Dear Ann Landers,
'll bet you have already received several hun-dred letters from readers like myself who were stunned by your insen-sitivity. I refer to your response to the woman whose husband had been looking for a job for three years. You said her letter was "downright de-pressing" and suggested that her "negative attitude" must have had a lot to do with her bad luck. Get real. I know Ph.D.s who have lost their jobs and are now work-ing for $6 an hour. You are going to hear plenty about your unsympa-thetic response. -Judy S. in Durham, N.C.

Dear Judy,
I did indeed "hear plenty," and when 6,000 people write and tell me I'm out of the loop, I'd better take another look. Mean-while, here's what my readers had to say: From Wilton, Calif.: You are clearly out of touch with the sinking middle class. I was at one time a corporate president, and now, due to "downsizing," I am working for minimum wage. Welcome to the real world. Troy, Mich.: My husband worked for an advertising agency for 23 years. He was only 49 when the company decided to "downsize" and suggested he take early retirement. He's been job-hunting for three years. Now do you get it? Moline, 111.: My son has two degrees, one in business, another in ac-counting. He, too, was downsized and can't find a job that uses his tal-ents. He's now delivering flowers for a wholesale florist. Davenport, Iowa: When was the last time you dipped into your re-tirement savings to pay the $650 monthly premium to keep your health insurance in force? Do you know what it's like to send out 125 resumes and not get a nibble? Hartford, Conn.: Dear Marie Antoinette: Millions of people in the United States and Canada are working for little more than peanuts to create millionaires and billionaires. This is the stuff revolutions are made of. Bellevue, Wash.: Eight families in our apartment complex have been hit with layoffs in the past three years. They are all degreed, middle- aged, and attractive. You're lucky to have a permanent job, Ann. Shame on you. Peoria, 111.: There is a new class in America-the Educated Working Poor. They won't be able to retire or leave anything to their children or grandkids. There goes the American dream. Cincinnati, Ohio: I was "downsized" (a polite word for canned) out the door after 21 years of faithful service. Management had changed hands and my years of loyalty meant absolutely nothing to the new crowd. My replacement was a lad my son's age. Just sign me "Washed up at 47." Philadelphia: No jobs? Nonsense! The quality of entry level work-ers is pathetic. I've interviewed hundreds of college graduates who can't read, can't spell and can't do simple math. Worse yet, many can't pass a drug test. That's the real picture. Got it? Dear Phil: The "real picture" often depends on your vantage point. Millions of competent people are out of work. Downsizing is a fact of life and I feel for those who want to work and can't find jobs.