Letters to the Editor, Dec. 19

Bill good for women worldwide

This summer, I interned at Immokalee Pregnancy Center, where I saw firsthand the necessity of supporting women throughout their pregnancies. The women I learned from were dedicated and compassionate, as they sought to empower women to have successful pregnancies and raise healthy children.

I haven’t forgotten their mission while attending Harvard University. Everyone needs health care, especially when pregnant. Unfortunately, the system of support found at the Immokalee Pregnancy Center isn’t available around the world.

According to the World Health Organization, 830 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth; that number should be zero. WHO also attributes 99 percent of these deaths to developing countries, where health care access is limited by distance, inadequate services and poverty.

Both the Senate and House have introduced legislation entitled the Reach Every Mother and Child Act. This act represents America’s shared responsibility in combating these deaths by mandating a coordinated response to the issue. It seeks to improve the transparency and accountability of U.S. maternal and child health efforts while encouraging new partnerships. The bill doesn’t increase funding, but rather involves restructuring the U.S. Agency for International Development for maximum efficiency. Without this bill, women and their families will continue to suffer. I want to thank Sen. Marco Rubio for co-sponsoring it already.

I call on Rep. Francis Rooney and Sen. Bill Nelson to co-sponsor the bill, as well as Rubio to make it a priority in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where it’s pending. I also urge constituents to call their representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the legislation to help prevent maternal and child deaths around the world.

Rosie Poling, Marco Island

Demand Congress release list

We taxpayers have unknowingly paid $17 million to cover up sexual harassment by members of the U.S. Senate and House. And now our elected officials are refusing to make public the list of perverts. They in effect are making each and every one of us complicit in this disgusting behavior.

Anyone on that list should be removed from office immediately, regardless of his or her party affiliation or position.

Call your senators and congressmen at 202-224-3121 and demand that the information be made public. And make no contributions until they comply.

Ro Jones, Isles of Capri

Religion in exile

As I was going about Christmas shopping on Saturday, I wanted to by some religious Christmas cards. Since I was in Winn-Dixie looking at the cards, there was not one religious card to be found.

I called for the manager and told him that it upset me that Hanukkah cards were there but no Christian religious cards. He said he was unaware and would speak to the vendor. I asked him if Winn-Dixie was anti-Christian and he said a resounding ‘no!’

Being partially satisfied, I went to CVS. Same thing. No religious Christmas cards, but plenty of Hanukkah cards. Again I called for the manager who was very polite and said he could find none. He said he was very appreciative that I brought this to his attention and would contact the vendor. By the way, Hallmark is CVS's vendor. As I was still on a mission, I went to the bookstore on Collier Boulevard. No religious cards to be found except for a few boxed cards stored in a corner hardly able to be seen. I mentioned it to the clerk who said they apparently were all sold out. Yeah, right!

Needless to say, I feel sad that people are falling for the liberal and Democrats lines of crap where Christmas is concerned. Remember, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Without His birth, there would be no Christmas.

I strongly suggest that you think twice about purchasing Hallmark Cards as well as not watching the Hallmark channel since they eliminate the word “God” from their broadcasts.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Phyllis Sinoradzki, Marco Island