I'm responding to your commentary on urban withdrawal ["Why a slump in suburbanization is one of the silver linings of the crunch on the middle class," by Nick Keppler, June 16]. I'm a middle-class, middle-aged married man with two teens. I read your commentary while trying out a new pizza spot. The pizza was great. The constant blame being cast on middle-class families is without warrant. I grew up in a modest home in Plainville. I played Little League ball, hung out with friends and among other things often enjoyed the sun-ripened tomatoes from my dad's garden. I find nothing wrong with that. Do you? People are hurting financially because among other things the federal government is borrowing money from China and others at high interest rates so they can give it to other countries in return for their friendship at the taxpayers' expense. I stopped giving my lunch money away to earn friends at the age of 7. I and other suburbanites work hard and try to save. We give to charities, pay most of the overall tax burden and deal with the high costs of education and other living expenses. Why? So my children can have a yard to play in and I can have a garden. Wall Street, the federal, state and local governments love it when we attack the rich, the poor, the middle class and each other because it takes the focus off of them. The many problems our country face stem from greed and corruption on the part of our leadership in Washington. So lets keep the focus on them and continue to help each other.
Norman Roux
Berlin
