DEAR ABBY: I was troubled by your response to the letter from Betie Newton. While I feel as you do about the heroic and noble deed of her father in saving the lives of a Jewish family during World War II, I am not in agreement with your comment that "we are living in a country where people will NEVER (emphasis mine) encounter the horror that was faced by your friend and father."
Abby, it was apathy and denial by the populace that led to the actions of the Nazis. There are those in our society who preach the same hatred, and there is profound apathy in this country toward those who engage in such activities. We all hope that we will never "encounter such horror," but only an informed, vigilant and morally active society can prevent such a horror from ever happening again. We should never say never. -- DARRELL D. SAGE, CARLISLE, PA.
DEAR DARRELL: You have written a strong and profound letter, to which I would add: In order to protect our freedoms, it is vital that we exercise them to the fullest. I refer specifically to our right to vote.
We live in a society where it's still possible to achieve success through hard work and dedication. If that is to continue, people must educate themselves about the issues that are important to them, make their wishes known at the ballot box and select candidates they trust to represent them. It's a big responsibility, but the future of our country depends upon everyone assuming it.