Assessing Views of Taxes, Quality Education and Protest

I am responding to the misleading article about the Huntington Beach tax protest (July 26). Although the overwhelming majority of speakers were against the tax, two of the three quoted in the article were for it, and one of these was given a prominent position under the “Highlights” section.

The crowd was rather cavalierly described as “primarily placard-carrying senior citizens.” I saw only two placards--one on each side of the issue. The story conveniently ignored speeches by a number of young people, including a mother-to-be who described the dead weight of taxes on young families. Even if most of the people had gray hair, does this mean that their opinions are of no value?

Whether or not a tax is absolutely necessary, the will of an obvious majority should never be casually ignored in a free society. Otherwise, freedom will die, and all government institutions, including schools, will become instruments of oppression. I can assure you the citizens of Orange County will not let this happen.

ROBERT D. FRANCIS, Huntington Beach