Letters to the editor

Oops! He missed someone

Last December, I wrote a letter to the editor in which I thanked the Loyal Order of the Moose for hosting the annual Christmas Party for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Winchester, Frederick & Clarke Counties. I forgot to mention Jane Johnson and Robbie Anderson.

“Thanks Jane!” and “Thanks Robbie!” — the party wouldn’t have been the same without your help!

Michael Patierno

Board Member

BB/BS of Winchester,

Frederick & Clarke Counties

Too many takers, too few makers

Jonathan M. Cooper had a letter published in the Jan. 2 Winchester Star. While I have no dog in his fight with Winchester Medical Center, he did use an interesting analogy using his family business of electrical contracting.

There is, however, one factor that he overlooked in the comparison. He complained about a $5,000 bill for an ER visit and wondered what the ER doctor would do if the situation were reversed.

If an electrical contractor was required by the government to render service to any deadbeat who reported an electrical problem, he may well have to charge $5,000 per call to those responsible people who do pay.

Our society has too many takers and not enough makers.

The problem with the cost of medical care (other than tort lawyers) is that the fee charged must cover not only the immediate patient’s care but also those who can’t or won’t pay. The issue isn’t the cost of care we receive, but the cost to us for the care that others receive.

We need to face reality. The low-information voters have prevailed, so the problem will not be addressed. The producers will continue to be fleeced to “redistribute” to the takers.

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” — Karl Marx.

Kenneth Plog

Frederick County

Hard to learn what brain holds

I read the Friday, Dec. 14, comics four days late. A kid was asking an adult if Santa Claus worked for Homeland Security because he knows when you are naughty or nice.

The young man in Newtown, Conn., probably decided to test Homeland Security. Well, he showed that Homeland Security is not as good as Santa Claus.

Another thought occurred. I read or heard that the mother of the young man had bought the gun used in the shootings. It didn’t say when or why she bought the gun. She probably didn’t realize her son was mentally unbalanced.

As a youth of 11, I bought my own single-shot .22 rifle. I learned a little, so I quickly learned in World War II how 20-mm machine guns and .45 caliber pistols worked. I also learned how depth charges and torpedoes worked as well as 5-inch guns.

I never taught my daughter about guns, but she learned as a correctional officer. But what is in a person’s brain is more difficult to learn.

Kenton Gambill

Strasburg