Speakout 4/11

Thursday, April 11, 2002

Call 471-6636

Someone complained in the March 31 paper about senior citizens exercising in the stores. I guess they think they'll never get old. We old people have to go somewhere to exercise and right now, the stores are the only places we can go. I hope they never have to get old.

It's April Fool's Day and I heard some news on the radio. The announcer said, "Brought to you by the American Cancer Society." I thought they were out of money and don't think they get their money fromw any other source. I can't figure any radio personnel taking money from the American Cancer Society to pay their wages down there.

You undoubtedly heard a free, public service announcement.

I was reading the April 2 editorial, "Character education belongs in the classroom." Take a trip over to Morehouse Elementary. I think you'll find they're teaching that over there.

I am calling in regard to the article I read in your paper several days ago. I believe it said that 324 senior citizens had been overpaid by the state (which was their error) on the pharmaceutical credit for an average of some $73. It also said if it wasn't paid back by April 15, there would be subsequent interest. In the last several months, I believe the state also sent duplicate checks to welfare recipients. They said they were unable to force them to repay that amount. What a joke. Those people were well aware they were not entitled to the extra checks. Why they cannot withhold some out of their future checks like they do on Social Security overpayments, I can't understand. Yet they can force those seniors to repay the whopping amount of $73. I'm quite sure the welfare checks amounted to several thousand dollars.

Why don't we who have lost the last four or five factory jobs supposed to do? We are in our 60s and no one wants to hire people at this age and we are not qualified to do anything else. We don't have health insurance and can't afford the insurance at our age. Most of our jobs are going overseas. What are we Americans to do? They raise the Social Security age up every year. Even when you reach retirement age, there's still no insurance. There's something wrong with America's system. I'm worried sick.

I am calling for the person who is looking for obedience training for their dog. You can call Nancy Montange at (573) 276-5979. She is a superb trainer and very nice lady to have to train your dog.

The April 3 paper shows Gov. Holden supporting funding for planned parenthood to pay for abortions. Didn't he show pictures of the Baptist Church during his campaign? Tell me, fellow Baptists. Just how can our Baptist governor be for abortion? Non-Baptist Democrats, how can this be?

Mike, I agree with you 100 percent on your editorial on April 3, but if DFS had tried to help this baby, they might have placed it in a home of an ex-convict, a felon several times over that has nine DWIs like Cape and Stoddard County DFS did. At least one had this baby. Can someone tell us how to help these babies?