Letters: Swiss wisdom for a nation in need

In 1965, my brother was 11 and I was 10, and our family was transferred to Colmar, France, and even with French lessons neither of us was fluent enough for public school. My brother hit the jackpot as he went to a boarding school in Gstaad, Switzerland, where Elizabeth Taylor had a beautiful chateau. I went to a small cow-town, Chesieres-Villars, five miles up the hill from the Nestle headquarters.

The very animated and hardworking Swiss folks would say “Americans are not that smart” and “Americans watch too much television.” In 1965.

Today we have electricity/nuclear executives accepting huge bonuses, even as our rates go up, and an American president who cannot keep a secret and mocks the handicapped. Columbia’s roads are a wonderful adventure, and some Americans believe other Americans shouldn’t receive health care.

In Switzerland, where there is mandatory universal health care, if we kids didn’t behave, we weren’t paddled; we had our snow skis taken away. Every morning 354 kids lined up for hot oatmeal and loved it and behaved.

The Lord says if you lack wisdom, just ask him, to paraphrase the Bible. Some people like last place, and South Carolina sits on tons of nuclear waste. and coming soon to our pristine beaches are oil-drilling devices. Lord, give us wisdom.

Here’s a good start: Feed kids, help others, and love your pets. And from that small cow-town in Switzerland: “Give them a bite of meat every day.” The Lord will watch your back — and the other three sides too.