Study abroad
I was pleased with the attention given in the autumn 2004 issue
to the University's study abroad aspirations as part of Notre
Dame's latest strategic plan, and I am delighted to report that
some of the items are now reality. We now have two programs in
China -- the Shanghai program launched in 2001 and a new program
in Beijing. The Beijing program and a new year-long program at
the University of Bologna in Italy are precisely designed to address
the call for a bilingual student body. And in November, the Association
of International Educators recognized Notre Dame for the excellence
of its student abroad programs.
Julia Douthwaite
Notre Dame
Latino immigrants
"A Theology of Immigration" is one more of the unending, pathetic,
shortsighted and unproductive commentaries on that subject. Father
Dan Groody's bias begins with the bland term "undocumented aliens"
versus "illegal immigrants," and continues as he discusses Mexicans
-- their poverty, hunger, desire for freedom, etc. I have worked
in Asia, Europe, Latin America and North Africa, and billions
of people throughout the world have the same problems. Why are
Mexicans any more deserving? Are not other humans equally in need?
The problems with the world's impoverished nations are not their
lack of physical resources, talented people or work ethic. It
is not the fault of the United States either. It is the political,
moral, social and economic systems their countries have established.
These poor would be better off if the author and others like him
directed their efforts to improving conditions in these countries,
or encouraging those nations to improve their own conditions.
If we are overrun with "open borders," we will have many of the
same problems these people are trying to leave.
Fred Holzweiss
Englewood, Florida
In all of Father Dan Groody's article I did not see one comment
about the responsibility of the Mexican government to reform itself
so the Mexican people do not have to leave to find work, education
and health care. It seems to be the canon of socialists and leftists
that, while they decry the United States as an evil, imperialistic
society, they also believe the United States should somehow be
willing to import the world's poor and uneducated and give them
the good life they cannot expect at home. Mexico has oil wealth
and Mexicans have the right to vote, so why do they not right
the wrongs that keep them poor?
Margaret McCarthy
Libertyville, Illinois
Latino citizens
I write to applaud the magazine for publishing the articles on
the Latino immigrant population, but the history of Latino life
in America is too often ignored. Although there has been significant
upward mobility among acculturated Mexican-Americans born in this
country, the history of these citizens remains one of uneven economic
and social development. For example, despite many individual success
stories, Mexican-American youth account for a significant proportion
of school dropouts and people living in poverty. Moreover, these
American citizens send far too many young men and women into the
American penal system. On the other hand, each year many young
Mexican-American men and women enter the U.S. Armed Forces, out
of heartfelt desire to serve the country of their birth. Less
exotic perhaps than their immigrant cousins, these Americans suffer
as the light of social concern shines elsewhere, despite their
patriotism and commitment to this country. I am sure there must
be a gospel vision capable of shining light into this forgotten
corner of the American Latino experience, without any decline
in the level of concern for the immigrants that this nation increasingly
relies upon and must learn to embrace.
Marc S. Rodriquez
Notre Dame
Catholic politician
I am outraged that you have used your magazine for a partisan
political attack two weeks before the presidential election. The
article by Scott Appleby ("Questions of Conscience") is a thinly
disguised attack on John Kerry's religious position. We have enjoyed
your magazine for more than 20 years, but this is beyond the pale
and not in keeping with your usual offerings.
Robert N. Schwartz
Silver Spring, Maryland
"Questions of Conscience" was very intelligent until the author
addressed the issue of pro-choice politicians. His assertion that
such a politician is respecting the priority and inviolability
of conscience and that somehow that justifies the voting for laws
that allow the taking of human life is really very disingenuous.
The only way the inviolability of conscience could be given higher
priority than the protection of the unborn is if such a politician
really did not believe that even before birth human beings are
entitled to full human rights. Such a position is in direct contradiction
to Catholic teachings and could only be explained as being the
result of poor catechesis or faulty conscience formation.
Rosemary Bogdan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Reading "Questions of Conscience" I felt as if my years at Notre
Dame had once again come into focus. I recalled how my conscience,
indeed the direction of my life, had taken shape in those fondly
remembered years. Appleby put that experience into a world view
that is about respect for human life. It is, however, a respect
for life in its broadest terms, not in its narrowest, one-issue
sense. To focus on pro-life or pro-choice fails to focus on the
much broader picture of our role in the world. To fail to recognize
and act upon man's inhumanity to man and nature is the greatest
sin. The candidate
who has the broadest grasp of the "right to life" and who knows
that America can only lead if we demonstrate an understanding
of human rights in all its manifestations has my vote.
Stephen Michael Murray '61
Saint Louis
(January 2005)
