A call for teamwork
Americans love heroes and heroines whether they are fictitious or authentic human beings. When the future looks bleak, a hero or heroine steps up to the plate or basket. They are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. And here they are: the 2024 Iowa Hawkeye Women’s basketball team and coaches.
It is obvious by the recent sold-out venues for women’s college basketball across the U.S.A. that Americans continue their support for these role models. They modeled what it takes to be successful — teamwork, for example. Teamwork requires cooperation, encouraging and enabling the talents and skills of others for the purpose of group success.
These future leaders have modeled for us voters and politicians how to function as a team that works for the good of the whole country. Unfortunately, to quote President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.”
We can have a hopeful future as a country if politicians and voters model the teamwork of the Iowa Hawkeye Women’s basketball players and their coaches.
Annamarie Marcalus
Iowa City
Inequality of taxation
To the Editor:
In the March 14 editorial, “A taxing question: what serves the common good?,” I fear the message is not of unifying the divided nation at all. Most Americans do not mind paying taxes if they are assured that the government (state or federal) is spending the funds wisely and is intolerant to fraud and waste.
The editorial addresses income taxation, which is imperfect, but generally more equitable than some other modes of taxation. For instance, the inequality of taxation is actually greater in regard to consumption taxes or sales taxes (state and federal). A multitude of sources confirm my statement that sales taxes are more of a burden on lower-income persons and families. My point is that the issue is more complicated than just taxing the “rich,” which is a divisive point of view. Is wealth only measured in income?
In Matthew 22:18-22, Jesus teaches that we must all take personal responsibility to improve humanity. Getting wrapped up in government advocacy misses his point. Following Christ’s example is not about trying to change a government; it is about changing people’s hearts and actions. Handing a government money and tasking them with our collective responsibility gets diluted results, if any. When Catholics, regardless of political leaning, realize that it is their personal duty to serve those in need, the divided nation shall start to mend.
Finally, it is my hope that our diocese would more closely vet organizations that they choose to highlight. It seems many, such as Common Good Iowa, may share a Catholic view on a topic yet support and advocate other causes in conflict with the Church. Such organizations that share the Catholic view on all matters exist, one just needs to look a bit deeper to find them.
Paul Falck
Oskaloosa
Acting upon our faith
To the Editor:
A court in Wisconsin recently denied tax exemption to Catholic Charities because its work is secular and not religious. This decision is idiotic to use a gentle word to describe it.
Matthew 25 describes why we will be judged. Clearly Jesus knew and taught us what real religion is. Our salvation depends on being religious as Jesus portrayed it.
I was hungry and you fed me, in prison and you visited me, naked and you clothed me, thirsty and you gave me to drink. We do recognize the high point of our religion is usually in a church celebrating the Eucharist. But that celebration is to adore God and change us into Christ’s body doing his work in the world as described in Matthew and as carried out by Catholic Charities.
Donald Moeller
Davenport
