November 17, 2009 03:57 am To the editor: I felt sick after reading Phil Sayles "Collective angst" Viewpoint column on Nov. 4, in which he condemned Mel King for expecting Americans to care for one another. He touts the typical conservative viewpoint that nobody takes responsibility anymore, which translates directly to the poor and disadvantaged minorities. He wrote that "Western democracy and market capitalism are systems founded on the importance of the individual and his responsibility as a free thinking, rational and responsible part of society." I remind Mr. Sayles that much of American wealth was gained off the backs of slaves. Where was the responsibility of those white men lashing bullwhips at human slaves? How freely could those slaves think? How many wealthy white heirs still hold "angst" against minorities and offer them nothing but disdain? He then ballyhooed the "We" and "You" responsibility and the "soul of our nation." The soul of American corporate responsibility today is only about profit and huge salaries for their CEO's. How much money can be had by making inferior products with as few underpaid employees as possible? How can the books be manipulated to avoid taxes, thus shifting the burden to the middle class and poor? How much profit can be made by closing American factories and making the products in, may I remind Mr. Sayles, "Communist" China, where workers are paid two bucks a week for 12-hour work days in deplorable conditions? Yes! That's the conservative white man's "utopia." A greedy, capitalistic American society, in which 1 percent of the population holds more wealth than 95 percent of Americans combined. Corporate greed is crushing America, not minorities who quit underfunded and crumbling public schools. Of course, the wealthy elitists don't need public education, nor do they care to fund it. Is there no faith and value in helping others? Where's the humanity in enslaving human beings, whether it's through slavery or slave wages? Where's the responsibility in corporations making billions while paying poverty wages and no taxes? Conservatives are what they are ... men in power who don't care about anyone but themselves. The almighty dollar! That's their faith and values! All for "Me" and nothing for "You" is their mantra! When conservatives reincarnate to their next lives, maybe they'll be black men under the whip of a wealthy white capitalist who takes full responsibility for his actions! Maybe they'll be the black American hanged from a tree in the south! Maybe they'll be child laborers working in polluted and unsafe working conditions with no unions, and where nobody in the communist dictatorship cares about them or their families. Conservatives are true American patriots! Let them keep their freedom, guns and glory. They'll never actually fight in their profit-making wars, though. That's what minorities are for! Bill Chatigny Amesbury
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