I see I've struck a nerve. Doug LeCain and Jeff Bourget strike back at my letter to the crybabies railing against the wealthy. I recommend to both that they take a remedial course in reading since they totally misinterpreted my letter.

Both imply that my letter was intended for the public at large. I direct their attention to my opening words which specifically identify those who wrote letters wailing about the wealthy as the subjects of my address. They also ignore the portion of my letter acknowledging that there are those who are innocent of my complaint. Mr. LeCain states "childish name calling and berating those with an opinion different than yours ..." make me look foolish. If any think me foolish they are certainly entitled to their opinion. I suggest only that they think carefully about what I said.

Further I do not believe that difference of opinion is the issue here. (By the way I remain firmly behind everything I said.) And did anyone notice that neither gentleman said one word in opposition to what I said people should and should not do with some of their money? They are totally silent on the main thrust of my letter.

Mr. Bourget gives one example of something with no details to prove something undefined. He claims I called "the general population" something of no consequence since I never addressed the "general population." He says I called the "vast majority" of people "pitiful creatures" but I, first, never addressed the "vast majority" and, second, did not call anyone a pitiful creature but only warned that the nanny state was turning them into such.

In short I have never seen such a warped interpretation of anyone's writing as these two have done with mine. Sorry gentlemen. You've not struck a nerve but simply struck out.

PHIL MEMBURY

Coeur d'Alene