Letter to the Editor

Your View: two from 3/10

Monday, March 10, 2003

Friday evening my family and I journeyed to Cape's Notre Game to watch the district 4A Championship game. We, like so many other Dexter fans, were anticipating a fair and exciting game. We expected this, even though the night before we witnessed grand larceny in the Sikeston vs. Notre Dame game.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not a big Sikeston fan ever since the score keeper cost Dexter a win back in 1971. However, Sikeston was robbed of a win by the same Cape area official that cost Dexter the win Friday night. It is my opinion that the same referee who decided the outcome of the Sikeston vs. Notre Dame game decided the outcome of the Dexter vs. Notre Dame game. When one team gets to shoot twice as many free throws as the other team, as the case was Friday night, it is apparent that the referees are favoring the home team.

I have always been opposed to referees from the town the game is being played in to get to be officials at that game. But it was totally absurd for one referee to get to decide the outcome of both the semifinal and championship games. I feel that this referee should be reprimanded for his blatant favoritism for the home team. It is the job of the referees to officiate the game, not to decide the outcome of the game.

As a parent of three boys who have played basketball, golf, soccer, football and track, trust me when I say I have been to more than my fair share of sporting events. I have experienced the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. I have also witnessed the conduct of irate parents and fans.

However, I have never been more disappointed in the conduct of fans than I was Friday night at Notre Dame.

I am all for cheering for your team, but the conduct of the Notre Dame fans, students and school officials was inexcusable. Not only did they reserve more seating for Notre Dame than Dexter, but Notre Dame school officials told our students to hold down their cheering while the Notre Dame students were permitted to jump up and down on the bleachers and run around the gym with shirts off and blue stripes painted on their bodies. As if that weren't enough, after the game, the Dexter players went to board their bus only to find that it had been vandalized by the Notre Dame fans.

As a parent, I have always taught my children that it is just as important to be a gracious winner as it is loser. Obviously, not all parents agree with me.

In the past, I always envied children that got to attend a religious school and wished that my children had such an opportunity. However, if Notre Dame students are an example of what a Christian school produces, then give me public schooling any day.

Jean A. Demaree, Dexter

After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six and injured 1,000, President Clinton promised those responsible would be hunted down and punished. They weren't.

After the 1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia, killing five U.S. military personnel, Clinton promised those responsible would be hunted down and punished. He didn't.

After the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 and injured 200 U.S. military personnel, Clinton promised those responsible would be hunted down and punished. Nothing happened!

After the 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in Africa, which killed 224 and injured 5,000, Clinton promised those responsible would be hunted down and punished. They were not!

After the 2000 bombing of USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 U.S. sailors, Clinton promised those responsible would be hunted down and punished. He did nothing!

Maybe if Clinton had kept his promise, an estimated 3,000 people in New York and Washington, D.C., that are now dead might be alive today. Just maybe?

Now, some interesting questions. I believe they are legitimate questions.

There were two men, both extremely wealthy. One developed a relatively cheap software and gave billions of dollars to charity. The other sponsored terrorism. That being the case, why is it that the Clinton administration spent more money chasing down Bill Gates rather than Osama bin Laden?

What about Bill and Hillary's chronic amnesia during those eight years? Remember how these two people were unable to recall anything about their involvement in past events when asked on numerous occasions while under oath during their eight-year reign? Now, suddenly Hillary gets $8 million for her forthcoming memoir and Bill gets about $12 million for his memoir (yet to be written)? These facts were forwarded to me in an e-mail originated by U.S. Navy (Ret.) Cmdr. Hamilton McWhorter.

In the spirit of free speech, I submit then to you with the same heart-felt sincerity and passionate fervor as held by the all anti-Bush, anti-America protestors at home and abroad who were celebrated for their "courage" worldwide for presenting their twisted propaganda against our President for earnestly trying to carry out his oath of protecting and defending the citizens of the United States, will my words be afforded as much respect?

Hillary Clinton for president? I pray, never again! Hillary should be held accountable for her and Bill's deeds and misdeeds. Remember how they campaigned proudly and unceasingly with their message they were "co-equal" in that presidency? Remember Bill Clinton's own words, "With Hillary and me you get two for the price of one." We have a long way to go to even tally the cost of having the Clintons in control of this nation for eight long years.

As of today, March 3, 2003, we continue to debate an unanswered question. "Are we as a nation, in unity, willing and able to pay that price?"

John McMillen, Sikeston