Fond memories of the Postal Service; Michael Kinsley on Wal-Mart; a Ted Rall cartoon hits a nerve

Postal Service heroes

Re “Recalling first-class kindness,” Opinion, Dec. 21

Ben Kamin’s article about the U.S. Postal Service brought back pleasant memories.

In the 1950s my future husband was in Air Force basic training in San Antonio. I would wait for our postman “Mac” every day; most days I was rewarded with a letter.

One day as he walked by our house he called out “Nope, not today.” He was two houses down before he came back with my letter. He thought it was the funniest practical joke.

I know times have changed — too many people, too little time — but there must still be a teenager or older person somewhere who waits each day for the postman.

I hope a way can be found to save the Postal Service.

Dot Freeman

Pinon Hills

I was charmed by Kamin’s tale of kindness shown to his immigrant father in the 1960s, who used a trading green stamp for postage. A postal official came to his house and explained the difference between a green stamp and a postal stamp.

It reminded me of my childhood when, in the second grade in the late 1940s, I wrote a letter and made an envelope for my mother for Mother’s Day. I drew a stamp in the corner and addressed it to “Mama.” I walked to the nearest post office box and mailed it. It was delivered to our house and, needless to say, was my mom’s favorite memory from that day.

I’ve been in many countries, and our Postal Service is the best in the world. It would be a shame to dismantle an organization that has served us so well.

Robbie Roy

Palm Springs

Wealth and Wal-Mart

Re “Demonizing Wal-Mart,” Opinion, Dec. 23

Michael Kinsley asks, “What is Wal-Mart doing that is so wrong?” It does what most profitable businesses do, he says. But I wish he were more specific.

Sure, they do a lot of things right. But when Wal-Mart moves into a neighborhood, they destroy local economic and social development. They destroy the competition.

The community’s money goes elsewhere — the profits go to Wal-Mart. Local food gets passed over for agribusiness.

A better use of the mammoth square footage Wal-Mart requires would be something like the Mercado La Paloma near USC, which has promoted local entrepreneurs under one roof and, in turn, revitalized the neighborhood.

Wal-Mart does a lot of things right, but in the long run, their galloping takeover of suburban — and soon urban — markets suppresses the social and economic growth of our communities.

Charlotte Hildebrand

Los Angeles

Kinsley does not mention the stupefying fact that six Waltons, the family that owns Wal-Mart, have more wealth than the bottom third of Americans, according to findings by UC Berkeley labor economist Sylvia Allegretto. She noted that in 2007, the combined net worth of six Waltons was $69.7 billion, which equals the net worth of the bottom one-third of Americans.

She also noted that a Forbes update pegs the six Waltons’ net worth in 2010 at $93 billion. At a time when nearly one-fourth of homeowners with mortgages have negative home equity, the Waltons’ net worth increased over a three-year period by about $23 billion. Add in the other multi-billionaires on Forbes’ list, and the wealth inequality gap becomes more outrageous.

So, yes, we have good reasons to demonize the extreme inequalities of wealth between the top 1% and the bottom 33%.

Arch Miller

Arcadia

Wal-Mart stores are eyesores, and they don’t need Kinsley’s charity. But they could reach out and improve conditions in America by paying a tad more and providing better health benefits.

I doubt Kinsley is a stranger to good pay and benefits.

Mitch Rabuchin

Lake Balboa

Cartoon characters

Re Editorial cartoon on the Dream Act, Dec. 22

Ouch! It is intimated that because one objects to the “taxpayer-funded dreams of undocumented, albeit innocent, children,” one is a racist, a bigot, a xenophobe and a busybody jerk.

Cartoonist Ted Rall did not stop there. He further labeled opponents of the Dream Act as tea partyers (one more ouch).

Does a newly naturalized citizen, or the children whose forebears have supported this country for generations, struggling to pay for higher education, need to be harpooned with such inflammatory labels?

State funds are lacking, we all know. The children of taxpaying citizens should not face education cuts while satisfying the needs of the undocumented.

Diane McDowell

Los Angeles

I am offended by Rall’s political cartoon depicting opponents to AB 131 as racist, bigots and xenophobes.

It also made me somewhat fearful of reprisal in stating my opinion.

I am a 72-year-old native of Los Angeles and graduate of the University of California system. I have three white children and three adopted Asian children. My grandchildren are Latino American, Asian American and Latino Asian. I am against the tea party, and I am not a racist.

However, I do oppose AB 131, as do many taxpayers of all ethnicities and political persuasions.

Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel

Los Angeles

House follies

Re “House GOP leaders yield on payroll tax,” Dec. 23

First they were in; then they were out. Next they were out; then they were in.

The Republican ship of state in the House was rudderless over the payroll tax cut issue. Their captain (the speaker) was like a deer in the headlights and the crew — those pesky tea party types — wouldn’t follow orders.

The Senate’s 89-10 vote reflected a willingness to cross party lines and set sail in the same direction. Why did it take so long for the House to pull up anchor and do the same?

Maybe it’s time the American public throws these malcontents overboard.

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach

Insecurity

Re “Security checks moving beyond airports,” Dec. 20

My wife has a collection of two-inch-long Swiss Army-style knives with one blade, a nail file and a small pair of scissors. To the great amusement of our friends, she has left one of the knives in every airport we ever visited. I recently did something similar.

I needed a pair of pliers and forgot about them while they were resting peacefully in my carry-on. Security was called, and after a thorough inspection certified I was not a terrorist, I handed over my pliers and eventually boarded my plane.

One hour into the flight, I was given a six-inch-long metal knife and a matching fork.

Jacob Baur

Upland

Need for charity

Re “Spreading the wealth,” Editorial, Dec. 22

As you note, widespread suffering and deprivation do move people to give generously to charity. Charity as such is a fine thing.

Unfortunately, there is a positive correlation between the need for charity and the lack of social justice. The more injustice (and therefore suffering) there is, the more the need for charity.

Hopefully, one day we will have a society so just and moral that virtually no one will be needy and the need for charity will largely evaporate. But in this age of rampant injustice, there surely is a big need for charitable giving.

Roger Carasso

Los Angeles

Dollars for 60

Re “60 overpass may get U.S. funds,” Dec. 22

Excuse me, but shouldn’t those responsible for the damage to the Paramount Boulevard bridge over the 60 Freeway in Montebello be the ones to pay for it? Why should taxpayers foot the bill?

Doesn’t the tanker truck company have insurance? Don’t the oil companies have deep pockets? Surely this was no “act of God,” but it may have been the result of negligence on the part of someone. Tanker trucks do not randomly catch fire.

James Gibson

Long Beach