SPEAKOUT

Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Call 471-6636

I was in Market Place shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. While shopping there, there was a real, real nice obviously Islamic woman. She was dressed in traditional attire and had two small children. She was very, very nice, very, very mannerly and I even spoke with one of her kids. I didn't see her any more until she was in the checkout line, a few people in front of me. There was this old moron man, who made a very, very, very crude and prejudicial remark about her and her religion. She obviously overheard it and her feelings were very hurt, and so were mine, for her. For just a brief second, I was ashamed to be a fellow American with someone who would act that way.

Anybody still flying the Confederate flag at these times, I consider a true traitor. Go get a dictionary. Look up the word "united." Love it or leave it, my friend.

There are so many people who have lost their jobs here lately and there will be so many families this Thanksgiving and Christmas who won't have any food, shelter; there will be many young children who won't receive a gift or present for Christmas. These people have been working all their lives need help and can't get any help. The reason they can't get any help is because so much fraud has been committed in the welfare system. Too may people are committing fraud, and by committing this fraud, they keep others from getting the help they need. There's no reason in this country, the United States of America, with all the programs they have, that anyone should have to go hungry or homeless. Of all the children in this country and all the families who are losing their jobs and homes, there is no help. I see people who are on welfare driving big, expensive cars and a working person can't even buy a car.

I live on Lillian Drive and am calling to thank Danny Russell, my paper man, and Wendy for writing the subjects I send in to the paper. Danny is the most outstanding young man I've had for a paper boy and I really appreciate him. I'm reading my paper on Saturday night and am really enjoying it. Thank you Danny and Wendy.

Does anyone have pigeons for sale? If so, please put a phone number in SpeakOut.

On Oct. 4 you had an ad in the paper. It's this time of year and if you have wood for sale to put your phone number in the paper. I have called in for two weeks and it still isn't on. We have the firewood you're seeking. Call us at 471-4193. I don't know how you put that one in but not mine. I'm still looking for an ad that I have firewood for people who want it.

Sorry caller. We don't routinely print items that could be considered a classified ad in SpeakOut. However, we had made an exception since it was a response to a SpeakOut request. We apologize for the oversight.

A lady in St. Louis is looking for a lost uncle. If you have any information, you can contact me at (573) 649-3324 and I will contact her. His name is Harold Britt and his wife is Maureen Britt. They had no children but he had some brothers. At one time, he lived in North St. Louis on Grand Avenue. The lady is named Jerry Pallardy.

I wonder how many people would have poured money into the Red Cross in New York City had they known the head administrator's salary was $450,000 annually. Now she's resigning and that fact has been publicized. How could anyone accept that amount if they were truly trying to help people in need? Will a large percentage of the funds intended for victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy be siphoned off for administrative costs? Even the administrator thought these funds should have been kept separate from other Red Cross funds. And so do I. I've always heard if you want your donation to get to the people who need it, give it to the Salvation Army. I believe that more than ever now.