invite upon ourselves through our dissolute living and immoral ways.

Murray and his ilk merely provide a useful patina of intellectual respectability to the savage inequalities of modern American life, somberly declaring that this is (sadly) the best of all possible worlds, nonetheless. How revolting.

– JAMES FIORENTINO, Westfield