Lerner on Status Quo

I was appalled by the venom expounded by Lerner. His “explanations” lay the blame for homelessness, worldwide starvation and the inability to form lasting relationships at the feet of capitalism.

The motive behind these specious charges is made clear by his projection of the ideal state. His new order would have the government magically alleviate every basic economic and psychological problem. This “true” version of socialism would extend “democratic control to investments and production,” i.e., voting on who makes what, where and for how much. For moral defense, he exhorts altruism, whereby all “sacrifice self-interest for some higher good.”

This amounts to a betrayal of the original principles of America (political and ethical), which defend a man’s right to live for his own sake, to think, to create wealth and keep it and to trade with others for mutual benefit. These are the values that Lerner would have us give up. I, for one, refuse.

MARC BAER

Costa Mesa