To the editor:

Every February, we celebrate a great American minority. We recall their travels from slavery to freedom and educate ourselves about the heroes and heroines of that epic struggle. It is a good exercise for all Americans.

I was a child in the segregated South but clearly recall the injustices to so many good people. It’s been a bumpy path from Reconstruction through Jim Crow to equality for the descendents of African slaves. However, the idealism noted in our founding documents has become a reality for all citizens willing to accept the responsibilities of citizenship.

As our nation has painfully shed this physical slavery, it has been replaced by a new form of bondage, a form of involuntary servitude that destroys hope for citizens of every race.

This new slavery is a total dependence by individuals and families on government for the materials and funds necessary to maintain a minimum standard of living. This isn’t Social Security, veterans’ benefits, government retirement or any benefit from the government for which a citizen made payments or gave service. This new slavery involves mentally capable, able-bodied people receiving handouts from the government without making any contributions to pay for their benefits.

This new slavery began as a scheme from the Franklin Roosevelt administration to give all citizens a “New Deal.” This social experiment has been a terrible cancer on society. After 80 years and trillions of dollars, this war on poverty has failed.

Generations of Americans have come to expect everything from food to condoms to cell phones to money from the government. In the process, the synergy of families, churches, communities and individuals has been destroyed. The only success of these welfare plans has been wicked politicians gaining political advantage by pitting classes and races against each other.

Our Constitution never authorized this new slavery. America can no longer afford the huge expense of this dole and the overlapping government agencies necessary to dispense the welfare.

One clear role of the federal government outlined in our Constitution is national defense. But many politicians and citizens consider national defense a legitimate area to cut in order to maintain this new slavery.

Please, call or write your federal representatives and let them know your concern.

Charles T. Joyner

Poquoson