Floyds made honest effort to help Clemons

To the editor:

Using our 20-20 hindsight, it is obvious that Ricky Clemons was a lot more trouble than he was worth. Coach Quin Snyder at the University of Missouri-Columbia passed his problem on to Elson Floyd, UMC president, who apparently is not skilled in handling athletes with an exaggerated sense of their importance. Not all coaches can either, and it is their job.

Floyd tried to do what was right but made the mistake that the student wanted to succeed. Mrs. Floyd, in advising Clemons to stop dating white women, sounded like a mother giving her wayward child good advice. She was not attempting to be politically correct. She was not thinking of how this would look in the newspapers.

And then she sees her words termed "unfortunate and misguided" and "disgraceful and inappropriate." Show the Floyds the consideration and respect they deserve for honestly trying to help. Editorial boards like the Southeast Missourian's have added another hard lesson to a decent pair of people.

ROBERT LUCAS

Cape Girardeau