Meaning | The bishop and the president: a plea, unanswered

On By Littum

To the editor:

Re “’Have Mercy’ on Migrants, Bishop Asks President” (news article, January 22):

I was disappointed but not surprised to see the religious figures at the inauguration rather bow to our new CEO in their so-called prayers.

However, I was pleasantly shocked to see Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde respectfully and courageously remind him of the real message of the scriptures in terms of compassion, respect and welcome rather than ridicule and exclusion.

Thank you, Bishop Budde, for bringing the true religious message in these challenging days.

Dave Pasinski
Fayetteville, NY
The author is a former Catholic priest.

To the editor:

There are thousands upon thousands of us in pulpits across the country every Sunday preaching a message of justice and mercy.

We don’t usually get the headlines because we don’t preach a prosperity gospel and we don’t pander to the powerful. We are not splashes. We simply preach love, take care of our congregations and work in our community to try to make a difference in people’s lives. We resettle refugees, run soup kitchens, host after school programs and make sure people have winter coats.

Many thanks to Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde for being a prophetic voice. You are not alone; None of us are. That’s a good thing to remember these days.

(Rev.) Pete Jones
Scarsdale, NY

To the editor:

Only a small man responded to Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s sermon with such vitriol as President Trump did.

What should he do next? Will he issue an executive order to remove the bronze plaque on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty simply because he doesn’t like Emma Lazarus’ stirring words “Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” ?

Carol Rosen
Woodbridge, Conn.

To the editor:

Imagine being such a horrible person that you would demand an apology from someone who asks you to show mercy to your fellow man. President Trump is a disgrace.

Sara McPherson Horle
Denver

To the editor:

Re “22 states sue to block birthright citizenship” (news article, January 22):

Just as a practical matter: How will it work if local authorities are soon required to confirm the US citizenship or permanent resident status of a parent of a newborn in order to issue a US birth certificate to the baby?

Isn’t every mother required to prove her status, either by showing her passport or her own birth certificate or other documentation? And if she could not, will the Father be so required? But how can one prove that he is really the father? And what happens if someone claims that the documentation provided is false?

Every local government that issues a birth certificate would be required to sort this. Really?

Steve Carlson
Branford, Conn.

To the editor:

President Trump wants to end Birth Right Citizenship, but the 14th Amendment was a response in 1868 to the immoral Dred Scott Decision 11 years earlier. Never again would judges or politicians be able to strip American-born people of their citizenship.

Today, Approximately 300,000 children of undocumented immigrants become US citizens each year. Most of their parents are not recent arrivals, but hardworking people who have lived in the United States for years.

If these children are denied US citizenship, they will not suddenly become citizens of Mexico or Guatemala or wherever their parents are from because the children themselves have never lived in those places. They will be stateless with no rights whatsoever. No one born in the United States should ever have to be this vulnerable.

Mark Weston
Sarasota, Fla.
The author is an author whose latest work is “Immigration: Can We Compromise?”

Beware of the cradle of authoritarianism in the government asking people to “report on” or condemn others. Reporting on others not With regard to a crime or risk to our national security or other serious threat, but simply to enact policies that the current administration disagrees with is wrong.

Americans should stand together and not let anyone pit us against each other for employee reporting.

Danielle James
Los Altos, California.

To the editor:

So now federal employees aren’t just required to swear allegiance to Donald Trump instead of to the Constitution. They also have to snitch on their colleagues or be fired.

The only civil rights are mr. Trump’s rights. The constitution is just a piece of paper. Mr. Trump’s name is not in it; Therefore he need not follow it.

Diane DeMarco
Joppatown, MD.

To the editor:

Re “Sleep Walking Into Autocracy?”, by Kim Lane Scheppele and Norman Eisen (Opinion Guest Essay, January 18):

With Donald Trump and his billionaires taking over the Feckless GOP, the answer to the question in the headline is definitely yes.

This is exactly what concerned Benjamin Franklin when a woman asked him what the Constitutional Convention of 1787 created – “A Republic or a Monarchy?” – And he answered: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Richard Latimer
Falmouth, Mass.

To the editor:

Re “American cities at risk of tumbling into the sea” (Opinion Guest Essay, January 7):

Stephen Lezak’s observations about the displacement of communities due to storms, rising seas, fires and other disasters highlight the existential threat of climate change. While physical destruction dominates headlines, the psychological toll is often overlooked. Losing homes, communities and lifestyles causes lasting emotional trauma and reshapes lives long after the disasters.

The effect on children is particularly serious. In addition to losing homes, schools and friendships, they face the collapse of the security and stability essential to growth. Research from American Psychological Association and Ecoamerica reveals that these traumatic experiences can irreversibly damage children’s mental health and development, threatening both their immediate well-being and long-term potential.

Tackling climate change must remain a priority for decision-makers – not just to preserve infrastructure or economies, but also to protect those most vulnerable. If we fail to reverse the deadly trajectory, we leave our children and young people to bear its heaviest burdens. Their future and ours require urgent action.

Leslie Davenport
San Francisco
The author directs the certificate program in climate psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies.