Linda Vetterly – 9/18/05

This page was last updated on September 19, 2005.

Relieving real desperation; Linda Vetterly; Beaver County Times; September 18, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately.

“Gas prices are horrible; unemployment is skyrocketing; the working poor can barely manage; state lawmakers are voting themselves a raise even when thousands have no healthcare; people in the greatest country in the world go hungry each day while others throw away a ton of food. I could go on and on, but I’m sure that I don’t need to.”

[RWC] “Unemployment is skyrocketing?” As of August 2005, the national unemployment rate was 4.9%. From where does Ms. Vetterly get her news?

“No healthcare?” I suspect Ms. Vetterly equates healthcare insurance and healthcare. No one in the U.S. goes without healthcare because of a lack of availability.

“People in the greatest country in the world go hungry each day?” No one in the U.S. goes hungry because of a lack of programs to feed the poor.

If Ms. Vetterly went “on and on,” I’ve sure we’d read more erroneous talking points.

“Just when I’m completely disgusted by the situation here in America, a new thought has taken over. Hurricane Katrina has hit and so many people have lost everything. I thought that I was poor before, but now I see what real desperation is. There is only so much most people can do about the economy, government and situations here in the United States, but we can do something to help these affected by the hurricane.

“If every single person in Pennsylvania gave just one dollar to the Salvation Army, Red Cross or some other charity, do you realize how much that would be to help others? One dollar is less than a bag of potato chips or a gallon of gas. Even most poor people can usually find that much loose change around their house.

“I, for one, feel stronger by the help that I can give others. All I have to do is read about all that is happening in Mississippi and New Orleans and then I don’t feel so unfortunate.

“It’s like the saying ‘I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.’ I hope people will stop after reading this letter and think about what I’ve written. I hope they will realize that their situation isn’t as bad as some, and reach into their pockets to help those charitable organizations to help those who desperately need it.”