Mayor’s Row…….by Ned Mitchell

                During the time between columns that I write I get a lot of comments both verbal and written via email concerning subjects that have been discussed here.  Some of those comments are kind and encouraging and others are more to the point and could not possibly be used here.  When I hear from folks face to face the compliments are there and then there are those fellow democrats who look but don’t say what they would really like to say but just don’t have the nerve to do it.  Mainly they feel that way because they know I am right when I am blasting away at politicians, they just can’t seem to pull themselves together to admit it.  I understand that all too well, I used to be one of them!

                Since it is getting close to the end of the year I thought this would be a good time to hear from some of those folks so here are some of the comments that I have gotten that are worth discussing.

                Frances writes and wants to know why it is that we have the Ten Commandments posted along with Moses carved in stone above the Supreme Court building?  She further points out that the same Ten Commandments are inside the courtroom right above the sitting judges.  Lastly she comments that Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy, the rule of few over many.  Frances wants to know just how everything we have done in this country for the past 220 years is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

                Frances; you sound like a republican to me or a former democrat.  Since 86% of the American population claim to believe in God it is hard to understand why we would have such a mess over the Ten Commandments on display or “In God We Trust” on our money or having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.  We should just tell the other 14% to sit down and shut up.

                Richard writes that he is a lot like many other folks in Illinois in that he has a job and pays taxes.  In order for Richard to get a paycheck his employer requires him to pass a random drug test.  Richard has no problem taking the test but he does claim to have a problem paying taxes to support folks who get a welfare check and don’t have to pass a drug test like he does to receive that check.

                Richard, are you another one of those republicans or are you a former democrat too?  You are exactly right only I would carry that a bit more out in left field.  I would see nothing wrong with requiring all workers in the public to be required to take a random drug test, including school teachers.  Hey, if you have nothing to hide, what’s the problem?  I’d also have no problem requiring a DNA sample from all of us.   That would solve a lot of unsolved crime both in the past and the future.  Gee, Richard, am I beginning to sound like a republican?

                Betty writes that she is disgusted that the Franklin County Board is spending $250,000.00 on a dog pound complete with air conditioning and she points out all the needy people who could use help throughout the year but we find money to house dogs and cats in luxury.

                Betty; I’d guess that you too are a republican and have no heart.  What in the world is wrong with you wanting to put stray dogs and cats above the needs of hungry children in our area?  Really, you take the cake!  And besides all that County Board Chairman Randall Crocker tells me that it will not cost $250,000.00 but only $200,000.00 and will not be air conditioned at least where the animals are kept.  So there, don’t you feel better already?  We’ve already save $50,000.00 on this project.

                Sam writes that he thinks SIU President Glenn Poshard has plagiarized the verse on the college’s annual Christmas card.  Sam claims to have seen that same verse on an old Elvis Christmas Card.

                Sam, you have a lot of nerve bringing up that subject again.  Now we will have to have another Blue Ribbon committee appointed to investigate your accusations.  That will cost us thousands of dollars and that money could have been better spent on a new football stadium.

                Those are just a few of the comments I have received in the past few days so I thought I would pass them along to you and add my worthy comments.

                Since this is the last column before Christmas I would like to take the time to wish you a very Merry Christmas and to pass along some other thoughts that have been sent to me.

                Father Peter Hsu the Catholic priest from Zeigler now retired after 50 years writes in his Christmas blessing from St. John’s Gospel that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that we who believe in Him may have eternal life”.

                Pastor Quick of our Sesser First United Methodist Church always encourages us to become child like when we observe Christmas.  Little Carrigan has taught us to listen to the sounds and look at the sights of Christmas and not be worried about the commercialization of Christmas.  What a lesson for me that has been!

                Father Jurek the former Catholic priest from Sesser and now Mt. Vernon encourages us to find the “true meaning” of Christmas and he sends a blessing that says he hopes Santa brings us everything we need instead of everything we want.  This is another powerful message.

                An anonymous Zeigler reader wants me to express her thanks for the judges we have in the court system in this county.  She is particularly proud of Federal Magistrate Ken Meyers who recently admonished an attorney for allegedly taking advantage of clients.  This reader says she was taken advantage of financially by this attorney and Judge Meyers was the only person who would listen to her.  I agree with her and say Bravo to Judge Meyers and all the judges who serve us so well.  We do appreciate you doing the job you do.

                Tal writes to point out that Merrill Worchester of Harrington, Maine owns the Worchester Wreath Company and every Christmas he donates over 5,000 live evergreen wreaths complete with red bows to decorate the graves of veterans buried in Arlington National Cemetery.  Worchester also donates the trucking to deliver all 5,000 wreaths and has been doing so since 1992.  If you have access to a computer this is worth seeing.

                Lastly according to a Jewish custom this is a great time of year to make amends to folks that have been harmed by our words or deeds during the past year.  My sincere hope is that if I have offended any of you by word or deed that you will find it in your heart to forgive me.  I’ll keep trying to walk that fine line next year that allows me to tell it like it is but also to be fair and impartial in my thoughts and words.