Speakout 2/3

Monday, February 4, 2002

First I would like to ask you, Mr. Jensen, what does black ex-convicts have to do with your editorial on the Symbionese Liberation Army? You made reference to the Harris' and black ex-convicts. The SLA consisted of people from all walks of life. A matter of fact, heiress Patricia Hearst was a member. She testified against the organization and she walked. She would have anyway. They did that to make it look good. Surely they didn't expect us to believe she was kidnapped by them, and I hope you don't expect us to believe she was kidnapped either. She was a member of the SLA, she drove the getaway car at the bank heist. If she was sitting in the car, under the driver's seat why didn't she leave?

The SLA was formed in the early '70s by a black ex-convict named Donald DeFreeze who recruited a small number of middle-class radicals. DeFreeze was known as General Field Marshal Cinque Mtume. He died in a shoot-out and fire with police. Hearst served time in prison for her role in the California bank robbery that was conducted by the SLA.

I was eating at the Nutrition Center where most of them are senior citizens, and I saw two strangers that I had not seen before. I wanted to be friendly, so I talked to them and found out they were from Portageville. They come there every year to help the elderly fill out their income taxes. They were Dwight Bryant and Edgar Allen. I have to take my hat off for them to drive all the way to Sikeston. God bless them!

This is to the child of a cancer patient. Please call Scott or Blye at 472-3600. We are coordinators of the Look and Feel Better Program with the American Cancer Society and we would love to help if we can.


I am responding to comments from a child of a cancer patient. As a nurse who has given care to oncology patients for close to 20 years, I am very upset by your remarks. As I said last time, cancer patients receive excellent care, compassion and genuine concern from professionals. You cannot possibly be talking about us when you mention that your mother has not eaten and that she has gone through lies and innuendos for years. It is not true that most cancer patients die of starvation or pneumonia because they cannot eat. The patients receive every consideration possible and are not allowed to suffer needlessly. It seems obvious to me that there is more going on here than care and treatment for cancer. Perhaps some mental health care would help you to stop enabling and your mother to cease manipulating. You are casting stones at the undeserving, and for that there is a price.


I read the article from the child of a cancer patient who was helping their mother. It seemed that they needed help. If this person can put a telephone number in SpeakOut or call 471-4569, perhaps someone can help them.

So now it's the Standard Democrat, as brought to you by Quick Check. How sad.

I see where Governor Holden wants to increase taxes on alcohol, tobacco and gambling again to raise money for education. I can tell you what the problem is. We've got too many people spending their paychecks on rent and groceries instead of lotteries and casinos. You know who you are. As long as we have tight-wads like you, we're never going to balance the budget. And another thing, I am sick and tired of when people say they can only smoke one, maybe two packs of cigarettes a day. You can smoke three or four packs a day easy, and you know it; and a pint of whiskey a day never hurt anybody either. Until you people put your money where your mouth is, we're never going to have the kind of schools we need. So get with it. After all, it's for the children.