Veterans Feeling about Romoney 47% [View all]

[white cloud]

Romney's disdain not worthy of vote
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has defined me as a member of the dependent 47% ("Romney tries to trim Obama's lead with Latinos," Sept. 18). He believes that I have, by choice, chosen to become part of the roughly half of the country that receives government assistance for housing, health care, even food. In my case, he is correct.

I did choose a path that led me to government dependency. Let me explain. In 1966 at the age of 17, I enlisted. At 19, I was in Vietnam serving as a Marine corpsman in a front-line rifle company. I always felt fortunate to have survived the war when so many others didn't. My service cost me my health and ultimately my ability to work. I rely on my veteran benefits.

Romney disdainfully characterizes me and other veterans as being a part of the dependency culture. He wanted no part of the Vietnam War and apparently holds anyone who has ever served in contempt for accepting compensation for their service.

Veterans and their supporters need to ask Romney why he feels the veterans of this country should be described by him as another group of entitlement victims. Ask him who is to take responsibility for the wounds and illness veterans endure for serving? And what about their survivors and dependents?

I believe Romney thinks everyone who gets a government benefit for service to our country is just another member of a parasitic welfare class and we are the problem. I ask all to vote accordingly.

Thomas L. Ralston
Muskego