The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to readers in Hancock and Henderson counties. I'm hopin' this letter finds everyone in good spirits and well rested after the recent 4th of July celebrations.
Schucks afire, can you believe it! I read in the most recent issue of Agri-News that several members of the Grocery Manufacture Association (GMA) reported increased profits well over 50 percent in the past quarter when compared to previous quarters and/or the same quarter a year ago.
Some of the companies, that are members of the GMA, reported increased quarterly profits of over 80 percent! So much for their concern for the poor. Cornelius Farkwad, my ole friend with a lot of opinions, states that the "Greedy Bunch" in the GMA is "low as a snakes belly inna' wagon rut" (not a good bunch).
Keith Collins, a former USDA chief economist, showed his true colors recently by submitting data for the GMA. He "dirtied his nest" for the sake of the almighty dollar. After Cornelius read Collins' report he put "war paint on". It seems, according to Collins, ifn' the EPA would only cooperate, they could lower corn prices to the tune of $9 billion dollars and soybeans for $5 billion dollars. Now, it's not hard to figure whose pocket those total $14 billion dollars comes out of. It's also not very hard to know into whose pocket those $14 billion dollars will go into. Our rural Midwestern economies will suffer major set-backs and the "Greedy 300" of the GMA will be a wearing smiley faces all the way to the bank! "Now, fill yer' pipe with that-an' smoke it" (think about what that says for producers and rural economies).
In the mean time the GMA "has got th' saw by th' wrong tree" (they are telling the story wrong to the harm of producers and the nation) to the satisfaction of their own Greed.
Speak'n of wrong stories-I see now that tomatoes are no longer seen as prime suspect for the salmonella outbreak. Now, health officials are pointing their accusatory finger toward Jalapenos. The tomato industry "can't fall outta' a well" (can't be any worse off) due to earlier bad publicity regarding their possible connection with salmonella.
It reminds me of the cranberry scare many years ago, at Christmas time and in later times a chemical-apple scare. Those industries lost millions of dollars with no way to recover from irresponsible reporting. The news industry excuse was "better safe than sorry".
Better "safe than sorry" seems a lame excuse for doing something improper when "you ain't got no call to do that" (not required to (or shouldn't) do that).
Dessa's story, in last weeks Quill, about Sandy Hedges is a good example. Sandy was on the levee, in Iowa, trying to protect his property after the levee breech occurred. Granted, by that time fightn' mother nature could be compared to "pushin' a wheelbarrow with rope handles" (an extremely difficult task). But that is the way most people are around these parts. They just won't give up even when all odds are against them. An admirable quality indeed and perfect example of Yankee sturdiness!
What Sandy and his neighbors didn't need was two cocky deputies all decked out in their finest above-knee burmuda shorts, fresh from a good nights rest, threatening him, his family, and neighbors with a taser gun. They wrestled him to the ground, choked him out of breath, with their hairy legs rubbing into his face manhandling him like an animal into the dirt.
After Sandy was up all night trying to protect and help those in the bottoms. I imagine his 68-year-old tired body was no match for the brutality, humiliation, and insults he was about to receive. To add insult to injury, they also threatened his son and anyone else who looked on in compassion, with the taser as well. His arms now handcuffed behind his back, he was kept on display, as a monkey in a zoo, demonstrating their prideful capture!
Sandy and those neighbors were raised on the bottoms. They know more about flooding than those young deputies could ever hope to learn. Trying to reason with the deputies was "like nailin' Jello to th' wall (almost impossible task). But, they had the taser, the badge and the gun, and in fact they had "POWER". And "By Gum" this was their chance to use it. Their actions demonstrated that they must think they were "the top dog in the kennel" (think they were pretty important). "Better Safe Than Sorry", as the story goes.
Well, I ain't a gonna comment on the Sandy Hedges situation, except to say thank goodness for law enforcement in Hancock and Henderson counties. I'm right proud of their actions during this crisis-at least what I know of it. As for Des Moines County deputies, an apology would be in order. Everybody can make a mistake and sometimes we overreact. A simple "I'm sorry and I apologize" would be the honorable thing to do if'n it hasn't happened already.
In the meantime, this is an election year and the Des Moines Co Sheriff is up for re-election. The ballot box is maybe where this can be addressed. "Better safe than sorry", when it comes to police brutality and maybe it would be a good time to let them deputies know where the real power is supposed to be,-In the hands of the voters.
In all probability the sheriff will not get Sandy Hedge's or Andy Brader's vote, short of either disciplining and retraining those deputies or an appropriate apology.
I traverse that territory in Iowa, shopping occasionally. I hate to think those thugs and ornery galutes might unleash their power and/or precious taser on any of my family or friends. It would be a shocking experience! Beyond that, I'm a keepn' my hide safe in good ole western Illinois. "Better safe than sorry!"
Catch ya later
Barnyard Bruke