Letters to the editor on Operation Holiday, YMCA, tired rhetoric, Fox News, cross case

We can make a difference

Inter-Faith Ministries has a long history of providing support to our community in response to human needs by uniting a diverse group of individuals and businesses. Last year nearly 14,000 people were served by Operation Holiday, our annual food and coat drive.

At Bank of America, we recognize that the health of our business and the health of the economy are inextricably linked. And we are committed to providing meaningful and impactful support to communities — even during challenging economic times such as these — because we know that leadership is even more crucial when families and individuals face significant pressures.

In these times of a tightened economy and increasing jobless rates, the need is even greater to help feed families in the Wichita area. Individuals who have been able to donate in the past now need our help.

It takes a community to make a significant difference in the lives of many. Please support those in need with a donation to a cause close to your heart. We all can make a difference.

SHAWN LANCELOT President Bank of America Operation Holiday chairman

SUE CASTILE Executive director Inter-Faith Ministries Wichita

YMCA facts

I've had about enough of folks bashing the Greater Wichita YMCA. The letter "YMCA spin" (Oct. 12 Letters to the Editor) claimed that the downtown Y is "just a businessman's club" and doesn't serve a "huge charitable purpose." Apparently the writer has not spent much time at the downtown Y and hasn't seen the busloads of low-income kids who regularly stream into it for free swimming lessons. He apparently has not seen, as I have, the line of homeless and poor people that stretches more than a block around the downtown Y each year for the Thanksgiving dinners the Y gives away. He's not aware of the many volunteers who raise thousands of dollars each year at the downtown Y for the kids who benefit from the Y's Strong Kids campaign. He's never witnessed the low-income families signing up for free or reduced-rate memberships at the Y's front desk on a daily basis.

I guess everyone is entitled to his opinion, but I wish people would form their opinions based on facts and not advertisements purchased by bitter would-be rivals.

TOM GILMAN

Wichita

Tired rhetoric

Kansas Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts voted last week against an amendment that would keep the U.S. government from giving defense contracts to companies that restricted their employees' rights to have sexual assault cases heard in a court of law. The argument against the amendment was that it represents an expansion of government powers into private business.

However, these senators had no objection to voting last month to strip ACORN of that organization's federal contracts because of the scandal involving isolated employees giving tax advice to criminals.

Our representatives in the Senate are voting against the rights of women in favor of large corporations. Their only defense is tired rhetoric that doesn't stand up against their previous votes.

KATE DAVIS

Wichita

Pitts is thoughtful

I am left slack-jawed by the recent vehement attacks on columnist Leonard Pitts in The Eagle. Yes, Pitts has a liberal bias. But one would think he was guilty of high treason for daring to assert that Fox News is not a credible news source (Oct. 5 Opinion). He provided a number of examples of blatantly incorrect "facts" that this supposed "neutral" news network has presented. (Others can be found at the Web sites PolitiFact.com and FactCheck.org.) How can the Pitts detractors deny the accuracy of this evidence?

I find that Pitts offers a balance to the ugly negativism that has come to characterize the journalism of the extreme right. He openly promotes the journalistic standards of fairness. He produces thought- provoking responses to controversial issues. He writes with compassion on issues of social justice. Most important, he provides facts and logic to support his assertions.

Oh, that Fox News commentators such as Glenn Beck would be as careful in constructing their arguments. Too often, they don't even bother with supporting evidence. They just spew falsehoods, distortions and empty rhetoric designed to inflame the public.

Do I agree with every assertion that Pitts offers? No, but I do appreciate his attempts to find a common ground for open discussion on a variety of issues, rather than promoting the closing of minds to other sides of an argument.

DEANNA ZITTERKOPF

Wichita

Free to not believe

Columnist Leonard Pitts cited the First Amendment to indicate that a cross in a remote part of the desert erected as a memorial to the dead of World War I violates our Constitution ("Cross case is wrong battle to pick," Oct. 12 Opinion). At the time of our struggle for independence, George the German King of England was the head of the state religion. In addition, the majority of colonies had official state religions. Those who were not adherents to the official religion, especially Catholics, were discriminated against. Thus to protect those who were not adherents, the First Amendment was passed to prohibit Congress from establishing an official religion and to assure that those who were not members of the official religion could freely practice their religion.

The cross, Star of David and Muslim symbol that can be seen in our national cemeteries do not establish a religion. The word "religion" derives from the Latin "legere" or Greek "legein," meaning to bind. This applies to binding adherents together to a common belief. In no way does a religion bind nonbelievers to a God.

The intolerance in this case is more militant than even the state religion in England. Perhaps we should all respect the First Amendment, and allow believers to believe and nonbelievers to disbelieve.

RICHARD GILMARTIN

Wichita