RUST COMMENTARY: POLICE CHIEF RICK HETZEL OUTLINES WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SERVE AND PROTECT

"THE POLICEMAN," as read by Cape Girardeau Police Chief RICK HETZEL during his Chamber breakfast remarks last week, reminded me a little of the newspaper and other professions I know where one's actions are open to different interpretation. Here's the article:

"A policeman is a composite of what all men are ... a mingling of saint and sinner ... dust and deity. Cold statistics wave the fan over the stinkers ... underscore instances of dishonesty and brutality because they are news. What that really means is they are exceptional, unusual ... not commonplace. Buried under the froth is the fact that less than one-half of one percent of policemen misfit that uniform. And that's a better average than among clergymen.

What is a policeman made of? He of all men is at once the most needed and the most unwanted ... a strangely nameless creature who is "sir" to his face ... and "fuzz" behind his back.

He must be such a diplomat that he can settle differences between individuals ... so that each will think he won ... but ... if the policeman is neat, he's conceited. If he's careless, he's a bum. If he's pleasant, he's a flirt. If he's not, he's a grouch.

In an instant he must make decisions which require months for a lawyer. But if he hurries, he's careless. If he's deliberate, he's lazy.

He must be first to an accident ... infallible with a diagnosis. ... He must be able to start breathing, stop bleeding, tie splints and above all be sure the victim goes home without a limp, or expect to be sued.

The police officer must know every gun ... draw on the run ... and hit where it doesn't hurt.

He must be able to whip two men his size and half his age ... without damaging his uniform and without being brutal. If you hit him, he's a coward. If he hits you, he's a bully.

The policeman must know everything and not tell. He must know where all the sin is and not partake.

The policeman must, from a single human hair, be able to describe the crime, the weapon and the criminal ... and tell you where the criminal is hiding. But if he catches the criminal he's lucky ... if he doesn't, he's a dunce.

If he gets promoted he has a political pull. If he doesn't he's a dullard.

The policeman must chase bum leads to a dead end and stake out 10 nights to tag one witness who saw it happen, but refuses to remember.

He runs files and writes reports until his eyes ache to build a case against some felon who will get dealed out by a shameless shamus or an honorable who isn't.

A policeman must be a minister ... a social worker ... a diplomat ... a tough guy ... and a gentleman. And of course he will have to be a genius, for he will have to feed a family on a policeman's salary." -- Reprinted from the Congressional Record

Incidentally Hetzel's remarks and answers to questions were strongly and professionally delivered. He's articulate, and when he observed that less than half of 1 percent of policemen ever "misfit" the uniform ... it reminded me that we too often dwell on the negative.

* * * * *

See No Evil?

The coverage by the major networks of the Senate hearings on the campaign finance scandal is pitiful so far. The same networks that gave America live coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial do not plan any live coverage of the hearings. CNN covered the opening statements but then moved on. (Of course CNN covered the Mike Tyson punishment too.) But it is amazing that ABC, CBS and NBC seem so uninterested in the scandal and its implications. The networks claim the public isn't interested, but that's a catch-22 response. The public takes its cue from the media. The Congress should publicly express their frustration and try to shame the networks into being good citizens and provide live coverage.

Here No Evil

President Clinton denied recently that he knew anything about China's efforts to manipulate his election. As he put it, "Well, as I have said before, and I will say again, I have no knowledge of it. I do not know whether it's true or not." Keep in mind that the FBI has been investigating this issue for months and has wiretap intercepts that are incriminating about China's efforts. Wouldn't you think the president would want to know whether a foreign government that sees the U.S. as an enemy attempted to buy influence? The president's ignorance on this issue, if real, is self-chosen and self-enforced. He has not asked to be briefed, because it's my guess that would eliminate his ability to refuse to comment. -- Washington Update

* * * * *

Last year hundreds of liberal organizations and thousands of their supporters gathered on the Mall in Washington at a "Stand for Children" rally. Its chief sponsor was the Children's Defense Fund, a group once chaired by Hillary Clinton. Its stated purpose, parroted by the media, was to "celebrate children and those who struggle every day to raise them."

Then the Heritage Foundation demolished this liberal fairy tale. In a stream of reports, editorial columns and media interviews, we pointed out that 102 of the rally's sponsoring organizations receive at least $392 million from the federal government each year.

Other sponsors included lobbying groups that push for higher federal spending on welfare programs, national organizations representing government bureaucrats, and groups like the AFL-CIO, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and Greenpeace, with no special link to children.

We called the march "the last stand for big government" and pointed out that its real purpose was to push for increased government spending.

The mainstream media picked up our criticism and included it in their coverage. Our story was quoted in hundreds of news stories and on all four major television networks. The Washington Post gave us front page coverage, and Rush Limbaugh and Paul Harvey talked about our comments.

The result was that the liberals' claims were discredited. No longer could they claim simply to be selfless champions of children. Now the world could see that their real mission was to keep their own coffers filled with the taxpayers' money.

Sadly, this story is remarkable because it is so uncommon. As a rule, when the liberals claim the high ground, they go unchallenged.

When they attack conservatives with distortions and lies, they go uncorrected. -- The Heritage Foundation

* * * * *

Watergate Revisited

Recently there has been much publicity over the 25th anniversary of the break-in of Democrat headquarters at the Watergate. I had the privilege at the time to serve in the Congress and was one of the five elected Republican leaders in the House of Representatives. Even after 25 years it is painful to think about and discuss. President Nixon was not involved in any way in the break-in. Yet, he and his chief advisers went to great lengths to cover it up. This incredible stupidity was compounded by the fact that at the time Nixon was leading the Democrat candidate McGovern in nearly every state and in November 1972 won nearly every state in the general election. Furthermore, there is never anything of importance in any political headquarters.

In many ways Watergate changed the country. Politics and politicians became, and still are, held in disdain by many in the public. The trust and confidence in our system have diminished. Many laws which haven't worked were passed attempting to legislate political morality. The cynicism of the public is reflected in the press whose idea of a good story is one that bashes a politician. Yet, the most moving experience of my political life took place during this time when I was invited to the White House by Gerald Ford to see him sworn in as president of the United States. It was an incredibly emotional time with the most powerful man in the world being driven out of office and forced to resign. Yet, unlike many countries, there were no riots nor troops in the streets to keep order. Instead, a good decent man who had never run for national office was sworn in as president of the United States. I have told students over the years that to me Watergate, more than any other event, proved that our system works. It proved that our institutions of democracy are deeply rooted and like a sailboat, buffeted by strong winds, we may heel to the port or starboard, but somehow manage to come back upright. -- Lou Frey Jr., member of Congress (Florida 1969-79)

* * * * *

Local Realtor BIRDIE RADER, who's been a leader in real estate sales, received international recognition this year as one of eight Century 21 Realtors inducted into their Century 21 International Hall of Fame.

~Gary Rust is president of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian and other newspapers.