Sikeston signs agreement with minority community leaders

According to the MOU, "the city agrees to issue an apology for the Election Day situation."

During the Nov. 4 election, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety held training exercises in the front of the fire station on North West Street while the rear was in use as a polling place. "The city admits that an error in judgment was made," the MOU reads.

What in the world does the above have to with requiring an apology from the city? Training exercises would not interfere with polling. Why would that be an error in judgement? The DPS has to train sometime to be able to do their jobs.

Ha ha! It's good to see that at least the race industry is still thriving!

Sikeston...you know I love my hometown but everyone in SEMO knows that Sikeston has now become the central hub for people of all colors that are looking for a handout instead of a hand up. Talk about a town that is rotting with laziness, lawlessness, and just general scum. There is no pride in the town anymore...just people looking for something for nothing and it shows every time you drive through town.

You see punks with their little panties hanging out, walking the streets at all hours, making babies and collecting checks...and we all know it isn't just one color or race of people...there are plenty of people from various backgrounds to brand as part of the problem. I am sorry, but throw this PC bullcrap out the window and call it like it is. There is a problem in this town.

As recently as 2004, Sikeston had 500+ section 8 housing properties in a town of less than 17,000 people. By contrast, Cape...with approx 40,000 people had less than 100 section 8 housing units. Now, you tell me...are the leaders in Sikeston really doing everything possible to clean up the town? No, they are enabling this lazy attitude...this 40 acres and a mule mentality to be played out on the streets and in the businesses that used to make Sikeston a decent place to live. You can't keep heavy industry here because the workforce abuses the system by qualifying for benefits and filing claims to collect a chack for nothing. Businesses realize this, Sikeston. The city will continue to struggle because of it. Here is one time when we should thank God there is plenty of "old" money in this town to keep the lights on, but that is a different topic for a different day. People from all over SEMO...from Charleston, from Haiti, from here...from there...have flocked to Sikeston because for some reason beyond common sense we were the next target for this swarm of locust to feast on. Hell, they couldn't even keep a Wal-Mart open in Charleston because more merchandise was walking out the front door as opposed to be paid for...now these same people are in your backyard here in Sikeston...just amazing to me.

Sikeston, you are at a cross roads. There are some good things happening...but they are all overshadowed by the facts. You can either put this politically correct nonsense behind you and declare war on this race debate...or succumb to the very people with their hands out looking for apologies for their own shortcomings which are directly related to their own lifestyles of give me, give me, give me, because you owe me. PLEASE! Get over yourself and accept something most of us in the real world call personal responsibility...pride...whatever. Just contribute instead of looking to your neighbor for help. In general, people do not mind helping those who first attempt to help themselves.

Change is needed...or Sikeston is on the fast track to be renamed Cairo. Doesn't that sound like a bright future?

bam79 the section 8 hosung issue is being addressed. They have cut the number of units back and wanted to cut more but the government ( federal I think) would not let them do so at that time. Drive down Branum street and you will see empty lot after empty lot where burnt or abandoned homes once sat. I agree a lot more could be done and there is progress. DPS has made strides in cleaning up the criminal element and you do not hear of as many major disturbances as you once did. The problems this town has will not go away overnight but progress is being made.

I agree the city has a lot more to do and I hope some decent people who care about this town joins some of the city boards, attended the city council meetings and make their voice heard.

The training exercises were viewed by some as an attempt to harass black voters into not voting. This was a particularly sensitive issue given the possibility of electing the first African-American President.

While I do not at all think this was intentional, this was an emotional time for African-Americans and one can see how an innocent act may have been seen as an attempt to intimidate people.

While the City of Sikeston was almost certainly not attempting this at all, the act did cause some people to be offended and upset. I think it was a courageous act for the city to enter into this agreement and to do what it can to bring unity to our community.

We all do things innocently with unintentional consequences at times. While the city's actions were not an admission of wrong-doing, it was an admission that their actions may have been accidentally offensive and an apology was prudent.

CORRECT

The training exercises were viewed by some as an attempt to harass black voters into not voting. This was a particularly sensitive issue given the possibility of electing the first African-American President.

How is this harassing them? Maybe all law enforcement, fire fighters and first responders should stay on on election day as to not give the appearance of haressment. In addition please leave your uniforms at home and police cars parked as to not cause anyone undo stress.

Now it is becoming more clear why this nation is in big trouble.

" ...an emotional time for African-Americans ..." Well, unless you're refering to people who perhaps are wanted for a crime ... then, yes, I might see the 'intimidation.' Really, it IS several decades past time for us ALL to 'get over it.'

The race card will be played as long as there is money and power involved in using it. Anyone who cannot see that has to be blind. As long as it's in play, some blacks will of course use it,--usually to their disadvantage--but particularly those who stand to gain by it ...

Haven't seen much on the news about the 'apology' by the Federal Government (an apology I, as an American never having been involved in any ill treatment of blacks, resent) ... and consequently all the outcry calling for 'reparations.' The most common theme in comments on the related internet articles suggests that rather than beating the 'poor-us' drum, the blacks especially the Jackson's, Sharpton's, preachers and political figures) should be mentioning how lucky they actually are to be living here rather than in Africa.

This type of thing by governments encourages an ongoing divisiveness among the races; we should all be offended by it, not matter what our race. The 'color-blind' society our governments espouse sounds good ... but it is an impossibility as long as any race is given preferential treatment, or excused from any responsibility by the insinuation that as a race, they cannot do as well--in education, employment, personal behavior--as other races in America.