SpeakOut 6/30

Monday, June 30, 2003

Call 471-6636

Congratulations to all the Little League coaches and their all-stars. We realize they're the backbone of the team, and they deserve the all-star position because they have all the responsibility of the team. The others are always there on time, they work very hard to see that they play hard for their coaches. We are also very proud of them, even though they are never recognized. Thanks again, coaches, you are very much appreciated.

I read W.T. Woods' letter and would like to say he's right on the money. I have talked with the Emersons for years about these problems and they never help us when they say they do. I would like to see her response to this letter. She tells us she is going to help and vote a certain way, but goes back to Washington and does just the opposite. Please respond, Mrs. Emerson.

Talk about liars, nobody could hold a light to George Bush. He'll say anything to get his way. Weapons of mass destruction, for instance. Hussein wasn't bothering us, just his own people. He just wanted that oil. We only have 20 years of oil for our expensive war and the whole Mid-East mad at us. Clinton lied about sex, but that seems so unimportant now, compared to G.W. and his dad's feelings hurt.

This is in response to the monkey opposed article from Linda Howard. First of all, monkey pox has nothing to do with monkeys. I have bred monkeys and other animals and not for any self-serving reason, and I'm very concerned about the welfare of the animals. The safety risk posed to the community is far, far less than the risks posed to a community from a dog. I have dealt with monkeys for years and have never had a monkey with hepatitis or tuberculosis. Some monkeys that are smuggled in from other countries may have these diseases, but 99 percent of monkeys sold at exotic animal sales are not infected. Bites from a primate are a lot different from a bite from a large dog. The dog is more apt to bite and leave a deformity than a primate. My daughter is a registered in an emergency room and they deal with dog bites all the time. Southeast Missouri Hospital, St. Francis Medical Center, Missouri Delta Medical Center, and I could name a lot of other hospitals, have not dealt with monkey bites. Besides, dog bites get infected, they reach the bone and can cause deformities. Dogs have even killed people. I have never heard of a primate killing anyone. As for a natural habitat, birds, ferrets and other animals are not in their natural habitats either. Birds do not belong in cages. Adult monkeys can show aggression but adult dogs and cats do, also. You cannot look on the Internet and believe everything you read. I do not sell primates to people with children. As far as the special care they need, all animals need special care. I can guarantee that the veterinarians in our community see dogs and cats all the time who are starving and are not taken care of. How many monkeys do they see that are neglected?