The Point of Reagan’s Message

After reading all the responses (Letters, Feb. 17) to your editorial (Feb. 8), “Their Land, Too,” wherein you criticize the President’s State of the Union speech, forces me to respond.

First off, I’d like to state I did not come from a wealthy, affluent family. I come from a family where I was taught that the way to get ahead in the world was to do more than the other fellow so as to get noticed.

I was taught that if you wanted to go to college you earned the money, saved it and paid for your own education. I was taught that you should do for yourself and that the only thing the government ever did was to you, not for you.

I was taught that you must make it your goal to provide for yourself in your old age and that you should never be a detriment to your children. I was taught that if you got married and had children it was your personal responsibility to provide shelter and care for them.

You and most of today’s liberal-minded people missed the whole point of the President’s speech, and that is that this is still the same country it always was, it’s still free and its Constitution and laws give everyone the privilege to do whatever he wants for himself and his family.

We need to get the government and its ridiculous wasteful no-incentive programs put behind us and allow people their use of their abilities and incentives. Don’t reward people for doing nothing and let’s initiate tax laws that reward effort.

WILLIAM EARNST

Orange