Editorial

Almost every day we're bombarded with news about acts of violence, terrorism, and conflict throughout the world. We may react by taking a defensive stand, hunkering down inside our own homes and cities, trying to insulate ourselves from the terrible world out there.

It is tempting to attempt to shut off the bad news and retreat from global problems. After all, we ask, what can we do to help? It's out of our control. Let other people worry about the world.

In my opinion, this attitude of isolationism is dangerous, too. If individual citizens stop caring about what's happening throughout the world, our governments and international agencies will stop caring, too. They won't work as hard for solutions to global conflicts.

What can we do? But back to the question. What can we do? Catholic Relief Services (CRS) -- the international humanitarian relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. -- may have some answers.

"During these times of conflict and terror, we need even more to reach out and connect with one another, care for and have compassion for each other, especially the poorest and most vulnerable among us," says Joan Neal, CRS deputy executive director for U.S. operations.

CRS offers Catholics in the United States a concrete way to live out their faith and share their blessings with communities throughout the world. There are many opportunities for us to assist CRS as it provides assistance to people in 94 countries and territories. This help is given on the basis of need -- not race, creed, or nationality.

One way to help is to contribute to the annual special collection to be taken in parishes the weekend of March 20 and 21. The American Bishops' Overseas Appeal supports the work of CRS as well as other global solidarity programs.

Operation Rice Bowl. During Lent, CRS also sponsors its Operation Rice Bowl program. Now in its 29th year, Operation Rice Bowl has become part of Lent in millions of households and parishes in the U.S. The program enhances the spiritual focus of participants while supporting CRS development projects. It has raised more than $130 million since 1975.

Every year, Operation Rice Bowl focuses on the lives of people in five countries, telling their stories. This year the program zeroes in on people who have benefitted from hunger-alleviation projects in Pakistan, Burundi, Honduras, East Timor, and Gambia.

The CRS Web site is full of information, suggestions for action, and materials free of charge in English and Spanish. Visit the Web site at www.CatholicRelief.org and find out how you can get involved -- not only during Lent, but anytime throughout the year.

In the Diocese of Madison, the Office for Justice and Peace also has information on how people can get involved locally, including the new Global Solidarity Project with Ghana. Call the office at 608-821-3086 or e-mail: justiceandpeace@straphael.org

We should not hide from the world's problems but continue to educate ourselves and reach out to help. CRS provides excellent resources with concrete actions we can take to connect with people throughout the world.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

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Complacent electorate allows 'dirty' ads to work

To the editor:

I read Antoinette Bosco's comments on dirty campaign ads in the Catholic Herald 2/26/04 issue [print edition only].

Dirty ads, however are just the tip of the iceberg. Right now I am reading Samantha Powers' Pulitzer Prize winning book, A Problem From Hell - America and the Age of Genocide, which illustrates the scope of the problem of "raw lies and hateful calumny" that invades the current political process.

The reason these type of ads work for those funding them is because the public who view them are complacent and unwilling to search out the truth. Although it is difficult to understand many of the events and policies our elected officials are dealing with, I also encourage your readers to find and read from a wide array of resources and develop an informed opinion of their elected officials and the policies they champion. If the electorate is informed, the ads will only dissuade people from voting for those who stoop to use them.

Susan Woulfe, Evansville

Lower birth rate impacts labor force, Social Security

To the editor:

In recent testimony FRB Chairman Greenspan discussed how reducing Social Security benefits could assist in balancing the federal budget deficit. Undoubtedly a large deficit is a matter of concern and a positive solution needs to be developed. According to one report, over the next 15 years 77 million baby boomers will stop paying into the Social Security system and will instead begin to collect benefits, creating a shortfall of more than $25 trillion just for Social Security. However, Social Security benefits are not the culprit.

The causes of Social Security plight are different. They stem from a rapidly collapsing birthrate due to changing American lifestyles and abortion. When Roe vs. Wade made abortion legal, already by 1975 the 2.7 million aborted lives equaled the population of West Virginia. By 1980, this cumulative number increased to 9.6 million, roughly the size of Michigan's population.

By 2003, America aborted 43.3 million lives or 15.3 percent of its population. In Wisconsin the numbers are also shocking. During same period, Wisconsin aborted almost more than 450,000 lives, or more than 15 percent of its labor force.

A simple calculation shows that if there had been no abortion, the labor force would be higher by around 16 million, more individuals would work to support Social Security for the aging population, and tampering with Social Security benefits could have been avoided.

Jacek M. Cianciara, Madison

Defeat of law might have unintended consequences

To the editor:

Opponents of SB-214, Wisconsin Personal Protection Act, spent a lot of time weaving fear-mongering fantasies about what would happen if SB-214 became law and gave qualified law-abiding citizens the choice of concealed carry. Unfortunately, they have not spent as much time reflecting on the unintended consequences of their actions to defeat this bill. Their neglect has now placed Wisconsin citizens, law enforcement, and the courts in a confused state when it comes to individuals' exercise of their constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

In the initial post-Wisconsin Right to Keep and Bear Arms legal challenge of the Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) Statute, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said that the CCW Statute is unconstitutional (Wisconsin vs. Hamdan). Rather than immediately strike the law down outright, the court requested the legislature to consider the creation of "a licensing or permit system for persons who have a good reason to carry a concealed weapon." The legislature complied, both Senate and Assembly passed the bill, and the governor vetoed that permit system. A veto override attempt failed by one vote.

There is a very real possibility that the next time a similar challenge comes before the court, the entire CCW Statute will be struck down. If that happens, rather than allowing law-abiding individuals who could meet the rigorous certification and permitting included in SB-214 to carry concealed weapons, anyone anywhere in Wisconsin would be free to carry them. It would be an ironic unintended consequence of the concealed carry opponents' success in defeating restricted SB-214.

John Mattson, Eau Claire