Speakout 2/10

Sunday, February 10, 2008

I'm calling in response to Be a brother. There's more responsible than just the coaches for kids selling drugs. There's parents, counselors, pastors and more. I merely mentioned the coaches because we were talking about the athletes. I mentioned McFerren and Cookson because I know several of the ex-players that were like the ones in Operation Grinch that are hard working young men now due to the differences these two men made in their lives - on the court and off the court. Find me an ex-Sikeston athlete that feels like that about a coach, past or present. Oh, I thought not. I don't expect the coach to hold his hand, but a good coach's dream is for all his players to go to college. If not that, at least to have a better life. And the schools I mentioned are smaller and are sending more athletes to college on athletic scholarships than Sikeston High School. So for the comments on Easter and Martin Luther King's Day, let it rest, the parents are responsible for the police coming to their house. If arrests need to be made, do your job. But they are not responsible for operation names such as Cold Turkey, Jack Frost, Operation Grinch with a Santa hat on. What's next, a live band and a party at the bus? The so-called big wigs that get busted, there are never any operations named and hats worn. I believe the word this person used was unnecessary for the hat. No, it was very inappropriate. I have done things for kids in my neighborhood like picking them up on a cold day and taking them to school just so they would have a better day at school. I talk to every young person equal and on a positive note. Being a brother is not a question. I just pray that the brother that wrote this wasn't a sell-out brother.

This is to the gentleman who stopped by our house to tell us he found our injured Boxer. I just want to say thank you because without you we would have never found her. We'd been searching for her for two days. We got her to the vet and ended up having to put her down. But at least she's home now and we wanted to say thank you so much.

This phone call is in regard to the 42-year-old male that called in stating he was disabled. I just wanted to say Disability, Social Security, all that stuff, you get what you pay in. The amount he is getting is due to his work history. As far as his child support, that is his responsibility to pay for his child to be taken care of.

No one is saying that the people arrested around Christmas time was a mistake. What we're saying is, it should not be included in the Christmas spirit, as far as the Christmas hat the police officers were wearing. It should have had no bearing in that. They should have not waited until that time of year to do this. They should do their job all year long. Not just at Christmas time to get in the paper. That's the big deal with Sikeston. When they do do something, they want to be in the paper, so people can see that they did it in the first place. Do your job all year long, not just when you can get your picture in the paper for doing it. It's ridiculous! Sikeston is bad about this, always have and always will be.

I see where the mayor wants to gripe about people throwing out trash. It is disgusting, but you need to go around here to these businesses who don't take care of their entrances or in front of their building - the curb appeal. Where's the street sweeper? I haven't seen it in two years. Do we even have one here anymore? Look at these streets that need to be repaired. You need to get off your high horse and come out here and drive down the streets of this city and see where the problem is. It's in front of everybody's homes, the curbs, things the city could take care of. Hire more people to help you with the city. You have the money.