Editor,

A few days ago I went into a local store to make a few small purchases. After selecting the items I was after, I looked for the shortest checkout line. There was one with only two customers in front of me, so I selected that short line.

Soon, it was my time to empty my shopping basket onto the checkout counter. At that point I noticed the checkout clerk had a significant disability. I was expecting some delay and problems getting checked out.

I was 100 percent mistaken. I was processed in less time than it has taken in the past with cashiers with no apparent disabilities. My change consisted of a number of bills and about five different coins. Her disability did not prevent her from returning my correct change in a timely manner.

As I left the store I became very upset. Here was a woman with a major handicap who was not letting it stop her from working, and doing a very good job at that. At the same time we have many people who prefer to draw from welfare than go to work. That welfare is funded by the taxes from the lady cited above, who desired to work rather than draw from welfare.

There are many people drawing from welfare who are fully justified in doing so. But not 100 percent are fully justified. I have known many, fully qualified for work but sit on their rear and collect welfare — members of my own family among them.

I know there are many who will feel hurt that I do not think they should draw welfare because they do not like the word “work.”

Over the years, I have known many who would crawl out of a sick bed to go to work, rather than have others pay taxes to support the non-workers. They do not want sympathy, that can be found in the dictionary.

I believe there are some who, if they jumped from an airplane with a parachute on, would expect the government to provide automatic chute opener so they would not have to exert their own energy to pull the rip cord.

Robert D. Brown

Oak Harbor