Speakout 2/28

I understand they are now picking the jury for Michael Jackson's trial. It's going to take a month and they've only gotten a couple of weeks into it and Michael has already come up with an ailment. Now he's got the flu. I wonder what he's going to try next when the flu is over. I think the last time he went up on charges for molesting children, didn't he get bitten by a spider? He always comes up with something to try to make people feel sorry for him. I don't want to see him put in the electric chair, gas chamber or to be hung, but I don't want to see him put into a jail cell that has every comfort he can think of, his own telephone, TV and everything he can think of, carpet and all that stuff. I want him put into prison with the regular population so some of those guys can get ahold of him and do things to him or worse (I hope) than what he did to those children. Jackson has not gone to trial yet for the allegations levied against him. In this country, all suspects are still considered innocent until proven otherwise.

I just finished reading a Newsweek magazine and want to tell the person who accused George W. Bush of stealing the Social Security money, you're wrong. According to Newsweek, the government has been dipping into Social Security money since 1960. That's 45 years that the government has been dipping in there and stealing the money for whatever they want to use it for, like these worthless people who draw SSI and these people who pretend to be sick or pretend to have a child that's not "all there." They get money for that and it comes out of Social Security. These useless, worthless, low-down people get money without working for it. So you can't blame it all on Bush. They've been doing it for 45 years.

My husband has passed away and we were married for more than 50 years. He always said to never vote for a Republican for president because they would get rid of Social Security. He said they never did like it, don't want it and they will do everything in their power to get rid of it. Well, you're seeing it right now. Just watch what Bush is doing and you'll see what I'm talking about.

In answer to the Feb. 10 article on double taxation, I am so glad, sir, that you had to pay a fine. You are a bitter old man who complains all the time. You like to sue people and want something for nothing. Yes, I know you. I own several rental properties in Sikeston and am very pleased with what our mayor and City Council are doing. I also appreciate our police department, new county sheriff and prosecuting attorney. If you don't like it, sell out and leave. For myself, I like Sikeston. It's a great, growing community with good schools, good parks and a great community to live in. So if you don't like it, why don't you just leave sir, because I do know you.

Sikeston has a place where people can take metal and aluminum to recycle. Why can't Sikeston come up with a solution to take old deep freezers, refrigerators, and other heavy appliances so people will stop dumping them in our ditches on the county roads?

Sikeston does have a solution. The city will remove appliances during the annual fall and spring clean-ups for city residents. There is a charge for the removal of these items.

Governor Blunt, have you lost your mind? Messing with these kids with special needs you think is OK because you don't think anybody will fight back for them? That's where you're wrong. These kids need more help, not the big city schools. Let's see you cut their budgets; let's see you cut the big city schools out. These kids are already messed up when they go to a state school. They can't get anything done and the ones who are sent to public schools are treated like dogs. Don't make Missouri citizens regret voting for you. You're making the same mistakes Governor Holden made. These kids deserve the same respect as anybody else's kids.