There’s a Reason for Discounts for Seniors

Clearly columnist Daniel Akst is not over age 50, or he wouldn’t be grousing so much about senior discounts and equating that large group of citizens with “nerds” (“Seniors Treated Better Than Nerds,” Oct. 22). Had he delved a little further he might have found a rationale for those discounts.

A lot of us were born during the Depression when the quality of life was really at a low ebb. A goodly number have been paying into Social Security since its inception, working long hours when minimum wage was 40 cents an hour. Most were too proud to accept a handout and would have died rather than accept food stamps or welfare had such things been available. We worked, we saved and yes, we do own our homes, by postponing gratification and buying extras only when we could afford to pay cash, for the credit card menace was not available. We didn’t default on loans, resort to Chapter 11, do drugs or join hippie groups. We were reliable citizens.

We were caretakers too. Women generally postponed their careers to stay home with the kids while, perhaps, caring for an aged parent. And, yes, some of us are even raising our grandkids!

Seniors have paid their dues, and discounts are small recompense for years of self-denial, playing the game according to the rules and still managing to survive. “Discrimination” was the word Akst chose to validate his column. Sounds more like sour grapes to me.

GEORGIANNA L. TROIN

Rancho Palos Verdes