THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997            TAG: 9701230004
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A12  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   24 lines

NO SYMPATHY FROM US WHO WORK

For weeks, public-housing residents have been expressing their outrage at Norfolk's new ``social lease'' requirement that they contribute 20 hours of community service per year. Their objection, they say, is not with the work but with the fact that they ``have'' to do it - a fact they, in turn, liken to slavery.

Why should they be any different from the large numbers of the employed population who work, not because they want to but because they ``have'' to? They ``have'' to work to provide housing, food and clothing for themselves and their families, as well as to pay taxes to support those who don't work. And many, I'm sure, often feel like slaves to their jobs.

Public-housing residents who will soon ``have'' to work 20 hours per year to keep a roof over their heads should not expect sympathy from the majority of us who ``have'' to work 2,000 hours per year, or more, to do the same.

KAREN GULBRANSON

Virginia Beach, Jan. 15, 1997