Scandinavian Attributes

As a Swede who has visited Sweden many times and Finland, Norway and Denmark once, I must point out that the articles written by Tyler Marshall (Part I, Dec. 14-15) about Scandinavia indicated a certain amount of bias, whose purpose must have been to try to promote the United States by using negative reporting about the greatest success story of our times.

My father left Sweden in the early 1900s after his wife died, leaving his two daughters with his wife’s sister. I remember very clearly my father very poignantly telling them he could not afford to send them money to buy bicycles to go to school on. Today, their five children are a real success story. They would not change Sweden one iota. Neither would I.

I believe their government is an example we should follow. They have abolished poverty, controlled speculation--the curse of the capitalistic world--provided health care of excellent quality to one and all, developed housing and community ideas that take into account the character of the modern family, i.e. single parents, and single elderly with limited income, and they have become truly civilized in that they don’t believe in heroes. They know all about Hitler, Stalin, and others who were heroes to some and monsters to others. A true society is one where all opinions are respected and where the use of intimidation, coercion, etc. are looked at as sins used by spiritually inadequate individuals.

The United States would be a lot better off if it followed the example of the Scandinavians.

STANLEY ERICKSON

Beverly Hills