Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I have been called human scum. As have millions of our fellow Americans. Good people.

My six siblings and I are third generation Americans. We were not born into wealth, but we were raised in a loving family environment. My father’s father was a small business owner. My father served as a Marine during World War II. 

After high school, I served in the Army with a tour to Vietnam. After my service, I worked several jobs before going to a trade school on the G.I. Bill. I was grateful for the G.I Bill because it helped me pursue a career that spanned more than 40 years. I was a small business owner, self-employed for most of that 40 years. I am now retired.

During my nearly 71 years, I have never paid off a porn star or had a sham of a charitable organization, or scammed anyone with a bogus university. I did not have multiple bankruptcies, cheat or con anyone out of money or property. I never made fun of the handicapped or called people degrading na...