Andy Rooney and the Two Piles of Mail

Written by Andy Rooney

I get a lot of mail that I put into two piles: one pile of bad letters - they don't like me - and one pile of good letters, they don't like me either.

Recently I commented on the 2010 Census form and my office got this from Jennifer Griffith, in Durham, North Carolina: "I don't think he'd thought it all the why through when he commented on the (question) about family members living elsewhere. Being a veteran himself, having served overseas during wartime, I was surprised by his remarks regarding that."

I mentioned recently how I felt about unemployment and I guess I shouldn't have said it because I got a lot of negative mail.

Paul Davis writes: "After last night's piece on the job market, it is obvious that Andy's officially out of touch."

Timothy Rowlands from Seattle, Washington writes: "I am an electrician. I've been out of work for one year. There are no jobs for us anywhere in the U.S. If we're not working, neither are plumbers or bricklayers."

Melanie Hamilton from Lyman, New Hampshire also took exception to my unemployment piece. She writes: "What I think America needs is for fewer people to go to college, and for there to be more opportunities for people who prefer to make things.

Good letter, Melanie, but most people don't go to college to learn how to do something. They go to college to get educated.

I have two favorite letters.

Scott Pomerantz writes: "[Your] observations are as insightful as ever. Even when [your] spots meander, they find their way. [Your] comments should be played over every loudspeaker in the country."

Well, thanks Scott. I'd hate that, but thanks anyway.

And, Jude Cher-Aime from Stranahan High School in Ft. Lauderdale writes: "You always have something interesting to say. Whether it is useful or unnecessary, it always makes the show end on a good note."

Jude, you get an A in letters.


Written by Andy Rooney

[eddyq1]

Andy,

The reason you have 8 friends that think Obama is doing a good job is because you and your 8 friends are liberals. The opinion polls you cut down do random polling which hits both liberals and conservatives.

[gezepe]

Anyone who would burn a book will untimely burn people. Burning a book is an act of terror that begets more acts of terror, and affirms the perception of the jihad to the uninformed. A mosque in the proximity of the 911 is constitutionally correct as it would be to put in place a Shinto shrine at Pearl Harbor. I would suggest to check your side mirrors, beliefs may be closer than they appear causing us to become blind to the obvious. The mosque should be built in the Bronx, next to the zoo and facing down the East river
See you on the radio
RumRadio.org
Joseph

[EternalReaganaut]

When is CBS going to get rid of this useless old fart, who's got less than half a brain, is a mindless Democrat, zombie shill and hates far more people and types of people than he likes. Why is he even still here. Only because he works for a mindless "news" (and I use that term facetiously) organization based upon nepotism and cronyism and like the great teachers' union in the government schools, "seniority", not meritocracy or talent.

Rooney is a professional curmudgeon, who unlike other professional curmudgeons like Malcolm Muggeridge, or H.L. Mencken who were truly talented, is one with no talent to speak of. Why don't you losers in CBS Management can the ole coot before he croaks on camera. That's the humane thing to do.

[duste01]

Hey Andy, you must be the posterboy for educated idiots now after commenting on what an education does for you. You missed the whole point, even as you read it aloud. I love you, you 'Ol Heckler. Of course I love the muppet show too and would expect to see you in the balcony if you were alittle more animated. Hey Barkeep, another round of cynicism, on the house! I love it.

[2frustrated]

Mr. Rooney,

My finance and I missed the episode that you discussed this evening concerning unemployment. So, we came to the website and was quite upset with what we read. UNBELIEVABLE! Have you lost touch with the blue collar workers in America or were you ever in touch with us at anytime?

I am a Medical Assistant laid off from work for the last 6 months. Yes, even in the medical field there is less jobs available at this time. My finance is a laborer for Masonry. He has been doing this type of work for approximately 25 years, and working odd jobs when he can and even those are few and far between. He also is out of work,he has been out of work for approximately 2 years. We both have sent out numerous resumes and personally applied for work relentlessly, with need I say, no luck. There are no jobs!!! How can our government and news media not see this? I believe they see it, yet push it to the side.

Our government is ready to send millions of dollars to other countries for many different reasons, pay off the banks and the companies that are in debt. Our new president, (which I voted for and now wondering if I did the right thing) promised jobs and help for the middle class. Throughout his campaign this was said over and over. My finance and I have yet to reap the rewards this man promised for his country/fellow people. Now, to sit and listen to a man on the news tell us there are jobs out there and or take what you can get is even more frustrating.

You say " Take what you can get", but when you have worked in the same line of work for most of your life and have to look for a different type of job there are many road blocks. My finance has applied for other types of work other than a laborer for masonry, he has been told he needs one or two years experience, depending on the job. How is he going to get the experience if no one will hire him? I have been told I am over qualified, when I have applied for other work than a Medical Assistant.

We struggle daily with bills, food, and keeping a roof over our heads. Now, suffering from depression and sleepless nights we pray jobs will come available for us. You talk about the white collar worker working as a blue collar worker. How can this be done if the jobs are not there. Do you have an answer for that? It is easy for you to sit behind a desk and dictate how lazy or high handed you "think" we all are. Come eat dinner at our home and see how the unemployed hard working blue collar Americans are living now without their jobs. You need to get out from behind that desk and out in the real world and try to find employment in a place where there is none. Let us know how you do. But, wait you probably wouldn't have trouble finding a job with your resume and name. Try it living as my finance and the other millions of people looking for work every day in this great land we call America.

Sincerely;

Truly disappointed & very frustrated