Great letter to the Editor

[Cthulhu]

This appeared on the Editorial Page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch July 7, 2008. If you think it is appropriate for the times, pass it on.
 
Editor
Times-Dispatch
 
    Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30, I celebrate my independence day and on July 4, I celebrate America's. This year is special because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.
 
    On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later, I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.
 
    I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950's, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.
 
    When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said "Praise the Lord." And when the young leader said, "I will be for change and I'll bring you change, everyone yelled, "Viva Fidel!"
 
    But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education, it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented, Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over, more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.
 
    Luckily, we would never fall in America for a left-leaning young leader who promises change without asking, "What change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?"
 
    Would we?
 
                                    Manuel Alvarez, Jr

[Hornet33]

Yeah that about sums it up.

[midnight Target]

LOL... that is some funny stuff there.

Is Obama a Commie or a Muslim? I wish you guys would make up your minds.

[Speed55]

A little of each, after all, this is the melting pot isn't it.

[Hornet33]

Anyone who thinks that the government should provide anything for the people other than for the common defence is a commie in my book. Wellfare programs are communist by nature, socialized health care, hell yeah that communist by nature. The ENTIRE left wing PC crowd is nothing but a bunch of commies. We should do it for the greater good?? Give me a break. I'm an American, I could care less about the greater good. I take care of myself and my family first. Why should my family and I have to take our money, give it to the government, to be dolled back out to folks that are too damn lazy to work for it? For the greater good? That's how a commie thinks, and that's how your boy Obama thinks. The end of strife in America can be solved with enough social programs so everyone feels equal. Piss on that. That's NOT what this country is supposed to be about. Those that can do, and those that can't get left behind. Yeah it's harsh but life is harsh, at least it supposed to be.

[midnight Target]

You drive to work on a private road?

[Maverick]

Hornet,

That's real interesting there. I have a question then.

I grew up on Social Security since my Dad died when I was 7. My mother did work but was hardly able to maintain the household finances totally on her own. According to your utopia paradigm, we should have been told that's tough and been left to starve or scavenge on our own. Is this really the situation you want to espouse?

BTW do you figure that the FDA, FAA and other Federal agencies do not have a role in maintaining either your lifestyle, security, health and other benefits since they are not defense related? How about the Coast Guard? Under your standard there is no need of lifesaving missions and therefor the Navy has all the resources for defense. No need for the Coasties. Yes I know they have other missions but that is one of their largest. The rest could be handled as well by the other services.

[SpazMan]

Hornet,

That's real interesting there. I have a question then.

I grew up on Social Security since my Dad died when I was 7. My mother did work but was hardly able to maintain the household finances totally on her own. According to your utopia paradigm, we should have been told that's tough and been left to starve or scavenge on our own. Is this really the situation you want to espouse?

BTW do you figure that the FDA, FAA and other Federal agencies do not have a role in maintaining either your lifestyle, security, health and other benefits since they are not defense related? How about the Coast Guard? Under your standard there is no need of lifesaving missions and therefor the Navy has all the resources for defense. No need for the Coasties. Yes I know they have other missions but that is one of their largest. The rest could be handled as well by the other services.

Mav, I don't think that's what he meant. Your Mom and Dad paid into the system which entitles you to that money. I believe the beef is providing benefits to people like illegal immigrants that haven't paid into the system. My first wife passed at 27. She had two daughters from a previous relationship that received Social Security benefits. Just like them, you received the benefits that you parent would have gotten if he lived to retirement......Just my 2 cents.....

[Maverick]

SpazMan,

Look again at the beginning of Hornet's post, here I'll quote it for you.

"Anyone who thinks that the government should provide anything for the people other than for the common defence is a commie in my book. Wellfare programs are communist by nature, socialized health care, hell yeah that communist by nature."

Please note that taxes paid to the government are not specifically earmarked to a particular portion of the government. In other words you can't tell the irs that your taxes only go to the Military so ANY money paid for any welfare services is communist in Hornets book. It's not related to the "common defense".

[slipknot]

LOL... that is some funny stuff there.

Is Obama a Commie or a Muslim? I wish you guys would make up your minds.

Why's it funny?

If it's authentic then it comes from a person whose experience in applied politics is pretty relevant to any election, not just this one. Of course, just because it happened in Cuba doesn't mean it can happen here, right? We are the most special people in the world, afterall, and completely immune to parasitic political agendas as the last decade and half has proven.

[Hornet33]

Social security is not a wellfare program. And yes I over simplified my statement. My problem is with all the social programs and the social conditioning they breed. How many people do you know that have been on wellfare their entire lives? I know a bunch and they have NO desire to get off that wellfare. It's free money and they don't have to do a damn thing to earn it, and where does that money come from? Your's and my taxes. To continualy take from those of us that do work hard and continualy give to those that don't and provide them with benifits that they have not earned is what I consider communist, and that's EXACTLY what Obama and all the other left wing Democrats want to do.

The more they can make the people of this country dependant on the government for their very survival the more power they have, and the more power they get the more freedoms they'll take away for "the greater good".

[SpazMan]

Social security is not a wellfare program. And yes I over simplified my statement. My problem is with all the social programs and the social conditioning they breed. How many people do you know that have been on wellfare their entire lives? I know a bunch and they have NO desire to get off that wellfare. It's free money and they don't have to do a damn thing to earn it, and where does that money come from? Your's and my taxes. To continualy take from those of us that do work hard and continualy give to those that don't and provide them with benifits that they have not earned is what I consider communist, and that's EXACTLY what Obama and all the other left wing Democrats want to do.

The more they can make the people of this country dependant on the government for their very survival the more power they have, and the more power they get the more freedoms they'll take away for "the greater good".

To the point of the welfare system, in order to get a paying job these days you need to take a drug test. Well I believe that the same should go for the welfare system. If you want a check you should be subject to random drug tests just like most employees......

[SpazMan]

SpazMan,

Look again at the beginning of Hornet's post, here I'll quote it for you.

"Anyone who thinks that the government should provide anything for the people other than for the common defence is a commie in my book. Wellfare programs are communist by nature, socialized health care, hell yeah that communist by nature."

Please note that taxes paid to the government are not specifically earmarked to a particular portion of the government. In other words you can't tell the irs that your taxes only go to the Military so ANY money paid for any welfare services is communist in Hornets book. It's not related to the "common defense".

I did read the post and there is a difference between social security and welfare. Welfare is unearned money and social security is paid for by your parents hence you were entitled to that.

[Cthulhu]

Why's it funny?

If it's authentic then it comes from a person whose experience in applied politics is pretty relevant to any election, not just this one. Of course, just because it happened in Cuba doesn't mean it can happen here, right? We are the most special people in the world, afterall, and completely immune to parasitic political agendas as the last decade and half has proven.

You know Slipknot, the ironic (and frightening) thing is that those very words could have been spoken by a German citizen in 1945. In no way am I comparing Obama to Hitler, but if the educated, level-headed, practical Germans bought into something they later regretted, then why can't we?

[slipknot]

You know Slipknot, the ironic (and frightening) thing is that those very words could have been spoken by a German citizen in 1945. In no way am I comparing Obama to Hitler, but if the educated, level-headed, practical Germans bought into something they later regretted, then why can't we?

We'll get wise one way or another, Cthulhu. Sadly, it's more likely that this wisdom will come through hindsight, rather than anticipation.