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Where does the justice lie?
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Dear Editor,

My brother was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and while that isn’t good, just to finally have someone to find the cause of symptoms he’s been experiencing for the last four to five years is a relief. You see, he’s been going to doctors telling them that something is wrong and describing his symptoms to them only to be told things such as, “I don’t know what is wrong with you,” “You just need to get off those pills you are on,” “I can’t find anything wrong with you.” And the excuses go on and on but all the while he is being bounced around to other doctors (I guess for them to get a little piece of the insurance pie).

Due to his health problems, he has been forced recently to go on short-term disability. Well, you know how that works—you work all your life and pay insurance premiums but when it’s time for them to pay, the mail box is empty except, of course, for the bills. He was put on seven weeks disability and now the seven weeks are up and only two weeks disability has been paid to date. Financially he and his family are in shambles, almost loosing their house on several occasions. He has tried to get help (just until he can go back to work) and to no avail. You see, our system is geared toward helping those who wouldn’t  work in pie factory tasting pies and those that are busy getting children in the world with the sole purpose of getting welfare checks, food stamps and any other government handouts. And as our experience has shown, if you are a dishonest, lazy, low-life, the government is almost standing at your door ready to hand you a check.

My brother wants to work — the doctor that diagnosed him told him that “he didn’t know how in the *%$@ he has held out to work this long” and that “he was a very sick man.” But I’ll tell you how he has held out — out of sheer will and determination because he wants to work and provide for his family. We better take a picture of him and frame it because those kind are hard to come by more and more each day.

What’s my point in writing this letter? To let you know that if you are a hard working, decent and honest human being just needing a little help until you can get better and “get on your feet,” you get screwed. Someone who has a legitimate need can’t get help because they are too busy helping those sorry, low-lifes of this world who are standing there with their hands out. When there is a legitimate need, there should be help available.

Nobody should be rewarded for being a sluggard and not supporting his/her family when they are able-bodied to do so.

The Horton family