Socialism is a misused word
To the Editor:
The only thing I learned from a letter in a recent edition is that the letter writer doesn’t have a clue as to what socialism actually is.
I am a veteran, and have received medical treatment at the Veterans Administration Hospital, but the VA is socialism, so I guess the previous writer hates the VA. The government owns the VA hospital and hires the VA doctors. I did not have a choice as to what doctor treated me or where I went for treatment. With Medicare, which is not socialism, I chose my doctor, and the government later paid (or partially paid) the doctor bill. That is capitalism.
I attended socialist public schools when I was growing up. The government owns the school and hires the teachers. I did not have any choice as to which school I attended or which teacher would teach me. Today, there are some charter schools, but these are limited in number; there are also private schools, but they are expensive, and not an option for most of us.
If someone runs a red light and destroys your car, you could avoid socialism by hiring a private detective, but the private detective could not charge the at-fault driver. The police and sheriff are, in fact, more examples of socialism. The law enforcement organization that you contact decides who will help you. The officers are hired by the government and the sheriff’s office and police department buildings are owned by the government.
Clark Pearson
Sylva
