The real reason

In an interview in Parade magazine, the Romneys claim that one reason they won’t release their tax returns is because they don’t want people to see what they tithe to the Mormon church, and that it is a private matter between their family and church [“A conversation with the Romneys,” Aug. 26]. But many times in the past, both Mitt and Ann have publicly stated that they give exactly 10 percent to their church, as prescribed in the Bible. So, there should be nothing surprising about their tithing in releasing their tax returns.

Could it be, though, that the real reason they don’t want to release their tax returns is because they actually didn’t give anywhere near 10 percent to the church, and they just don’t want the church to find out? I mean, really, I have a hard time believing that anyone so immersed in the culture of opportunistic, predatory, cutthroat capitalism (there’s a shorter word for it: greed) could bring themselves to part with that kind of cash.

Until they release their tax returns, questions like this one will continue to cast a cloud over their integrity.

— Gary Gibson, Edmonds