Religious programs must be able to protect their identity

Religious programs must be able to protect their identity
EDITOR:
I would like to respond to your Opinion column of Sept. 26, "Religion and Head Start shouldn't be mixed."
The Catholic church and other religious entities serve people of all faiths, often the most poor and vulnerable in our society, through education, health and social services agencies. Many of these agencies receive government funds or government funded services. Indeed, Catholic programs have been receiving government funds to provide assistance to the poor and needy for over 150 years.
To maintain its very identity, a religious or faith-based organization must be able to consider an individual's religious affiliation and willingness to support the mission and values of the institution when making employment decisions. Congress recognized this need when it passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by specifically exempting religious employers from the Title VII restrictions on consideration of religion in hiring decisions, and again in 1972 when it clarified the reach of that exemption.
The amendments related to the House and Senate versions of the School Readiness Act of 2005 (HR2123) that involve Head Start do not expand or limit the language of Title VII. This amendment, mentioned in your opinion column, allows for religion to be considered by the employer. It does not, as some have argued, require it.
BRIAN R. CORBIN
Executive Director
Catholic Charities Services & amp; Health Affairs
The oil keeps flowing and the profits keep growing
EDITOR:
I believe it was on his second visit to Louisiana that the president said oil was being pumped, yet the oil companies chose to raise their prices after recording record profits of at least 35 percent (when gasoline was under $2 a gallon). The largest producer only refines about 3 percent of our consumption and together with Texas refine about 25 percent production. The rest of it comes from overseas. They import gasoline, oil, natural gas, and propane gas. That is why you don't see any long lines at gas pumps. They are talking about raising the price of natural gas, a storable item. It is September and if they don't have enough for winter now shame on them.
Congress just passed a massive energy bill but I did not see any money for overhauling or rebuilding refineries or building new plants. The government can donate some land to any company willing to build new refineries from some of the bases that are being closed. They should be built away from hurricane and tornado areas.
The oil minister of Kuwait said that there is plenty of oil and that Halliburton is making more money off of their oil than they are. Halliburton -- isn't this the same company that got caught for overcharging (or price gouging) us three times for fuel and once for food? Funny I don't see any fines, penalties, or restitution paid. The president said the guilty will be punished he didn't say when. No wonder Halliburton stock rose from $33 a share to $66 at present since the Iraqi war.
President Bush and his vice president are oil people. Don't expect anything different or relief. Maybe we invaded Iraq to stop Saddam Hussein from selling a billion dollars of oil illegally, therefore keeping oil prices down. We will never know.
SAM DEPIETRO
Girard