Why Citizens Hate Government

* Re “Asking the Public for a Little Respect,” June 30:

The article failed to raise a crucial question: Why do otherwise rational citizens hate their own government?

As a public servant with over three decades of experience, I can tell you that many public agencies treat citizens’ requests for help with genuine politeness.

Public servant politeness is born of their own personal experience seeking help from public agencies deliberately understaffed by the elected officials that created them. Public servants are not outer-space aliens. We too must go to the DMV and get marriage licenses and building permits. We treat applicants to our agencies as we would like to be treated.

I frequently hear the disembodied voice on my agency telephone soften and express heartfelt thanks for assistance in navigating the administrative maze created by our elected officials. Most citizens remember their contact with my agency as a positive experience.

Many applicants’ first words to us are dripping with hatred. They have been taught, often with the aid of corporate media like The Times, to hate their own government.

Miserable creatures like Tim McVeigh in Oklahoma are an unfortunate and extreme byproduct of the anti-government campaign put forth by the corporations that have bought with “campaign contributions” virtually every favor government can grant them. Corporate interests recognize that the only thing that prevents their complete control of everything is the very government they have purchased.

ALAN NESTLINGER

Santa Ana