The article, “The GOP Lockstep to Oblivion” by Nicholas F. Benton that appeared in your January 29, 2009 issue mischaracterizes Werner Erhard and est. Additional research has shown that there is no evidence that any corporations funded est, and there is no data that even suggests that Mr. Erhard had any pro-Nazi sentiments. Also, Mr. Erhard led a series of one day events attended by over 100,000 people entitled, “A World That Works For Everyone With No One And Nothing Left Out,” to empower individuals to take on making their world work, and he was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Humanitarian Award for his humanitarian activities and his work in ending hunger.