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Re: Let us study Canada's health care system, eh?, June 29 column by Jan Glidewell:
Editor: Glidewell apparently feels we all should be happy to pay more taxes as long as those taxes go toward the growing list of entitlements he supports, and that we, our children and grandchildren will have to pay for in the future. His recent column on health care reflects his left-wing, Robin Hood view that as long as someone else pays, what's wrong with free health care for everyone?
He commented that "people who have the privilege (health care that they have paid for) are much less likely to see it as a right than those who do not." Well, Jan, you mean people who have worked and earned something are not as likely to want to be forced to pay for the needs of others who have not earned it and will not pay for it?
There is no free lunch, Mr. Glidewell. Americans have the right to earn their own way. When did everything from free university education, to free health care, to subsidized child care credits become entitlements?
Charity has a very important place in society, but our government is not, and should not be, that place.
By the way, as I am certain Mr. Glidewell knows, Canadian drug prices are lower for some drugs because the Canadian government restricts the prices that can be charged for them, not because of socialized medicine.
Re: Children aren't mature enough for nudist camps, June 24 letter to the editor responding to Can't critic see camp is nude, but not lewd?, June 23 column by Jan Glidewell:
Editor: I think that Mr. Stathis and congressman Mark Foley should do a bit of research on nudist camps and children. All of the children involved with this camp have been nudists for a good many years. This summer camp has run for more than 10 years. These kids will have a much better feeling of self without all the body consciousness that most of us have.
I am not a nudist. I have never been to a nudist camp. But travels to Europe and the Far East demonstrated that nudity on beaches and certain work environments was more the norm. Raised as a prude, I began to ask questions. Surprise! I found that some of the best-educated Republicans with Ph.D.s and other esoteric degrees were nudists. Frank discussions led me to believe that nudism at a young age would be much better than the repressive morality that most of us experienced.
Where did the moral burquas come from in our great country? Why is it normal for nudity to be displayed on the front page of newspapers in Europe? Television ads all over Europe display nudity as normal.
Are we Americans correct, that all nudity is bad? Perhaps the Taliban is correct and all people should wear burquas.
Mr. Foley is an uninformed politician. He understands that most of the electorate was raised to be prudes. I remain a prude. Not now as much as was drummed into me as a kid, but enough to know I will not become a nudist.
From discussions and a bit of reading, I think the kids in this camp are better equipped to handle the big world and their bodies than most of us were as kids, or even adults.
The one good thing I see happening will be stories by real investigative reporters. Let the truth prevail.