Mike Silvers, thank you for commenting on my July 1 letter in the Mirror. You’ve missed my rather subtle point, sir. Perhaps I should clarify.

Although I am a proud liberal, I, too, draw the line on certain points. Thus, my suggestion that we give our addicted homeless population a choice. If they decline to accept help for their addiction they should be led out of town. My point is that too many drug abusers do not want to be rehabilitated. Why would they? Society coddles them and makes it too easy for them – all for free. They commit crimes to afford their habits, or they stand on street corners, block our way in and out of stores while they panhandle. They do not want to work – name me one homeless person in Federal Way who lost his job in the local steel industry. If we enacted a system of offering them a choice and they decline and continue to offend and commit crimes in Federal Way, they should be incarcerated and trespassed from the city.

Believing that we all make choices and suffer consequences as a result of bad ones, I am opposed to the idea that the city’s citizens should be responsible for their care, i.e., day shelters, night shelters, food and medical. All the while they continue to drink, drug and commit crimes. Why? Because we allow it – we make life ever easier for them (if there are legitimate hard cases, families homeless in Federal Way, I have not met them nor seen them).

We do have a grave problem with mental illness in the country and in Federal Way. We need to legislate for the programs and funds abolished during the Reagan/GOP administrations to aid these folks. Then they would again have the proper care and a place to stay. Who knows, we may discover that many drug abusers are, in fact, mentally ill – the root cause for their addictions.

Lastly, Mr. Silvers, nowhere have I said the NRA “bullies” politicians. They do contribute huge amounts of money to GOP candidates for office, however, ensuring friendly votes to their causes, which is to keep guns – all guns – readily available. I guess my bigger beef is with the politician who places his election ahead of common decency. And that, on this issue, would be the politician in the Republican Party.

As to our legal system – I agree with you completely! It’s flawed and getting worse as time goes on. Go figure!

Sheryl Nevers, Federal Way