To the Editor:

    Mr. Knight is right, there are food stamp recipients that are abusing the program.  Where he is wrong is assuming that every person on the program is an abuser.  The vast majority of recipients do not have spinner hub caps, Bluetooth or iPhones.
    Of the total on the program, 49 percent are white, 26 percent are black  and the rest are Native American or other.  I doubt that Mr. Knight and  friends want to deprive the  honest recipients  of being able to feed their families. Rightfully, they are mad at the ones that they see as abusers.  The program needs changes, and you can go back many administrations that have let abuse happen.  I AM VERY MAD about the many  WEALTHY AMERICANS  who  CHEAT  ON INCOME TAXES or keep their money in foreign countries so that they do not have to pay  U.S. taxes. That is costing all of us a lot of money because we have to make up what is needed to operate the country.
    What concerns me is this  condescending attitude about the LESS FORTUNATE.  Mr. Romney and his followers DON'T UNDERSTAND that there are many Americans who CANNOT RISE ABOVE THEIR STATION IN LIFE.
    Mr. Romney and many of his party want President Obama to send American troops to Syria, NOT AN AMERICAN ALLY, at a huge cost of American lives and money.  They also want to CUT PROGRAMS FOR NEEDY AMERICANS.  WHY AREN'T THEY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMERICANS DYING BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD HEALTH CARE, FOOD OR SHELTER?

Barry Lurey
Madison
Via e-mail

Printed in the June 21, 2012 edition