In a message dated 96-06-10 17:42:33 EDT, Mary writes:

> Perhaps they are so ground down by poverty that they don't know where to
start.  (OH dear, was that  a bit bolshie for the States?)

Hi Mary,
I don't know what "Bolshie" means, but I agree that there are MANY people
here in the States (where everyone is wealthy, of course <sarcastic tone
here> ) who are terribly ground down by poverty.  Their self-esteems are so
low and they have been kicked around so much that it is no wonder, IMHO, that
they believe anyone they assume to be more educated and intelligent than they
themselves are.  I used to be one of those people, many eons ago, and can
totally relate to what they are going thru.  When families on Govt assistance
are constantly harrassed at grocery stores for using food stamps, at banks
for cashing their welfare checks, in the media called "Welfare-ites", the
lower class, etc, it is no wonder these poor souls have no self-esteem.
The United States is supposed to be the best place in the world to grow up
and live, work etc, but I don't think it is all that it would like itself to
be.  The way we treat our elderly and our poor is shameful, and the fact that
millions are without healthcare (of whom I am one) simply because they can
not afford it, is pathetic.  Families living on the streets is another
tradgedy.
Then we have the "Freedom of Advertising" %^&#@*#^%.  These %^#$& ABM
companies are allowed to peddle their baby killing slop with free reign,
without regard to the health and safety of the babies they supposedly care so
much about. (Yeah, right.  Their pocketbooks are what they care about most.)
 They focus on the poor and make them believe that ABM is better than
breastmilk knowing that these poor folks are uninformed and uneducated enough
to buy their load of %^#$.  Then they wrap the Drs of our country around
their little pinky by giving them all sorts of freebies and hospital wings.
 Makes you wonder about the ethics some of our health care professionals
have, hmm?
So, at least on my end, no need to go easy on the States, my friends.  We are
just about as screwed up as you can get, and still have the freedom to screw
anyone and everyone just to make a buck.

Jay
(Gee, do I sound patriotic or what?)