June 28, 2004

By Staff
Memorial long overdue
A Meridian memorial honoring the three civil rights workers is long overdue. Several years ago, I visited the gravesite of James Chaney and it was apparent the headstone had been vandalized over the years. His marker was braced by steel poles and there were chips of granite off the stone.
The inscription on the headstone was inspiring and summed up the civil rights movement in the 1960s and apparently the values that embodied James Chaney's life. This inscription would be ideal to include on such a memorial honoring these men who gave up their lives to promote peace, equality and racial harmony.
Please visit Mr. Chaney's resting place and read the inscription and be inspired to make donations to establish this memorial honoring the sacrifices of these patriots during the turmoil of Freedom Summer,1964.
Jane Hyde-Brannen
via e-mail
Where were elected officials?
More than 65,000 aged and disabled Mississippians have had the rug pulled out from under them. They are afraid, and rightly so. The Medicaid benefits that so many depend on for life-sustaining drugs are no longer available. Some of these citizens will more than likely have to go into nursing homes (or almost as bad) they will die. The people we are talking about are our mothers, fathers, friends, neighbors … people who have worked their entire lives. Now, our governor and elected officials have tossed them aside like old rags.
During the month of June, Medicaid public forums were held throughout the state. The purpose of these forums was to let our elected officials answer questions and calm the fears of these concerned citizens.
In Tupelo, Columbus, Hattiesburg, Biloxi and Greenville, so many legislators attended that additional tables had to be provided. Meridian? Zero. Not one of our so-called "caring" officials showed up. What does this tell you? When the very people we put into office are too busy to take 90 minutes of their precious time to listen to us, it tells me we need to remember this when we go to the polls.
If you voted for any of the legislators listed below, take note: Scott Bounds, Terry Burton, Videt Carmichael, Reecy Dickson, Sampson Jackson, Bennett Malone, Billy Nicholson, Eric Robinson, Omeria Scott, Greg Snowden, Johnny Stringer, Joe Taylor, Billy Thames, Gloria Williams, Charles Young. (If I missed you, please consider yourself lucky.) Just remember, not one showed up.
I'm sure every one of our officials will have a very believable excuse; after all, we believed them when they were campaigning … why shouldn't we believe them now?
Sharon Burt
Meridian