We Get Letters...
Commentary by CBS News Correspondent Andy Rooney
One of the few bad things about this job is the good mail I get...so many people reaching out and then I ignore them. I simply cannot answer all the letters and have time for any fun.
Two things I said recently drew thousands of letters. One was about politicians who end their speeches saying "God bless America;" the other disparaged retirement and suggested more retired people ought to teach.
- John Gautreau of Towson, Md.,wrote: "You show me a guy who wants to teach at the average public school after a life busting his hump to get ahead and I'll show you a saint."
- From Richard Harron of Oshkosh,Wis.: "Workers not retire? What do you know? You've never had a real job...you have nothing to retire from."
- Daniel Yergensen, of Visalia, Calif.: "What I found lacking was your failure to understand that teachers spend 20 percent of their time teaching and 80 percent on discipline."
- Helen Krieger of Colorado Springs,Colo.: "Let me say that not everyone who is an expert in any field can teach. I wonder how long the United States will continue to be a world leader with such a sorry situation in our schools."
- Tom Garrett of Tuscon, Ariz., "You are stuffed clean full of blueberry cupcakes."
- Mary Allsopp of Brick, N.J.:: "Andy, if I had your job, I wouldn't retire either."
- Carlos Del Bagge of Livermore, Calif.: "As a blue-collar worker...who, due mainly to lack of education, was forced to perform whatever job he was offered in order to survive, let me assure you, had you been in that situation you would have retired years ago."
- Myra Cox of Apple Valley, Calif.: "Retirement is great. I get up when I want to, do what I feel like doing all day long and go to bed when I want to...it's a wonderfully luxurious feeling to know that 24 hours a day, every day, belong to me alone."
- Dawn O'Brien of Hamburg, Pa.: "...your blanket statement that 10 percent of current teachers should be fired is preposterous.."
About my objection to politicians who end their speeches with "God Bless America:"
- Dolores Fisher of Lake Elsinore, Calif.: "You can be sure, Mr. Rooney...Americans would rather hear 'God bless America' in the closing of their addresses than 'have a nice day.'"
- Melvin H. Clingan of Carefree, Ariz.: "Retire before you make an even greater fool of yourself!"
- Carol Deverick of Fresno, Calif., "God doesn't bless the whole world because he doesn't go where he's not wanted."
- Gretchen from Faribault, Minn.: (Now, this is my kind of letter...short and sweet.) "God bless you. Lovingly, Gretchen.
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