Reader to Reader

Either reader Sterling R. Johnson believes that he is the only citizen of this country who pays taxes or he thinks that there is some grand scheme by our government to pinpoint his taxes and his taxes alone to support the NEA (Letters, June 20).

What people like Johnson don’t seem to realize is that there are a lot of taxpayers out there, and some of us really don’t mind seeing our money go to support arts and artists like Robert Mapplethorpe. On the other hand, I do mind my tax money going to pay paychecks for often corrupt politicians, government sexual witch hunts, and building more and more weapons of mass destruction for the military.

So what do we do? Do we not spend money on anything due to someone someplace not approving of the expenditure? Or do we strike a balance and realize that in a country like ours, sometimes the bad has to come with the good?

M.L. COMPTON

Sherman Oaks