Immigration

Re “Catholic Bishops Call for Immigration Reform,” Nov. 17:

As a Catholic I am obliged to follow the directions of Cardinal Roger Mahony and his fellow bishops, but it disturbs me to think that the American people are pointed out as the villains in the immigration morass. It is the corporations that are at fault here. They control the decisions of Mexico and the other Third World countries of our continent to curtail the lifestyles and economic situations of the people so that they remain dirt poor and are forced to come here, work for low wages and compete with Americans for jobs.

The bishops should be addressing the international corporations and the governments of Mexico and Central America and asking for fairness, decency and most of all parity, to make them equal to the U.S. in laws, educational opportunities and jobs. They should, as well, change the traditional Catholic opposition to birth control, so that the poor are able to limit the number of children that they are bringing into the world. We will not be comfortable until these countries are at one with us, and everyone is living a decent existence.

CHARLES J. THOMAS

North Hollywood