Food stamp recipient and aspiring rock star Jason Greenslate.
Food stamp recipient and aspiring rock star Jason Greenslate. — John Gastaldo

You seem critical of Fox News for reporting on a problem that concerns the majority of tax payers in America, the lazy slobs that live off of the system and don’t try to take care of themselves. He actually boasted that that was what he was doing! Your article suggests that the problem is limited in nature, that he is not a bad fellow and more people need to be made aware of the handout program and how easy it is to jump on the bandwagon.

He stated there were threats on his life. The only threat to this young man’s slovenly life should be starvation, from not getting off his lazy ass and going to work. Trying to paint a picture of him working hard to make his music was pathetic and, I’m pretty certain, not bought into by the majority of U-T readers. Let me clue you in. The hardest work he does is trying to find additional ways to milk our pathetic system. There are tens of thousands just like him that just want the free ride and don’t want to pay, or work for it. He states, “have you ever tried to work in a job that pays $15 an hour?” Here’s the real news: Most older people have worked in jobs at $1 to $2 an hour, just to survive, maybe you could have mentioned something like that. You put way to much shine on a rusty story.

I’m sorry, but from my perspective, Fox did nothing wrong by bringing this blatant robbery of tax payer dollars to the surface.

Sadly, I would bet you dimes to dollars that if NBC or ABC had aired the identical program, your pen would have been silent.

Your article benefited no one, except maybe other surfer dudes looking for a handout.

Dave Dowler

Valley Center

Food stamps no picnic

Fox News,with its right wing agenda, does a huge disservice with this kind of "reporting." Fraud in the food stamp program is in fact, quite low - and I daresay less ruinous than fraud perpetrated by banks and Wall Street. My brother is among the mentally ill homeless in this state whom right wing conservatives are vilifying. He surfs when he can and gee, he surely looks able-bodied. It's so easy to judge by outward appearances. You try living on food stamps and see what a cushy life it is. No, you can't buy hot foods, though you have nowhere to cook. No, you can't buy soap or laundry detergent, though you do want to be clean. And no, you can't buy pet food though your dog may be your sole companion through the long nights. And no, food stamps don't usually last the month. But beware of these avaricious people - you don't want them to get addicted to eating, do you? I do.

Louise Buck