Dear Editor,

Last week’s columns by Gary DeVon and William Slusher reminded me why I’m ready to withdraw to my couch and woodstove and let the world cruise along without me.

Gary is bemoaning getting old in our county and Mr. Slusher points out seven reasons for the decline of our country. I think some of his reasons are questionable and there are others that I would have added, but the man makes his point. Really, Mr. Slusher, seven sins?

My generation is pretty much out of the discussion now. The right or wrong of that opinion is a topic for another day. My children’s age group, late thirties and early forties, are the ones out there banging their heads against the system, the bureaucracy, the P.C. sheriffs or whoever and they are the ones who will, probably, get us pointed toward the right direction. I still have some confidence in that group.

However, if the tide doesn’t start to turn soon, I do fear for my grandchildren and, now, great-grandchildren. I don’t believe they will be strong enough to correct the political and economic sails and our country will wander further off its two-hundred-plus year course into the anarchy and despair of a third world country, or worse.

And, after all that gloom and doom, thank you to James Gutschmidt, Oroville Senior Center President, for reminding us all how good we really do have it here in our community and our nation now.

Gai Wisdom

Oroville