Readers Write (June 13): Priest abuse, Eric Cantor, "miracle baby," Medina affordable housing, health coverage, VA volunteers

The article ("Silent about abuse, church helped priest to advise kids," June 8) about the Rev. Timothy McCarthy said that despite his alleged sexual abuse of children, the church never shared his history. He then got a graduate degree and was licensed as a social worker. As clinical social workers, we are dismayed to learn that he had been licensed despite suspected violations of both Minnesota law and social work's code of ethics.

Minnesota's social-work licensure law prohibits sexual abuse by therapists. A major goal of this law is to prevent physical, social and emotional harm to members of the public.

As clinical social workers, we deplore the church administrators who apparently failed to adhere to the law or to their conscience. They hid information that would have prevented not only McCarthy's licensure as a social worker, but also his employment as a student counselor and his continuing capacity to harm teens and young adults.

We hope public exposure results in much greater public support for healing those who have been harmed and for protecting our young people from ever being so abused again.

The preceding letter was signed by the following members of the Minnesota Society for Clinical Social Work: Elizabeth Bohun, Beverly Caruso, Christie Cuttell, Elizabeth Horton, Sue Johnston, Tamara Kaiser, Harriet Kohen, Carol Schrier and Connie Schweigert.

Incumbents like U.S. Rep Eric Cantor should be forewarned. Although political pundits are blaming a Tea Party revolution for a powerful majority leader's defeat in a primary, I hope it is much simpler than that ("Tea Party defeats top GOP leader," June 11). Maybe voters are fed up with the do-nothing Congress. As the election approaches, my U.S. senator and representative are boosting that they have helped small businesses get better-trained job applicants and are fighting to revamp school nutrition. Both voted along party lines. I started to list the things they should be legislating, but the Star Tribune points them out far better than I can. Vote 'em all out.

So what are we to take away from Eric Cantor's epic defeat in Virginia? Simply this. No pols — not even those who are deeply entrenched in their radicalized party — are immune to the will of the people. Want political change? Show up and vote for it!

Eric Cantor will be thanking the voters for throwing him out of office. Soon after he departs, a lucrative lobbyist position will be offered to him and he will be earning far more than he ever made as a congressman. As I have repeated to my kids many times: "It isn't what you know, it is who you know."

I read the story about the recovery of the toddler who fell from a balcony ("Miracle baby makes remarkable recovery," June 12). I was offended by six words on Page 10 describing the apartment complex where the family lives as "home to hundreds of Somali families." Had this been a complex occupied by hundreds of white European-Americans, would that reference have been made? How is the family's national origin in any way relevant to this near tragedy — unless you are implying that because he is Somali, he fell. Sadly, white toddlers fall, too. Please do not be so careless about irrelevant Somali references that may lead readers to stereotype and conclude somehow that living among hundreds of Somali families might put toddlers at risk.

Admittedly, this is a small part of the article, but its impact may be damaging.

There are several key elements missing from your story "Medina housing complex shelved" (June 11):

First, the applicant (Dominium) was demanding a fee waiver from the city of Medina for up to $300,000. Dominium made it clear to the city that without this waiver, the project would not move forward. While this fee, which would have been waived, would have been reimbursed to the city via tax-increment revenue, our citizens, rightfully, opposed their tax dollars being spent in support of a for-profit developer.

The Dominium project failed not because of a fearful citizenry, but because of the demands made by the developer, specific flaws in its plan, and a lack of early and adequate engagement between city government and our constituents. We have learned that no public program, especially public housing, will ultimately be successful if the community doesn't support it.

The citizens of Medina are smart, civic-minded, and generous. By engaging with them early in a participatory program of education, input, dialogue and consensus-building, we will leverage our citizens' contributions and ensure future successful affordable housing projects in the city of Medina.

The writer is a member of the Medina City Council.

While we can be happy that 95% of Minnesotans are now insured ("95% in state are now insured," June 12), we should also be aware that many and possibly increasing numbers of Minnesotans are now in low-paying jobs with limited hours so the employer does not have to offer insurance.

I have been volunteering at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis since my retirement (16 months). I have helped many, many veterans and their dependents with directions, wheelchairs and other duties.

It's not that the Minneapolis VA Medical Center has fewer problems than the other centers. I feel that it/we are better, on the whole, than the other medical centers.