Speakout 5/9

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Call 471-6636

I think President Bush is so absorbed with Iraq that he doesn't see, nor does he look, at the deterioration of his own country. It does not take a great mind to see that band aid treatments will not solve this illegal immigration and border patrol. This is where we need our military to escort out the millions here all ready soaking up our children and grandchildren's future and leaving them a life of poverty and indebtedness. It's time Congress took care of the job the American people elected them for and send George Bush back to the ranch. This job is too big for a cowboy. And I am a mother, grandmother and resident of Sikeston.

Cardinals' relief pitcher Josh Hancock's fatal accident is yet another reminder of how evil alcohol is and how it should be dealt with. Number one, don't drive under the influence of alcohol. Number two, friends don't let friends drive drunk. Number three, alcohol is still the number one drug problem in America, because it is legal and available. It is a major cause of poverty, traffic crashes, broken homes, juvenile and adult crime, physical and sexual abuse, political corruption, wasted manpower, disability and premature death. We favor maintaining a nationwide drinking age of 21. We favor establishing a level of taxes on alcohol equal to the social cause of repairing the damage caused by alcohol. Alcohol effects not only the drinker, but all of society as well. Think of Hancock's friends and relatives, as well as the driver of the tow truck he hit. Think of the medical, funeral and insurance costs that result from the use of alcohol. I'm well aware that we probably can not bring national or even state prohibition back. Aside from that fact, national prohibition would have been more of a success had it been enforced. It did lower alcohol related deaths and health problems. The Prohibition Party 2004 platforms calls for the alcoholic beverage industry and its products to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration.

First of all we would like to send our condolences to the Josh Hancock family in Tupelo, Miss. and to the St. Louis Cardinals and to Tony LaRussa. We know this is very sudden and very sad. We just wish that LaRussa hadn't in the first place gotten a DUI. Being a manager, that's not good, especially to show toward the people that work under you. Maybe this could have been prevented had Tony not got a DUI earlier this year. Tony is supposed to be setting good examples for the Cardinals. There's always a meaning to things that happen in life. Hopefully, more people will take into consideration when they're drinking they should not be driving. May Josh rest in peace.