To the editor:

I am utterly exhausted of hearing the term “special interest” as a bad thing. I am a full-time mom in a lower middle-class income family. We struggle financially to make this a reality. I have three sons, including one with a developmental disability. Two of my sons are home-schooled, while the third attends public school. And soon my husband may become self-employed, which will further subject us to taxation.

Everyone in this country is a “special interest.” If you’re married, your interests are different than that of single/divorced/widowed persons. If you have children your interests are different than those without children. If you have sons, your interests are probably different than those with daughters, even if you’re lucky enough to have both.

Just because my interests are different than yours doesn’t make me better than you or vice versa. Not “special”; just different.

Jamie Lindeman,

Lawrence