Not everyone in Ann Romney’s position

I do not denigrate Ann Romney for having made the “choice” to be a stay-at-home mom. [“Peashooters in the Twitter Lounge,” Opinion, April 16.]

I applaud those who are in a position to make that choice. There are, however, many many of us who have not been, or are not in, a position to make that choice. We absolutely need the money that our jobs brought and continue to bring to the family. I do believe for Romney it was a far easier choice to make than for mainstream America.

I also find it interesting that while the Romneys may want to put a positive spin on Ann Romney’s stay-at-home mom status (perhaps to attract women voters?), they sure don’t want to give us a “choice” over other issues that affect our lives.

— Gail Schaefer, Kirkland

Low, middle classes can’t relate

Queen Elizabeth was a stay-at-home mother. However, aside from her royal duties, she never worked a day in her life. Exactly like multimillionaire Ann Romney who had an army of servants, sophisticated appliances and three Cadillacs at her service.

Romney should apologize to the millions of poor and middle-class stay-at-home American moms for comparing herself to them.

When we had five children at home, some in diapers, my wife worked long and hard hours because we were barely low-middle-class.

At the time, I was her only servant, although for half a day I was away at my job. Then, we had an old Plymouth with an unreliable engine to drive us to the laundromat because we had no washer or dryer at home.

We did have a good stove where my wife cooked from scratch all our meals. I feel sorry for Romney, who probably never has had the pleasure of even boiling an egg ...

— Keo J. Capestany, Seattle

Old debate stirred

It’s amazing to me that we’re still having this conversation.

Hilary Rosen’s comments about Ann Romney are out of the past, a past best forgotten. I thought we were well beyond judging a person’s worth to society by whether or not they bring home a paycheck.

Let’s move on and leave to each of us how best to live our own lives and contribute to society in our own way.

— Sue Williams, Normandy Park