Clergy should express contrition

As penance for his involvement in the murder of Thomas Beckett, Henry II, king of England, walked to Canterbury Cathedral in sackcloth and ashes and allowed himself to be publicly flogged by the monks. Why, then, could not Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia simply have made a public admission of errant priests, rather than lead an apparent cover-up of his reassigning them without any punishment, thereby exposing other innocent children to clergy abuse?

The trial resulting from this cover-up is causing a very damaging humiliation of the Catholic Church. We, the church's laity, demonstrate our humility and humanity through the vehicle of confession; for by admitting our sinful indiscretions, we are by absolution restored to a state of grace. Are members of the church hierarchy above this display of humility and humanity through the vehicle of public confession, with absolution granted by its laity? This could restore much faith in the laity not in God, but in those ordained to act as shepherds of the flock.

After many delays, a generic for the drug Lipitor was finally approved. A generic was made available, but what happened? Pfizer, the maker of Lipitor, persuaded the generic manufacturer to keep its price the same as Lipitor's, just for a short while. I recently went online to order my third 90-day supply of Lipitor, and guess what? The price for the generic is still the same as Lipitor's. This is not a short while in my view. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration does nothing about this scam. What is even stranger is that I can order from Canada, get 100 pills, and save about $40. Is anything on the up and up anymore?

"Red-light cameras: Cash cow in the fast lane" (June 3) wrongly casts those who run red lights as victims of a government ploy, when in fact they are lawbreakers who should be held accountable for their actions. In 2002, we learned firsthand the result of drivers "blowing through the intersection a second after the traffic light turned red" when our daughter, Sarah, was killed by a driver who did just that. Our grandchildren lost their mother because of a driver who felt he could ignore a red light.

As stated in your article, 676 are killed in red-light running crashes every year. Further, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study you referenced concluded safety cameras saved 159 lives in 14 cities in just four years. Safety cameras make people think twice before they drive in an irresponsible and dangerous manner. Restricting the use of these cameras in New Jersey, or passing on the opportunity to expand this technology in Pennsylvania, would be a step in the wrong direction.

I read your article concerning red light cameras with interest. If anyone is naive enough to think this is a safety issue, I've got some swampland in Florida for sale real cheap.

Putting aside the whole Orwellian issue, this is all about municipalities looking for ways to raise revenue. It's a disgrace, and amounts to a further tax on local residents who are already taxed to the max. Almost everywhere these cameras have been challenged in court, they have been declared unconstitutional, most recently in Florida.

More than 90 percent of the violations incurred nationwide for red-light camera violations are for the so-called "rolling right-hand turn." If authorities are so concerned about safety at certain intersections, just erect a "No Turn on Red" sign. I rest my case.

The position played by Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins was described incorrectly in Thursday's Letters section.