St. Louis Post-Dispatch Ferguson coverage - August 11

T H E N O . 1 S T. L O U I S W E B S I T E A N D N E W S P A P E R

MONDAY • 08.11.2014 • $1.50

DAY OF PROTESTS

HUNDREDS GATHER TO MOURN UNARMED TEEN WHO WAS KILLED BY POLICE.

NIGHT OF FRENZY

AS THE HOURS WEAR ON, SOME IN FERGUSON TURN TO LOOTING, VIOLENCE.

ROBERT COHEN • rcohen@post-dispatch.com

A QuikTrip at 9420 West Florissant Avenue in Ferguson burns Sunday night as smoke rises from tear gas fired from a St. Louis County Police truck.

PROTEST, PUBLIC MEETING PLANNED TODAY IN WARY CITY

‘GENTLE GIANT’ WAS READY FOR NEW LIFE, FRIENDS SAY

BY STEVE GIEGERICH sgiegerich@post-dispatch.com AND JESSE BOGAN jbogan@post-dispatch.com

FERGUSON • A day of protests and vigils Sunday for an unarmed black teenager who was shot to death by a Ferguson police officer erupted Sunday night with confrontations, looting and gunshots.

Authorities said that a police officer shot an unarmed black teenager Saturday after the teen attacked the Ferguson officer. But pressure for a deeper explanation grew locally and nationally throughout the day Sunday.

Hundreds of people gathered at the shooting site Sunday night for a vigil for Michael Brown, 18, who was to begin technical school classes today.

While some people prayed, others spilled onto West Florissant Avenue, choking off

BY ELISA CROUCH ecrouch@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8119

DAVID CARSON • dcarson@post-dispatch.com

A man jumps through a broken window with bottles of wine in his hands as the QuikTrip is looted Sunday. The situation in Ferguson grew more tense as some who had gathered to protest the death of Michael Brown began looting and taunting police officers.

THE DISPARITY OF DUE PROCESS Michael Brown didn’t get any. The police officer who shot him will get plenty.

That’s the root of righteous anger. EDITORIAL • A10

See FERGUSON • Page A5

Michael Brown posted a haunting message on Facebook last week as he prepared to enter a new phase in his life: college. “if i leave this earth today,” he wrote to a friend, “atleast youll know i care about others more then i cared about my damn self.”

Brown, 18, died Saturday after a Ferguson police officer shot him multiple times outside an apartment complex. Brown was See BROWN • Page A4

High schoolers can’t hit ‘snooze’

Needy students tap online crowd

Early start times are counter to teens’ biological needs.

Social media funding drives grow as tuition resource.

BY JESSICA BOCK jbock@post-dispatch.com> 314-340-8228

To survive the 6:30 a.m. start time at Edwardsville High, Alicia Terry started drinking coffee her freshmen year. Matt Ney’s beverage of choice to stay awake at Parkway North was a daily Monster energy drink.

“That was worst thing I could have done, but it was absolutely neces-

TODAY

71°/85°

Sleep deprived

CHANCE OF STORMS

See SLEEP • Page A3

RACING TRAGEDY Questions surround death of driver hit

by Tony Stewart.

TOMORROW

65°/81° PARTLY CLOUDY

WEATHER A14

sary,” said Ney, who had to arrive an hour before the 7:25 a.m. bell to be involved in water polo and singing groups. “It was either that or fall asleep in class.”

When high schoolers head back to school this week, they’ll also return to a daily schedule set up to steal hundreds of hours of their sleep during the year, and

SPORTS • B1 POST-DISPATCH WEATHERBIRD ®

BY KORAN ADDO kaddo@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8305

As hard luck stories go, Andrew Wagner’s fortunes turned around pretty quickly.

About 10 months ago, he was a broke Webster University freshman estranged from his family back home in South Carolina. They’d cut him off financially the year before after he’d come out as gay.

After moving to the St. Louis area, Wagner found himself enrolled in school paying his way through freshman year with loans, grants and scholarships.

But when those dollars began to dry up, putting him in danger of missing his sophomore year, Wagner, 20, stayed true to his generation. He turned to social media. He put his education in the See CROWDFUNDING • Page A3

CARDINALS REBOUND After two losses to the O’s, Cards win 8-3.

SPORTS • B1

2 M Vol. 136, No. 223 ©2014

A4 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

M 1 • Monday • 08.11.2014

ferguson police shooting “Everyone else wanted to be a football player, a basketball player. He wanted to own his own business.

He’d say, ‘Let’s make something out of nothing.’�

Gerard Fuller, friend of Michael Brown

BROWN

• from A1

Teen was excited to start new path in college, friends say two days from starting class at Vatterott College. Close friends had been packing up and departing for schools such as Kansas State University and Arkansas Baptist University on sports scholarships. “Everyone else wanted to be a football player, a basketball player,� said Gerard Fuller, who had known Brown since second grade at Pine Lawn Elementary School. “He wanted to own his own business. He’d say, ‘Let’s make something out of nothing.’�

Brown graduated from high school at the predominately African-American Normandy High School, a high-poverty school in a district that has been at the center of legislative battles and a string of politically charged decisions by the Missouri Board of Education.

Teachers described Brown as a “gentle giant,� a student who loomed large and didn’t cause trouble. Friends describe him as a quiet person with a wicked sense of humor, one who loved music and had begun to rap. He fought an uphill battle to graduate.

