Letter: Beem has it wrong

I'm dismayed at Edgar Allen Beem's poor understanding of our country's founding principals. He thinks we are somehow entitled to "equality and common good," yet derides a waitress for having an opinion. Apparently that waitress doesn't deserve equality, or common good.

Whats up with this Beck/Mormonism thing? I do hope Beem practices an acceptable religion and so doesn't find a cross burning in his front yard.

Straight from Jefferson's writings. "I have a right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness ...." That's clear enough, and just about all we are guaranteed. The only "equality" guarantee is to be treated equally under the law. Sorry, but your income is not guaranteed to be equal to your neighbor's income.

Beem's, "equality and common good" comes from another philosophy which goes, "From each according to ability, to each according to need." Beem, you can ship off anytime to Cuba, Russia, Venezuela, or 100 countries who experiment in socialism – and it's failed everywhere in the past 90 years. Don't wish that failure on us here.

More from Jefferson: "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Alex Piper
Freeport