Speakout 10-27

I have just returned home from watching the Sikeston Senior High football game. I must say that I am very disappointed. Although Sikeston pulled the win out in overtime, I feel that it was a big loss. I would like to say that winning isn't everything. It is also very important how the game is played. I see by looking at the program that there are many boys out there on the sidelines who did not get the chance to play. However, this is not the first time. They have seen almost no playing time since the season started. It takes more than just 11 young men to make up a football team. Several of the young men who have not had a chance to play are seniors. To me this is their year to shine. They should at least be given a chance to play the game. This is, after all, their last year to play. I am sure that they endure the long, hot practices just as do the ones who get to play the entire game. What, may I ask, is fair about this? They do not practice day after day just to walk the sidelines. How disappointing can this be to these boys? I wish coaches would step back and see this through the eyes of these disappointed teens. Thank you for listening.

The non-stop slams against north New Madrid County and the Matthews community by the present R-1 school people is really getting out of hand. This is just a school bond issue; not the end of the world. The recent Your View article by a former R-1 employee was just about the final straw for a lot of folks. Let's get it out of the gutter people. After all, we're all going to have to live together no matter what happens on the bond issue.

How in this world do they think raising cigarette taxes is going to help our children when it will be taking food from their mouths? People are going to buy them no matter how much they cost. They will take food money to buy them. Isn't that defeating the purpose. So it's just going to cost Missouri more money for food stamps and welfare.

I'm calling about the front page article on Oct. 16 about the calls of Missouri welfare going to India. It's terrible that we're sending these calls to India for the welfare and food stamp calls. If those jobs are India, there are that many more people on welfare and food stamps in Missouri. Something needs to be done to nullify that contract whenever possible and bring these jobs back to Missouri. What kind of message are we sending to the people who are on welfare and get food stamps?

Hey, Mike. Don't get so upset, man. This isn't Wavy Gravy but a lot of us Woodstock-types went to the Cotton Carnival parade this year. We weren't from this community. Be cool, you. That the hippie lifestyle make you think Sikeston citizens were responsible for the trash is correct. It's just a lifestyle from the '60s, man. Be cool. Besides, I swear I saw you at Woodstock. Like, peace, love.

I would just like to respond to the curious black person who is complaining about too many officers in his neighborhood. You should feel lucky and more safe to see a lot of officers in your hood unless, of course, you yourself are involved in illegal activities, which would be the only reason you don't want them there. I wish blacks would stop trying to make everything out to be a racial issue. Go question the non-law abiding whites and they'll tell you police harass them too. The police need to crack down on the druggies and murderers and get them off the streets. And if your hood is full of that type of people, then that's where the police need to be. Be thankful the police are trying to protect you and your community for God's sake!

Remember when you vote that Jim Talent was a lobbyist for the insurance companies that paid him over $250,000. Also remember your 401K retirement account.

I would like to SpeakOut about the Oct. 15 Standard Democrat. Jim Talent said he is in support of the St. John's Bayou Floodway Project and he's going to send a final impact statement to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and get them on the ball up there. The article talks about the flooding around Sikeston and New Madrid. This could have been prevented if the politicians and whoever else is to blame would have gotten on the ball years ago and quit dragging their feet years ago when they had pretty weather and worked on this project. I've hollered about this in SpeakOut for years. It seems like I'm just grinding the wheel. It seems like this is another hot article. Jim Talent, I wasn't going to vote for you, but as of Oct. 12, I've started leaning toward you and this article makes me want to vote for you more. But it will take more than words. It will take action on your part by getting with us and get this thing going.

This is in response to "Slow down" on North Ingram that was published in the Oct. 15 paper. I agree with the caller wholeheartedly. Back in 1972 my uncle was killed while he was waiting for the bus at the corner of Ingram and Smith streets. It's a dangerous street. Please don't drive so fast down North Ingram.

I really like Mike Jensen's columns. I liked what he said about the mess that was left after the Cotton Carnival parade and I really liked the one about the children in Milwaukee where he said they weren't people, they were animals. That's right. I watch a lot of news and saw where they had those children in prison. Of all those children they had their parents come in and only three mothers showed up. One claimed he didn't have a ride and another said he didn't even know what was happening. The parent of a 14-year-old wasn't aware his son had been gone and he was gone for two days and he hadn't noticed it yet. Another 14-year-old is already the daddy of a baby. That's the kind of children they are. They're not really children, they're animals. And Mike Jensen really believes in telling it like it is. That's why I like to read what he writes.

This is to the person who complained about selling cookie dough. Every time I turn around I'm buying cookies, candy, magazines and candles, coupon books, popcorn from softball teams to basketball teams, from Girl Scouts to Brownies, Cub Scouts and I'm tired of it. Why can't the parents of these children just make a contribution to their child's group or organization? I think it's wrong for these children to take this into their churches and sell to the congregations. I think it is wrong.