Sacred and Profane

Re “High Court Backs Forced Confessions,” June 11: After reading about this 5th Amendment decision I was struck by some parallels between our Supreme Court justices and our Catholic bishops. Both have been given lifetime appointments without accountability. Both inhabit “ivory towers” of legalistic theory. Both use their semantic skills to arrive at conclusions that defy logic. Both explain why it is right for them to have done wrong rather than admit their mistakes. And both are out of touch with the people they purport to serve.

Christopher Plourde

Venice