Letter: You should work for what you want

When I was growing up on the South Side of Chicago my family was poor. When I was about 7 years old, I started working to afford things I wanted. I never went to any sports games or activities that cost money. No vacations. I went only to places that were free. My father was cheap and did not spend money on anything except himself. No one gave us free tickets to anywhere and no one bought us anything. If we did not buy it ourselves, we did not have it. No charity or free stuff.

We turned out all right. We paid for our own education. We were taught how to survive on nothing.

The kids of today expect someone to give them what their parents will not give them. If they cannot get it from them, they take what they need from others either by stealing or shooting someone. The parental control is lost and gone. Charities and websites and churches and volunteer charity places keep giving people free stuff. Free food, free vacations, free clothing, whatever you need for free. The children are taught that if your parents do not give it to you someone will give it to you, or you can just take it. If you always get stuff for free you expect it and when you do not get it, you take it. If you need something you should be expected to work for it.

Stop giving stuff for free and make people work for it.

John Billis Sr.

Lincolnshire