THE ROBING ROOM

I am 80 years of age living in Marlow, Oklahoma. I am very disappointed in your recent ruling regarding panhandling. One of the greatest concerns facing America is there is no "pressure" to work. First of all the government has determined that they need to place 52 million people on welfare. Lyndon Johnson once said "keep their bellies full and they will vote for you." I changed my political affiliation at that time. Then this issue of panhandling comes up. My wife and I have two daughters in Tampa, FL who we visit 3-5 times per year. I am always appalled at the number of people that would come up to our car at a traffic light and want a handout. They are a leech on society. Are there people we should help---absolutely but what I have seen is laziness. And rulings like your recent ruling just promotes more. Yet, it was apparent these panhandlers were healthy people. And Tampa has hiring signs everywhere. If you let this type of thing go on, you are just adding to a major concern as our country's work ethic is not nearly what it was just a few years ago. Everyone wants what the Jones's have without working for it. Your ruling does not help the situation. A guy came up to my wife and I at outside a restaurant in Tampa wanting to sell us a newspaper and since I had already read the newspaper I said no and he got a little upset telling me that I didn't care for poor folks. I said, your healthy why don't you get a job? He came back and said that means I have to work---no thank you. We are evolving to a country that depends so much on the government for everything. Why work?