SPEAKOUT

Tuesday, December 4, 2001

Call 471-6636

I taped the Michael Jackson concert. Call me at 471-3408.

some decent people who live in this area.

There was a time in this country when a man's word was law and his check was as good as a million dollars. A very wise man in this town once told me that a man's work was not in a bank, but that it was in his word. He said whether we had a million dollars or had nothing, if our word was good then we were truly rich. In the beginning we come into this world with nothing and in the end, all we have when we leave is six feet of earth. If we can go back and remember that, then America would once again be truly blessed.

On Nov. 26 I was in a medical clinic for after-hour care. The sign says "Walk-ins welcome" and there are no signs stating that severe cases are first and that this is a first come-first served basis facility. I have understood from the years that I have been there. However, when you go to the Sikeston hospital, they have a note telling you that severe cases are seen first. They also have a trauma team that checks your blood pressure and the whole nine yards. I went to this after-care service to take my sick children. I sat there for about 15 minutes. A young lady brought her child in and was taken back immediately before my children. When I talked to the doctor, the doctors explained to me that he didn't know this had happened and that the reason the other patient was taken first was because the child's father was a doctor. We're fighting in a war. We're not trying to discriminate here in America. Why, when my child is sick and someone else's child is sick and they may have more money than me; this is discrimination. When we go to the doctor's office, we are all sick. Get us on a first come, first served basis.

I'm a taxpaying citizen and live in the Sunset Addition on the west side of town. Why does the Sikeston Department of Public Safety allow people to stand on the corners at Westgate, Osage and Luther streets? They don't allow people to stand around downtown, so why do they allow it in this area? You can walk up to the store any time of day or night and they're standing out there. This is a cry out for help in our community. Let's start making a difference in our community and get these people off the streets. We have some decent people who live in this area.

We contacted Department of Public Safety Chief Drew Juden with your questions. "It is not against the law to stand on the street corner at Luther and Osage or on any other street corner in the city. Should a citizen see some type of illegal activity, we would be glad to receive the report or that information and work with them concerning the illegal activity. I concur that we need to make a difference, but the difference starts with community involvement."