Re: 'Do we permit a virus to destroy our economy?' [Village News, Miller Letter, 4/30/20]

I don’t really understand why Diana Miller chose to ask why liberals “always” go to the extreme with their attacks and single case scenarios in her opening statement, then says nothing about it in the following text. However, she does go on an extreme attack of her own on the uneducated, the poor, labor unions and China.

She goes on to disparage the “living wage” concept as “exhausted and tired” after 30 years. Yes, it is exhausting and tiring that after 30 years of talking about a living wage, we aren’t anywhere near having one. If the minimum wage had been indexed to inflation way back in 1964 when it was raised from $1/hour to $1.25/hour; that, by the way, was a 25% increase. The minimum wage would be close to $14/hour today, and not the $7.25 federal minimum we have.

She disparages the “uneducated” who must work for minimum wages ad naively asks why they didn’t get themselves “educated.” I’ve got news for this writer: getting a college degree isn’t nearly as easy as she would like us to believe. For one thing, it is outrageously expensive, many people do not have the mental capabilities to do so, nor the time or money. She seems to think that everyone has unlimited access to money, time and opportunity. It is also a bit racist in that the majority of people working minimum wage jobs are blacks, Hispanics and immigrants.

She goes on to ask just how much the uneducated should actually be paid, i.e., what are they “worth.” Well, let’s look at some of the jobs these “unworthy, uneducated masses” are doing for minimum and near-minimum wages: Note: many of these jobs require specialized training.

Certified nursing assistants are the people cleaning bedpans, changing adult diapers in nursing homes and all those other lovely tasks. They earn, in California, $12/hour average and for much less almost everywhere else. Ms. Miller, I would bet almost any amount of money that you wouldn’t last one day doing their job for twice the money. And since you asked, just how much, in your infinite wisdom, do you think is an “appropriate” amount to pay them?

The following are also minimum wage jobs: school bus drivers, grocery store workers, many bank tellers, ag workers, custodians, security guards, laborers, meatpackers and slaughterhouse workers. Again, Ms. Miller – how much “pay” would you want to work in a slaughterhouse?

And, the vast majority of these jobs are not held by students and young people working toward something better. They are held by adults with families to take care of.

Unlike you, Ms. Miller, not everyone is born with “white privileges” where far more opportunities exist for “bettering” oneself, especially with higher education. Never mind the fact that if we were to “educate” all the above workers, then just who would do these jobs – and for what price? A higher minimum wage isn't looking like such a bad idea now, is it?

Ms. Miller goes on to congratulate herself for her “excellent sound advice” re: saving six month’s salary for emergency expenses – like she was the first one to figure this one out – and how to “structure your life after high school.” Wow. How did we ever manage without her?

Apparently she didn’t read the response to her previous letter about saving money and how nearly impossible it is for the average person in to save anything with the low wages in California versus the high cost of living – rent, child care, health insurance premiums, deductibles and copays, utilities, which are the highest in the Continental U.S. in San Diego County, gas – again, highest in the nation – ad infinitum.

As for Ms. Miller’s heart: I don’t know her, but from her letters, I truly doubt she has any empathy to go along with that heart. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Lack of empathy, from American Psychology Association, is an anti-social personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. Just sayin.’

So according to Ms. Miller, If you fail or fall down, there are plenty of generous Americans to give you a hand up – apparently, just not Ms. Miller. And, not if you are among the uneducated masses who do “nothing” to better yourselves.

Jeff Walker