Readers Write (May 9): Donating eyeglasses, bribery, health care, bullying, stadium

Commentary writer Virginia Postrel contends that recycling eyeglasses is a waste of money ("Some economic clarity about charity," May 8). While I cannot speak to the effectiveness of all programs, I can offer some insight into the Lions Club International collection process.

Minnesota is home to more than 600 Lions Clubs that work in their communities with a goal of helping with vision. We raise money for research, transport eye donations and, most importantly, collect used eyeglasses.

In Minnesota, we gather thousands of pairs of eyeglasses each year and send them to the Eyeglass Recycling Center in Wisconsin -- one of 11 worldwide locations. In fact, more than 1 million pairs are processed at this facility each year, with 450,000 pairs sent to developing countries.

The recycling center is run by volunteers. Gold and silver are extracted from frames and used to help defray costs at the centers. Lions clean the glasses, determine the prescription and store the glasses until a volunteer humanitarian group needs them.

It is simply unrealistic to follow Postrel's advice to resort only to monetary gifts in efforts to help those around the world find sight. While monetary gifts are always appreciated, your old eyeglasses will certainly be put to good use. So next time you're about to toss your old glasses away, please consider donating them to the Lions Club.

LUKE HELLIER, PRESIDENT-ELECT, EDINA LIONS CLUB

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In America, we call it lobbying Congress. The newspaper has just noted that the sugar lobby has spent many millions of dollars to ensure that "price supports" are kept in place -- meaning that the growers continue to make large profits by not having to compete with foreign sugar sources. It also means that taxpayers pay twice -- once to the farmer for his "support" payment and again at the store for the inflated cost of sugar and groceries.

In the last decade, Congress has approved more than 4,000 additions, changes and deletions to the tax code -- all bought and paid for by professional lobbyists representing corporations, businesses and individuals. Is there a difference between Wal-Mart paying bribe money to do business in Mexico and the money that congressmen receive (as campaign "contributions") to enact specific legislation to help "hidden" and "unidentified" donors? I think not.

JOHN REAY, MINNEAPOLIS

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A recent letter ("Lessons learned from health care in Canada," May 6) highlights a problem in today's world -- a growing sense of entitlement and a shrinking acceptance of accountability.

My mother is a Canadian citizen and resident who occasional travels abroad. Each trip she takes includes pre-purchasing health insurance protecting her against an unfortunate accident or medical emergency while outside of her own country. That is called accountability.

She would never expect to receive discounted medical treatment from a country in which she does not reside or contribute to the economy other than spending her hard-earned income in the form of tourist dollars. The letter writer apparently believed, as a U.S. resident who probably does not pay Canadian taxes, that she was entitled to discounted services from a foreign country. That's called entitlement without foundation.

The Canadian health care system is not perfect. My mother receives appropriate health care as a Canadian citizen. She has never claimed it was free, and she has never pleaded with an insurance company for a year to cover 80 percent of the medical costs for emergency services. The letter writer did, yet somehow she gives the impression that her health care system is better than Canada's. That is called ignorance.

MARCEL SECOURS, ROSEMOUNT

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From the time I was 8 until high school ended, I was bullied by both boys and girls. I am a disabled individual who wasn't athletic, which made me a target.

I was called derogatory names, and one kid claimed I was a "woman in a man's body" even though I am a straight man. This kind of taunting even happened at church events.

My body was pinched, my neck was strangled, and kids tried to keep me on the bus so that I would miss my stop. Some of my teachers also mistreated me.

When I got out of high school and into college, I felt a freedom I had never felt before. However, the effects of the abuse are still with me

I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as if I had been in a war. I still wonder how I got through it, but thankfully I had some great teachers, some great disability activists, some great adults, and two parents who never gave up.

WILLIAM CORY LABOVITCH, SOUTH ST. PAUL

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Hey, how about we throw out the Twins, reconfigure their marvelous new stadium, and turn it over to the Vikings?

JONI KILDE, NORTHFIELD, MINN.

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