Re: Thomas P.M. Barnett’s Sept. 4 commentary, "Targeting the roots of terrorism in this long war":

Mr. Barnett comments that economist Alan Krueger in his study, "What Makes a Terrorist" derives from "persuasive statistics and analysis" that most terrorists are middle-class and well-educated. Suppressing civil liberties and denying political rights are the twin fomenters. Civil liberties are the linchpin for stability.

He goes on to say, "If you want to increase civil liberties, then you must increase the middle class. Nothing predicts the rise of democracy better than a growing middle-class. In contrast ... economies in which a small elite controls the vast majority of the wealth trends overwhelmingly toward authoritarianism."

Do we infer then that our shrinking middle class automatically puts us in jeopardy of decreasing civil liberties — and political rights — and an authoritarianism controlled by a small elite that controls the vast majority of the wealth?

Is there an echo in here?

— Fritz Schneider, Santa Paula