The war on all people of faith

Letter to the Editor

It is so interesting to see how anti-Catholic sentiments have blinded so many people. The many letters you have printed about the Obama administration's Department of Health and Human Services' decision to force health insurance providers to pay for contraception, including abortion-inducing drugs and sterilization procedures, have borne this out.

Can there really be intelligent people who don't get what's really going on here? Apparently so.

In "Church's concern 'hollow,' " (Your Views, Feb. 2), Don Veasey refutes his own argument in his anti-Catholic screed. He writes: Bishop Robert Lynch "first spoke about not providing health care to diocese employees while disregarding that we live in a free and open society and it's up to the individual employee to decide if they want contraception. It's discrimination otherwise."

The Catholic Church is not trying to deny anyone's right to obtain contraception. It's a red herring. If someone wants contraception, even a church employee, they can get it on their own.

The issue here is not contraception, sterilization or even abortion. It is about government forcing a religious organization to do and/or provide things they find immoral. This is all about power, and the Obama administration exerting its power over the Catholic Church.

Have there been scandals in the church? You bet. Always have been, always will be. But the Catholic Church has done more good in the world for 2,000 years than any other organization in the history of the world.

It is time for everyone, even those who hate the church, to open their eyes and see what is really going on here. When government decides to force you to do something you find immoral, you'll be singing the same song. Michael Gerson got it right ("War on religion declared," Other Views, Feb. 2). This administration, in its lust for power, has declared war on all people of faith. The one place to rectify this power grab is at the ballot box. I hope all people of faith will wake up.

Gus Lloyd

Tampa