EDITOR:

Meals on Wheels for those in need? Not okay. Not in this country. Veterans living under freeway overpasses? Not okay. Not in this country. Salvation Army bell ringers collecting money at Christmas for those in need? Not okay. Not in this country. Marines collecting Toys for Tots? Not okay. Not in this country. People in need having to decide between paying for medications vs. food or heat? Not okay. Not in this country. Food pantries to feed those in need? Not okay. Not in this country. Kids without shoes or winter coats? Not okay. Not in this country. Veterans languishing for months to be treated? Not okay. Not in this country. Organizations asking for donations for cancer research, etc. Not okay. Not in this country. Disabled american veterans having to raise funds? Not okay. Not in this country. Communities struggling to replace need infrastructure? Not okay. Not in this country. Homeless people? Not okay. Not in this country. Mass killings in our grade schools? Not okay. Not in this country. Clergy raping boys and girls? Not okay. Not in this country. Religious hierarchy hiding these rapists? Not okay. Not in this country. Children going to bed hungry at night? Not okay. Not in this country. Election fraud? Not okay. Not in this country. Eighty percent of rape and sexual assaults going unreported? Not okay. Not in this country. The upsurge of hate crimes? Not okay. Not in this country. The Executive Branch in our Capitol in utter disarray and chaos? Not okay. Not in this country. State legislators ignoring the voting results of their constituents? Not okay. Not in this country. Our citizens with little or no medical insurance for themselves or their families? Not okay. Not in this country. Daily home foreclosures on those struggling financially? Not okay. Not in this country. People struggling to pay catastrophic medical bills? Not okay. Not in this country. Lack of mental health services for those in need? Not okay. Not in this country. Denying women’s reproductive rights? Not okay. Not in this country. The lack of spiritual guidance? Not okay. Not in this country. The encroachment of Church in State? Not okay. Not in this country. Pollution of our waters and air? Not okay. Not in this country. Corporate control of government? Not okay. Not in this country. Plans to attack Social Security? Not okay. Not in this country. Refugees families fleeing death coming to this country only to have their children die in our “camps”? Not okay. None of this is ever okay. Not in this country. And yet, this IS our country now. And, just what is your role in all this?

Gerry Niedermaier

Gladstone