Cardinal Mahony
* Cardinal Roger Mahony has seriously overstepped separation of church and state in his attempt to influence public policy to the ultimate benefit of the Catholic Church (“Extend Benefits to Non-Citizens, Mahony Urges,” Sept. 30). If the church wants to tap its overflowing coffers to pay for the health and welfare services of illegal immigrants, fine. But as a non-taxpaying entity, the church should have no say as to what taxpaying citizens of this country should finance.
Perhaps the taxpayers of this country need to call for a rescission of the tax code that exempts churches from taxation. They are all involved up to their ears in politics.
Maybe if Cardinal Mahony saw how little one nets from gross earnings after the government takes its many bites, he wouldn’t be so eager for yet another wasteful government entitlement program to be enacted, especially for illegals.
LAURELLA A. CROSS
Irvine
* Cardinal Mahony is absolutely correct--undocumented (illegal) immigrants should be covered under the newly proposed universal health plan. They are here and they must be treated humanely.
Since they are in our country illegally, they should be directed to a specific health-care facility designed and set up to treat criminals. When they are physically able, they should then be returned to their homeland.
Our country has an immigration law that forbids people from entering the United States without proper authorization. People entering without property authorization are criminals and they must be treated as such.
CLARENCE W. HAYWARD
Los Angeles
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