I saw a program on PBS Friday, Sept. 18, talking about how tobacco companies target people, particularly women and children. Okay, I'll go along with the old "tobacco companies are evil" idea, but my question would be: How did we become such easy targets?

When did we become so easily influenced and unable to decide what is good or bad for ourselves? I remember watching TV for about an hour the day after hurricane Katrina passed through New Orleans (I can't remember which news station) a reporter and camera crew were interviewing women crossing a bridge as they left town on foot. (I'm not picking on women, I just don't remember seeing any men interviewed during this time - only women with children).

I was mesmerized by the way each and everyone interviewed, responded in the exact same way: "Nobody's telling us what to do/where to go." (Weren't they told to evacuate before the hurricane?)

I thought to myself, how pathetic all of these adults are so helpless without someone to tell them what to do, step-by-step. I wonder what our "civilization" would be like if our ancestors had been this dependent.

Could you imagine the settlers of the old west crying "Where's FEMA?" whenever a storm hit? Or, suing someone because no one put warning labels on rattle snakes or grizzly bears? There was a report a few years back that 60 percent of the U.S. population supported 100 percent of the U.S. population.

In other words, 40 percent of the population was getting paid through various government jobs and programs paid for by fees/ taxes from the other 60 percent. I would be willing to bet that today it's closer to 50/50.

I remember reading some of my son's homework from his 8th grade social studies class. I was very pleasantly surprised to see writings from our country's founding fathers talking about how vital individual self sufficiency is for our freedom. It is sad to see so many people today willingly becoming victims and giving up their freedom to become dependents of the state. But it does explain why much of our freedom is slipping away, because you cannot be dependent and free at the same time.
Daniel DeYonge
Staples, Minn.