Norman Parsons

10/19/09 10:42:22

Age: 75

Home: Clovis

Occupation: Business manager.

Hobbies: Reading, photography, watercolor painting, anti-tax activism, letter writing.

Bee reader since: 1985.

How many letters: 56 since 1991.

Favorite topics: Sports, especially football, editorials, various opinions. Topics discussed by David Mas Masumoto and Victor Davis Hanson.

Why do you write? I am greatly concerned by this country's move toward collectivism (Hillary Clinton's "It Takes A Village," President Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope"). Too many Americans think that they have a right to the productive efforts of others. Our political system and its resultant taxes at all levels, along with draconian laws and regulations, is breaking our heretofore highly productive economic system.

Education: Bachelor's in business, University of California at Berkeley; DDS, University of the Pacific, San Francisco; master's in economics, La Salle University, Louisiana.

Family: Two daughters, ages 42 and 38; three granddaughters, ages 19, 14 and 10 months.

Political philosophy: Libertarian, following Ayn Rand, Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams.

-- Compiled by Pam Rowse