To the editor:
Dean Burgess writes (“Dems owe small business a big apology,” Times, Aug. 7) about President Obama’s recent speech where he tried to remind business owners of the ways in which government has contributed to their success. As anyone who has heard or read the speech can tell, the president didn’t mean to belittle business owners. Rather he meant to remind them not to belittle the positive role government has had in their success. I quote from Obama’s speech:
“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that.”
Clearly, the “that” to which the president is referring to is great teachers, roads and bridges. Probably he should have said “those.” Then it would be clearer.
So, Dean Burgess, when you say that the Gloucester Democratic City Committee should apologize to small business owners, I have to disagree. If anything, you should apologize to Democrats for misconstruing the president’s words in order to advance your political agenda.
Elizabeth Thomas
Gloucester
