Rachel Pokora and Patty Hawk, important local and national Call to Action officials, deny that CTA supports abortion and present themselves as mainstream believers (Letters, June 17). But the “actions” of Call to Action do not lie.

For example, the CTA Web site has a link to one of the most militant pro-abortion organizations in the world, which also happens to be a dues-paying affiliate of CTA. CTA member and speaker Diann Neu, a self-identified lesbian liturgist, gives women pre-abortion blessings and stated, “All their choices, including the choice for abortion, are holy and healthy.”

CTA speaker Edwina Gately put the feelings of CTA toward the Catholic Church succinctly. She said, “The Church must die!” according to Catholic World News. These do not sound like Catholics I know and with whom I pray.

Call to Action shows itself to be an elitist, far-left organization that looks down on believing Catholics and disdains the teachings of the Catholic Church. Masquerading as Catholics, they show themselves to be the peddlers of spiritual and physical violence. The religion they desire and ardently work for is, in most every way, entirely different from the Catholic religion. In the Lincoln Diocese, thanks to our bishop, CTA has to choose whether they want to be Catholics or something else. The choice they have made is obvious to all.

Agnes Anderson, Lincoln

Montanez a good choice

On June 15, the White House announced the president’s intention to nominate Nancy Montanez to be the next Undersecretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. Nebraska Appleseed is very excited and pleased that Montanez has been selected. 

Nebraska Appleseed has been engaged, in the last three years, in evaluating and proposing reforms to Nebraska’s food and nutrition programs. In particular, thousands of low-income working Nebraska families are going without food stamps even though they are eligible, and many of Nebraska’s school breakfast programs are not reaching all the children who need the help.

Under Montanez’s leadership, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has taken steps toward simplifying the food stamp application.

In addition, Nebraska now uses “simplified reporting” to decrease administrative and family burden and offers transitional food stamps to low-income families transitioning into the workforce.  

We believe Montanez will provide even more of the same quality leadership on hunger issues at the USDA.

Jen Hernandez and Milo Mumgaard

Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest

An error of appreciation

In response to Mike Huddleston’s June 24 letter regarding estate taxes, Huddleston errs on one important point.

Capital appreciation, mostly on real estate, constitutes much of the value of estates in general. Taxes have not been paid on this wealth, thus there is no double taxation on this portion of an estate. 

His argument should be that estate taxes should not be levied on wealth on which previous taxes have been paid. 

John Schmitz, Lincoln

A grad card from Ken

I don’t know how others feel, but my son got a graduation card from Ken Svoboda. I had to do a double take because on the front of the card it had the City Council logo and 555 S. 10th St. as the return address. That’s City Hall!

On the back, in very small print it has a “paid for” line that shows it was paid for out of Svoboda’s campaign funds. I think the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission ought to look into whether elected officials can send out material, paid for with campaign dollars, while using the governmental logo and return address.

Julia C. Kennedy, Lincoln