Readers write for april 10, 2009

In his April 9 commentary, "Obama acts as divider, not uniter," Michael Gerson asserts that President Obama has not been true to his promise of bipartisanship. But he fails to note that what's left of the Republican Party is moderate-free. The party is made up of Dixiecrats who defected after the 1965 Civil Rights Act and Democrats who left for the GOP over the abortion issue. The core of the GOP, those who are "fiscally conservative but socially responsible," are presently disillusioned from the Bush years and are not represented by the William Kristol, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Steele factions.

FLOYD KELLER, BAYPORT

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Former Republican speechwriter Michael Gerson claims that, although Catholics voted decisively for Obama last fall, he "has done little to justify this faith" ("Democrats risk losing the Catholics," April 4).

I would argue that Catholics have every reason to be very proud of the new administration. Beyond the obvious things, like working to end both the Iraq war and the use of torture by our security services, Obama has offered a stimulus package with a distinct focus on the needs of poor people, whose ranks are growing as a result of this severe recession. Our analysis of abortion statistics indicates that social programs, like those incorporated in the stimulus package, are likely to play a major role in limiting the adverse effects of the bad economy on the abortion rate.

Conservatives like Gerson may complain that Obama is not playing by their rule book when it comes to abortion, but I think faithful Catholics and other religiously minded people can take great pride in what the administration is trying to accomplish across the whole range of moral issues.

PATRICK WHELAN, PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC DEMOCRATS, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

Martosko's employer, the so-called Center for Consumer Freedom, has been exposed in the Washington Post as a corporate front group that has taken millions of dollars from fast-food restaurants, corporate meat producers and other companies selling unhealthy products. A USA Today editorial once suggested the group change its website to FatforProfit.com.

Science strongly supports our dietitians' concerns about artery-clogging meat products. A recent National Cancer Institute study found that people who ate 4 ounces of red meat a day -- about the amount in a small hamburger -- were more likely to die from heart disease, cancer and other causes over the next 10 years. Chicken and other white meats also increase heart disease mortality risk.

We should teach young people that eating more fruits, vegetables and other vegetarian foods could help them stay healthy -- not sell them products that could knock years off their lives.

PATRICK SULLIVAN, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE, WASHINGTON

In response to an April 8 letter writer: We are not at war with Islam, and Islam is not at war with us. Saying that Islam is at war with us excludes the vast majority of Muslims, and stereotypes them.

We are at war with Muslim extremists, not all Muslims.

TIM ISDAHL, PLYMOUTH

The April 5 article "Gang cops' meeting in Hawaii under fire" provided another example of criminal property forfeiture being very bad law.

This practice needs to be ended, with all criminal penalties again being administered by the courts. The police are exactly the wrong people to be collecting and distributing such "assets."