A Letter to the AARP

Still smarting from the trauma of having moved to the "dark side" of a century here on earth... I recently received a sort of mocking greeting from the American Association of Retired Persons.

Yeah, can you believe that? 

I have never been a big fan of the AARP:  back in the 80's when the organization was first coming into prominence, I happened to be in the life insurance business.  My company also sold Medicare Supplement insurance for seniors to cover the expenses Medicare didn't pay.

At the time, Medicare Supplement Insurance was AARP's claim to fame and people were opting for theirs over the more expensive product I had to offer. 

Now I am not really still angry over that, I just said it to point out that I have never felt real chummy with the AARP.

This has been compounded by the fact that they have become more and more political in recent years - to the point that they could almost be lumped in with labor unions.  The organization seeks to make dependent victims of all its members and presents a very one-sided view with its website articles.

All of that bad blood between myself and the AARP came to a head when I got their invitation to join.  So I fired off a letter.

I pretty much made my family listen to the contents of my letter (under the pretense of having them help "proof read" it).  Since it is unlikely that anyone at AARP will read it, I am inserting it here for your approval:

Addison Barry Rand

AARP

P.O. Box 93237

Long Beach, CA 90809

Dear Mr. Rand:

I am in receipt of your most recent offer of membership in the AARP.  Let me first say that I was somewhat surprised to receive your greeting this soon after my fiftieth birthday. 

I will be respectfully declining your offer of membership and would like to point out a few of my reasons for doing so.

The American Association of Retired Persons has apparently evolved into a very large organization.  It seems that the organization has used the power of its large membership to assert a claim of representing a large block of voters and thus to garner more political power with elected officials.  Yet the organization continually espouses causes that run counter to the wishes of a great majority of its members.

I will not be a party to such insolence by contributing in any way.

This dichotomy of values was most evident during the recent national healthcare reform debate.  Your organization supported the legislation and counseled its members to do likewise – knowing that part of the proposed changes would be very costly to Medicare recipients.

Even now your website continues to rally support for what most Americans realize was very poor legislation passed in a very underhanded way.

As I grow older, I do not want to be looking to an organization for advice whose values are so very opposite my own.

Politically, I am conservative.  Yet as I perused your website recently, it seems that AARP is all about fighting against conservative values.  The articles do not present a balanced view but are rather couched in terms designed to promote fear and inflame the passions.

Our nation was founded on biblical principles recognizing the intrinsic value of individuals and how the freedom we now enjoy was “endowed” by our “Creator”. 

Groups like yours that seek to build power and effect change by rallying people around their own discontent, fail to understand the worth of individuals.  People become only numbers to strengthen the volume of a group’s voice.  It is a selfish and short-sighted view and one that is ultimately bad for our country and counter to the cause of freedom.

Ironically, this mind-set eventually cripples an organization because there is no free flow of ideas – new ideas are stifled.  Only those ideas that fit the format of the group’s message are heeded. 

Thank you, but no-thank you.  I will not be contributing even the small $16 for an annual subscription. Further, I request that you no longer send me such offers.

Sincerely