Speakout 12/1

Lately it seems like every meeting or gathering I attend, the discussions are focused on the general decline of Sikeston as a community. A fact often cited is that although Sikeston's overall population is decreasing, the number of people at or below the poverty level is increasing. If you doubt it, go to the Post Office on the first and third of each month and count the chronically unemployed camped out in front of their post office boxes anxiously awaiting their monthly check(s). Honest, hard working and legitimately retired persons have to fight their way through these unemployed masses to get to their boxes. Why do the chronically unemployed flock to Sikeston? Convenience. Sikeston is where the goose (the government) lays the golden egg for the chronically unemployed.

There are far too many welfare programs with offices in Sikeston to list them all, but the list includes the Social Security office, welfare office (DFS), unemployment office, one of the largest housing authorities in the state, DAEOC, EEOC, Head Start, WIC, Health Department, Missouri Commission on Human Rights, the Division of Aging, Division of the Blind, Food Bank, Mission Missouri, Soup Kitchen, Homeless Shelter and the Rescue Mission. All of these programs enable the chronically unemployed to live in Sikeston without putting forth any effort to become self-sufficient or contribute anything to the betterment of our community. These programs are all conveniently located within about a half mile radius in Sikeston, so a car isn't needed to go from one to the other to constantly check on one's eligibility for all the programs and handouts. The solution is to fight hard to have these offices and programs relocated outside of Sikeston. Then the people who rely on these benefits will have to follow them to their new locations. Don't the people in Oran, Benton, Morley, Chaffee and Scott City need these services? If the answer is no, it's because all of the people needing those welfare programs left those communities and moved to Sikeston. Our city leaders should be fighting to keep these offices/programs out of Sikeston instead of fighting to get them here.

From the Standard Democrat front page article on Nov. 21, I see the politics of hate, spite and intimidation are alive and well here in Mississippi County. Calling state employees to attend a reception that was nothing more than political with a veiled threat that "if you don't show up, we're going to get you" is just deplorable!

What is President Bush's IQ, or are you ashamed to print it?

Judging from your comment, his IQ is a step above yours.

About 60 years ago, Hitler hated Radio Free Europe. For the same reason, Daschle and the Democrats hate talk radio. To hear the truth, capitalists in talk radio report the news. You won't hear it on ABC, CNN, NBC or CBS.

Isn't that a crock of you-know-what about the correctional center being in trouble, and about Betty Hearnes? What about the county representatives giving all the money to the Susanna Wesley Learning Center and they get all the money from federal funding because that's her sister-in-law? I think people should look into that.