Stop harassing members of Occupy DC Re: “Occupy DC to face camping ban,” Jan. 25
While members of Occupy DC and other Occupy movements across the country practice their rights under our Constitution to peacefully assemble and exercise free speech, some elected officials in Congress who claim to represent the people of this great nation want to stop these acts of expression.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton jets around the world demanding that the governments of Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Syria and others allow their people to demonstrate freely and voice their displeasure with their government. Is there some kind of double standard here?
Shame on our government for harassing this inconvenient movement and trying to shut them up and slow their efforts down. Maybe those squeakers in Congress should focus on governing our country instead of trying to interfere with the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens.
Jack Kuhn
Arlington
Examiner’s anti-union bias is showing
Re: “Almost-to-Dulles Rail makes even less sense,” Local Editorial, Jan. 24
Your commentary about Dulles Rail is nothing more than untruths to push your anti-union agenda. PLA’s do not require union membership, only that prevailing wages are paid.
Would you rather have more workers without health care or on government assistance? The anti-union bias of this paper is laughable.
Frank Holmes
Mechanicsville, Md.
Vouchers would violate Virginia Constitution
Re: “Virginia GOP pushes for school vouchers,” Jan. 24
Virginia Republicans’ plan to provide tax-code vouchers for church-related private schools clearly violates the spirit and intent of Articles I and IV of the Virginia Constitution. It is hard to believe that legislators in Virginia would thumb their noses at the same religious freedom provisions that were originated by Virginians Thomas Jefferson and James Madison that became the pattern for our whole country.
This voucher plan is especially objectionable when we see public school budgets being slashed.
Edd Doerr
President, Americans for Religious Liberty
Silver Spring
Atheist’s beliefs don’t conflict with mine
Re: “Rick Wingrove,” Credo, Jan. 1
Atheist Rick Wingrove listed his defining beliefs as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; separation of church and state; science; and the goodness of humanity.” As a life-long Catholic, I embrace these concepts unreservedly. My fervent beliefs in a loving Creator and a world beyond this one do not contradict a single one of Mr. Wingrove’s guiding principles.
Perhaps Mr. Wingrove should reassess his rejection of the word “faith,” which is not synonymous with “religion.” Petty crimes and atrocities committed in the Lord’s name by self-serving hypocrites do not negate the existence of God. Science can explain the “manifestation of matter” that is the natural world, but faith addresses what existed before — and always will be.
Rachele Valente
Burke
