Views in brief
Rising bills, fewer work hours
REGARDING "SERVICE workers facing cuts": I am currently enrolled as a full-time student and pay for a lot of my own expenses.
I have worked in the service industry for years, mainly as a cook. I have been working at a local restaurant since the beginning of the fall semester. I use to work for the school, but they paid only minimum wage and gave me no hours, so I had to quit to find a job that would pay more, due to my mounting expenses.
The restaurant I have been working for this past semester pays only $8 an hour, but they gave me good hours that worked well with my school schedule, so I decided to stay. I figured in this economy I have to take what I can get.
But as of three hours ago, I am only working one shift a week. My boss gave me no explanation, so I am still left in shock.
I have never been late to work in my life and have always worked hard, and supposedly in this capitalist system I am supposed to be rewarded for that. That is obviously a lie. Now I am seeing how working people are a slave to their boss. I realize now that, as a young student, I am not respected and have no chance of job security. But the fight goes on, and I am now in search of a second job as tuition builds each year that I attend school.
I have been a reader of your Web site for almost a year now, and just want you guys to know that I support your cause, and I support any workers' cause to get what they rightfully deserve.
Nick Serasis, from the Internet
Ripped off by the Medicare system
I'M GETTING ready to go on Medicare and never knew how bad Medicare is until now.
First, you have to have A and B coverage at $96.40 a month. It sounds good, but it isn't. Then, you have to get a gap insurance plan to cover what Medicare doesn't--so I can see why the older people can't afford to buy the medicine they need.
Plus, no dental bills will be covered by Medicare at all. You pay out of pocket. So now, an older person not only cannot afford their meds, but their teeth will rot because the dentist is not cheap to go to. It's something I know I won't be able to afford down the road.
The best part is that you do get a little "raise" every year from Social Security--but then that goes to the insurance hikes you get for the gap policy coverage. Our country sure doesn't help its own, now does it?
We need to stop bailing out big companies and start caring about the American people and families.
Carol Hecker, from the Internet
Fighting for programs for youth
REGARDING "MAKING kids pay for the crisis": Our youth need a safe place to engage in constructive activities after school and on their days off school.
The reactionary powers in the city don't think about people first in their decisions. I think the community should stand up to fight to keep the community centers open. Educators in those areas should be part of this struggle too.
This is an opportunity to engage the youth in struggle for something that is meaningful to them and their families. Progressives should use that time to educate the community in democratic struggle.
Mario Pierre, New York City
Harold Pinter's truth
MY THANKS to Anthony Arnove for his fine, incisive obituary for Harold Pinter ("Speaking truth about power"), one of the true greats of 20th-century theater and a courageous voice who never hesitated to speak the truth in the face of injustice.
His loss is significant; his example is immense.
Sara Cody, Los Angeles
Turning a blind eye to Israel's destruction
HOW MANY more civilian men, women and children will be killed by Israel before the U.S. government tells them to stop? I believe in self-defense, and it is stupid for Hamas (or any other group) to attack Israel with ''homemade'' weapons, but this collective punishment is wrong.
Even before 9/11, Israel considered assassinations, renditions, torture and collective punishment to be acceptable government actions. They also have chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
If any other country did the things that Israel has done in the past, ''our'' federal government would condemn their actions, and possibly cut off their foreign aid ($3-5 billion a year, for decades).
The federal government needs to institute a standardized foreign policy. They should treat all foreign countries (Israel/Palestine, China/Taiwan, England/Russia, etc.) by the same standards.
We must not forget that 9/11 happened because of our government's multi-standard foreign policy. Our country should respect and encourage the human rights and the civil liberties of our enemies as well as our friends.
Chuck Mann, Greensboro, N.C.
