I’m not sure who these unhappy socialists are whom Mr. Rixmann obviously knows so well, but the World Happiness Report this year listed the countries of Norway, Denmark and Switzerland as the top three happiest nations on earth.

All three countries have what I assume would be labeled “socialist” economies by Mr. Rixmann’s standards, and all three certainly have universal health care, which is what I assume Mr. Rixmann was referring to when railing against a “cradleto-grave system.” The United States doesn’t even make the top 10.

— Christopher Mock
Oklahoma City

Liberal trash talk?
Master logician and radio talk show host Dennis Prager said, “Republicans/ conservatives think Democrats/liberals are wrong. Democrats/liberals think Republicans/conservatives are evil.” Such is certainly a truism when reading the trash talk put forth by Nathaniel Batchelder in his letter to the editor in the Oct. 23 Gazette (“Republicans are angry elitists”). On another note, I’m sure (commentator and Rev.) Robin Meyers will receive much acclaim as he airs views at Yale that are not shared by the folks in this red state.

— Thomas L. Furlong
Oklahoma City

Let’s get honest about oil, pollution
The oil industry sometimes misleads people about how harmful pollution really is. What we need is for gasoline to be as clean as possible without harming our cars. Please consider this idea. Consumers want what they pay for to be worth the effort, and the money we are spending for gas is quite a bit higher than I believe it should be. I hope that somehow, we can come to an agreement that most people would like.

— Lisa Seitz
Choctaw

Don’t lock up drug offenders
A few years ago, I heard some prisoners from Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite speak to middle-school kids on the dangers of drug abuse. I found it telling that not one of the three so much as mentioned the horrors of drug addiction. In a subsequent conversation with a friend, I wondered why the state continues to lock people up for minor drug offenses. His reply, which I thought unnecessarily cynical at the time, was, “Who would you rather have in prison?” Readers curious about Oklahoma’s draconian drug laws referenced in “Budding prospects” (News, Gazette, Oct. 30) should watch The House I Live In, a documentary exploring America’s war on drugs. It features commentary about the private prison industry in Oklahoma and the financial incentives to keep people locked up. The drug war is not about keeping Americans safe from themselves. It is about money and power.

— Mack Paul
Norman

Gay pride is a sin?
Homoelectives (those who practice homosexual sex) excommunicate themselves and should have no legal standing. Pride is a sin. Gay pride is a sin that finds refuge in atheism and intolerance of all things religious. Before supporting legal rights, one should ask him: Was I better off before homosexuals became “gay” and prideful? And, can I afford another year of gay pride?

— Michael W. Jarvis
Salt Lake City

Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to [email protected] or sent online at okgazette.com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification.

  • or