Dear Editor:

On May 28, some Maine and New Hampshire friends and I heard former New York Gov. George Pataki would be in Exeter, New Hampshire, to announce his candidacy for the United States presidency. A perfect opportunity to hear what he has to say and for us to share our signs stating what was important to us. Our ages ranged from those in their twenties to those in their seventies.

Arriving early, we set up signs drawing attention to the importance of Social Security for individuals and for the economy. Press from the east coast arrived shortly after and began setting up cameras and interviewing those standing outside. Someone wearing a Pataki label began to read the poster-signs. He stopped at our oldest sign holder, accusingly asking, “Why do you care! You’re OK! You won’t be affected!”

Unfortunately Eileen was hard of hearing and apologetically said: “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

He repeated his statement and all she could do was stand open-mouthed not understanding why he would say that.

Some of the men in the group were upset, but I was trying to figure out why anyone would ask such a question. Do people really think that because I am over 65 cuts to Social Security shouldn’t matter to me? Do they really believe that I shouldn’t care about what happens to my children who work hard and who will need their Social Security check just like I do? Do they think I should not worry about the children whose father or mother died early in their lives, but have Social Security benefits to give to their children so they can continue in life and get through college? Are they saying that I should not care about the extreme poverty levels before Social Security, and the negative economic impact extreme poverty had on our GDP?

Am I OK when my neighbor is not? How is that right? Am I OK when young workers will have a poor future ahead of them? How is that good? Am I OK when the United States economy stagnates? How is that just? Social Security is not about me — it is about all of us.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb