Yesteryear not so great

I am always amused by letters such as G.E. Morton’s (Aug. 2, “The perpetual parent”), wishing to return to the glorious days of yesteryear when everything was right with the world.

When, before Social Security, old people could be found rummaging through garbage cans for food. When women and minorities knew their place and stayed there. When, before the GI Bill of Rights, few Americans had the opportunity to attend college, thus limiting the development of technology needed to create the high standard of living we now enjoy in comparison.

A fine instance of government interference in education this was, brought to fruition by public universities. Perhaps Mr. Morton would prefer a lower standard of living, for without his detested government schools he would certainly have one.

Most noteworthy in Mr. Morton’s imagination is his wish to return to the days when people accepted responsibility for themselves. Ha! When, exactly, were those days? When exactly was it that rugged individualists did not depend upon society for their very survival.

We should not long to return to the days before FDR, because we cannot recapture Mr. Morton’s perfect world that never was, just the nasty world that really was.

Lee Freese

Spokane