Marine among 47 percent

I listened with interest to the recent comments of Gov. Mitt Romney concerning the “47 percent who are government-dependent.”

At the moment, one of these 47 percent is one of my sons. He left college in year two to join the U.S. Marine Corps and serve his country. I applaud him, since this is something neither I, nor Romney, nor any of his sons have done. After four years of service, including two overseas tours (one in Afghanistan), he returned home, thankfully intact.

Oh, his body is a little damaged from hauling an extra 100 pounds of gear and ammunition around Afghanistan, and for that he may require an occasional visit to the Veterans Administration hospital. And, he is now using the GI Bill to continue his education, obtain a graduate degree and become a gainfully employed taxpayer, but at the moment he is not paying income taxes.

I hope Romney would not begrudge this veteran these small benefits after four years of military service. Romney, don’t be too disdainful of these non-taxpayers, most of them are doing their best to better themselves.

Mike Gibson

Spokane