Evening star., 1960-09-14
LETTERS TO THE STAR
ReIiqion and the Presidency

that these C a t h holicS who
planned to vote for Mr.. Ken
nedy were not necessarily
bigots. I think, therefore,
that The Star should clearly
take the position that any
body who based his vote sole
ly on religious grounds was a
bigot regardless of his reli-
gious affiliation.
In the United States the
Catholic church claims be-
tween 200 and 300 times as
many members as the Quak-
ers. To equate all non-Cath-
olics to Quakers appears to
me to be as unreasonable as
it would be to classify Nor
mons and the Russian Orth-
odox church as Roman Cath
olic because they have hier-
arches.
F. COggeshall.
- EA
1t seems no matter how
hard we try, the case of re-
ligion in politics is here to
stay, at least until the 1860
presidential election is de-
cided. Just about everyone,
from the highest ranking
politician to plain Mr.. John
Q. Public, has issued state
ments or commented gener-
ally that religion, particu-
larry Senator Kennedy's,
should not be made a cam
paign issue. The more we cry
out against it. the more it
becomes a point of conten-
ton.
In all probability this will
work adversely for the Mas
.sachusetts Senator, for the
simple reason that there are
at least twice as many Prot
estant voters in the United
States as there are Catho-
Lie, and generally speaking
all churches exert some in
f1uence over their congrega-
tionS. Principal issues such
as foreign affairs, health, ed
ucation, civil rights. etc.,
have become secondary con-
SiderationS.
Almost daily prominent
churchmen are speaking for
or against one or the other
candidate. If the trend con-
tinueS, Vice President Nix
on's margin of victory will
probably be greater than was
President Eisenhower's over
Stevenson in 1856.
Herbert SOmmers.
+ +
I have a question concern
ing Senator Kennedy's re-
ligion. Furthermore. l con-
slider it legitimate question
and I thoroughly resent the
current attitude that any
reference to the Senator's
religion is the work of bigots.
I wish the Senator would
explain the necessity of the
birth control law in his home
State. I realize that Cath
olic interests didn't put the
law on the books originally.
but at the present time the
Catholic majority in his
State continually lobbies and
otherwise supports the law
every time it comes up for
review.
If this law did not exist in
Massachusetts, the Catholic
population would still have
their right to refrain from
using birth control methods.
With this law in effect
though. persons who desire
to employ some type of birth
control are denied their right
to do so.
1t appears to me as an at
tempt of the Catholic ma
Jority to force the nom
Catholic minority to conform
to Catholic dogma.
c. c. Philip.
y
Since certain segments of
the population have taken it
upon themselves to bring up
the matter of Senator Ken
nedy's religion, is it not fair
play to turn about and bring
up the matter of Vice Presi-
dent Nixon's honorary mem
bership in the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement
of Colored People? If it is
logical to fear that a Catholic
in the White House would be
too greatly influenced by
Rome, is it not just as logical
to fear that an NAACP mem
Der in the White House would
take orders from Harlem?
Both candidates are prom
Using things to colored people,
to union workers and to farm
ers; but what about the great
majority Of unorganized white
taxpayers? Are we the for
gotten men and women of this
political campaign r. Nj.
Il