Letters:

Bible sanctions

executions, war

While I am not a Roman Catholic, I have to take issue with a letter-writer's rebuttal to Rick Santorum.

As distasteful as it may be to modern ears, the Old Testament sanctions both capital punishment and just war. How could the same Hebrew people believe in "Do not kill," the death penalty, and war? One likely answer: Most translations render the commandment "Do not murder," as there are several Hebrew words referring to killing, and this word refers to killing an innocent without God's authorization. We can be certain that the issues are nowhere near as simplistic as equating abortion, warfare, and the death penalty.

Meanwhile, there is certainly a glaring inconsistency among those who support abortion rights (killing the truly innocent and defenseless) while opposing capital punishment and all war. I think Santorum is right to point out that U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D., R.I.) is free to believe what he wants, but he cannot call himself Catholic.

Andy Horvath

Elverson

andyh2247@yahoo.com

'General welfare'

includes health care

Don't you find it amusing when guys like the Cato Institute's Robert A. Levy and Michael F. Cannon go all wonky on you by dipping into the Constitution and pulling out articles and clauses to tell you why things can't be done? In this case, affordable health care for all Americans. And maybe they're right ("Bill 'reforms' Constitution," Friday).

The Constitution's preamble, however, includes the phrase "promote the general welfare." Do I really need to dig any deeper than that clause when it comes to affordable health care for all Americans?

Roy Lehman

Woolwich Township

School leaders

have much to learn

As a daily reader who rarely agrees with the views of columnist Annette John-Hall, I now publicly take back every unpleasant word I ever said. Her article describing the dismissive and defensive posture of School Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, concerning the attack on Asian students at South Philadelphia High School, could not have been expressed any more clearly or rationally ("Weak response from Ackerman to beatings," Friday).

As the educational leader of our city, Ackerman needs to understand that violence against any of our students should never be tolerated.

The purpose of education is to uplift, improve, and enlighten. Scholarship in academic study is certainly important to every student. More important, however, is for every student to maintain and cultivate the ability to understand and interact respectfully with one another. School staffs, teachers, administrators, and, yes, even the superintendent, need to radiate this virtue.

Charles T. Graham

Philadelphia

Global warming

would do some good

If there really is global warming, why isn't this a good thing? Would global cooling be better? Is there some temperature that is the only temperature right for our planet?

Global warming would make millions and millions of square miles in the Northern Hemisphere habitable, and make so much more of the Earth receptive to agriculture. Think of what an impact a few more degrees of temperature would have on northern Canada, Russia, Greenland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Why hasn't anyone, any group, estimated the beneficial aspects of global warming? It might make some of the uninhabitable deserts even worse, but if they are currently uninhabitable, does this matter?

David R.T. Wood

Philadelphia

Not just a stadium,

but an entire city

A letter Thursday, "Keeping our priorities straight," misses the point about the modest taxpayer dollars invested in the vicinity of the Philadelphia Union and Independence's new stadium in Chester. That $87 million is not subsidizing a sport, but the rebirth of an entire city.

The developers are obligated to invest a minimum of a half-billion dollars to create apartments, townhouses, a grocery store, convention center, office buildings, retail shops, a parking garage, marine docking slips, a paved river walk, new streets, and perhaps youth soccer fields and a community recreation center.

Bruce M. Brown

Vice chairman, Delaware County

Community Foundation

Media