America Magazine

Hi,

Its been a while since I've written. One of my publications is the Jesuit America Magazine. I really liked the February 5 issue.

First, on page 4, is "Hispanics, Immigration and the War". It brings up the point that while minorities (Blacks and Hispanics) are such a small portion of the population (15% and 10%, respectively) that nearly half the military is Black. So that only half is White, Hispanic, and Asian. And that although only 10% of America is Hispanic (and legal) while a much large percentage of the military is Hispanic.

So that, largely, White Americans are probably not part of the military. Me, I registered for the draft during high school, when I turn eighteen. And I tried to enlist - but in 1993 they were looking for a reason to kick people out and, with myself, the found a reason to not let me in.

But while nearly 70% of voting Hispanics supported Republicans in the past, last year nearly 70% supported Democrats.

The second article is on the same page: "Santorum Returns". I don't have anything against Rick Santorum that I don't have against most Republicans. He's ethical, he's moral - which are two big plusses. But while he was senator, and probably still, he's views it as his right to force Americans to adopt Christian ethics and morality.

The third article was on page 6 - "Pope asks Turkey to Recognize Church". On this the issue is manyfold.

The article started with Benedict's visit to Turkey last year. How Turkey recognizes the Church, partially, but doesn't recognize the Church entirely (seminaries). And then there is the issue of recognizing Vatican City as a foreign country versus recognizing Catholicism as part of Christianity - a foreign religion. On the upside, at least the Byzantine Catholics are Catholic and not Orthodox; so that part is clean.

In the U.S. some illegal immigrats have claimed political assylum, from the United States, within Churches. I don't know if the police have persued them, but this was several months ago, so I'm certain that they left the Church since that time.

take care,

Jay