Cal Thomas’ inaccurate focus on the Occupy movement (Nov. 27) is a misdiagnosis of what is causing that newsworthy event.
Thomas seems to have little concern for the anger and frustration resulting from inept politicians preoccupied with re-election, rather than their mandated responsibility to manage spending, debt and control of reckless, excessive greed.
Many Occupiers, and those sympathetic to them, are well-educated but now-laid-off former producers in society. They have become victims of a once-balanced, healthy economic system.
Now, they seek, peacefully, attention from those who are indifferent yet whose assistance could keep the unjust, unfortunate mess from becoming worse.
Thomas lacks empathy for those victims of a circumstance caused by others’ greed. Many of those “others” are being paid excessively for questionable productivity. Lobbyists’ millions are being used to buy unearned favors and reward sloth.
How can those in the middle income portion of the nation be expected to continue keeping the nation’s economy in the black as consumers, while carrying the majority of the tax burden and still be generously responsive, as most have been, to human need?
Mohandas Gandhi rightly listed among the seven modern sins: wealth without work, politics without principles and commerce without morality. How sad it is that many seem not to want to understand that.
Yes, there always is the need for persistence and hard work, as Thomas reminds us. But we need to return to an ethically level economic playing field for those many deserving justice and compassion.
Lawrence Merckens, Manchester
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