As a freshman, he was in Junior ROTC. His sophomore year he played football. During his junior year, he attended McCluer High School in the neighboring Ferguson-Florissant district before returning his senior year to Normandy.

There, he spent time in a credit recovery program so he could graduate in May. “We were at graduation, me and him, and we were talking,� said Hershel Johnson, a friend of Brown’s since middle school. “He said he wasn’t going to end up like some people on the streets. He was going to get an education. He was going to make his life a whole a lot better.�

Friends of Brown’s learned about his death shortly after he was shot Saturday afternoon. They saw photos of him lying in the street on Canfield Drive where his body remained for hours. Some joined the crowds of mourners and protesters who had gathered there since the shooting in protest of how Brown had died: black, unarmed and from multiple gunshots.

At one point, members of the crowd held up their hands, saying, “Don’t shoot me!� as police officers with barking dogs tried to keep order. St. Louis County Po-

lice Chief Jon Belmar said the officer’s gun was fired once inside the car during a struggle with Brown, hitting no one, and that the officer then fired multiple times at the 18-year-old as he ran away. Police say Brown tried to take the officer’s gun. “That doesn’t sound like Michael,�

Johnson said. “I know he would never do anything like that. I just don’t believe he’d do anything that would cause this whole situation.�

On May 22, Brown walked across the stage inside Viking Hall, accepting a diploma with 114 other classmates. His gown was green. His sash was red.

In his graduation picture, Brown holds an expression of someone who’d just finished an endurance race. He had voiced relief to a number of friends that day, including Raquan Smith. “After that was done and people were leaving, I remember seeing him off to the side,� Smith said. “He kind of just came up to me and said, ‘We made it.’� “‘Yeah man, we made it,’ I told him. It was a breath of fresh air to know someone else shared the struggle in school. And now we were starting a whole new life.�

On Facebook and on Twitter, friends and classmates shared their anger, sadness and disbelief. They had to process the fact that Brown was dead. And they also had to deal with how he died. “This is a problem,� Smith said. “This is an unfortunate recurring problem.

We as a race, we as a community, we as a youth need to step up and say, ‘Things need to change.’�

Smith was among the friends who attended a vigil Sunday at the scene of Brown’s death. Bryson Jenkins, a classmate and member of Brown’s extended family, couldn’t be there. He just started as a freshman at Arkansas Baptist University. “It hurt so bad to get that phone call,�

Jenkins said. “He was a sharer. He was a giver. When one of his friends needed something he would give. Mike used to sell candy in middle school. I’d come up to Mike and say, ‘Mike, let me get some Skittles or something.’ I’d offer him a dollar and he’d say, ‘It’s on me.’�

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GREAT NEWS! Drugs And Surgery Are Not Your Only Options To Treat Your Pain!

If You Suffer From Any of These Torturous Symptoms – Back Pain, Numbness, Tingling, Or Sharp Nerve Pain.

THEN THE FACTS BELOW MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU HAVE EVER READ IN YOUR LIFE! Dr. Matthew Wise, D.C.

I am Dr. Matthew Wise, D.C. of Renuva Back & Pain Centers, and we’re excited to share a new breakthrough in medical technology and a proprietary treatment protocol that may completely eliminate your pain and help restore normal function.

We’ve been helping people with chronic pain for more than 12 years and now, new research in a treatment called Class IV Deep Tissue Laser Therapy is having a profound effect on patients suffering with chronic pain such as back pain, neck pain and Neuropathy.

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy has over 2000 papers published on it, and has been shown to aid in damaged tissue regeneration, decrease inflammation, relieve pain and boost the immune system. This means that there is a good chance Deep Tissue Laser Therapy could be your pain solution, allowing you to live a more active lifestyle.

Before the FDA would clear Laser Therapy for human use, they wanted to see proof that it worked. This lead to two landmark studies. The first study showed that patients who had Laser Therapy had 53% better improvement than those who had a placebo. The second study showed patients who used the Laser Therapy had less pain and more range of motion days after treatment. If the Laser Therapy can help these patients, it can help you too.

How To Find Out If This Will Work For You?

For a few days only, we’re running a special offer where you can find out if you are a candidate for Laser Therapy for only $39 (normally $257). What does this offer include? Everything we normally do in our New Patient Evaluation:

listen...really listen...to the details of your case.

evaluation.

spinal problem is contributing to your pain or symptoms...

(NOTE: These would normally cost you at least $100).

so we can start mapping out your treatment plan.

and find out if this amazing treatment will be your pain solution, like it has been for so many other patients.

can help!

The is only only good good The offer offer is until until August August 14th.

6th.

CALL TODAY 636.352.0889

and we can get you scheduled for your consultation as soon as there’s an opening. When you call, tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Laser Therapy Consultation so she can get you on the schedule.

CALL BY AUGUST 14th

TO SEE IF YOU ARE A CANDIDATE

A new treatment is helping patients live pain free and enjoy a more active lifestyle.

Two New Non-Surgical and Drug-Free Therapies.

CoreCare™

CoreCare is a first of its kind ƒ approach to treating chronic pain utilizing FDA approved technology and proven therapies that deliver pain relief. Our goal with each patient is to correct their problem (promote healing), not to simply mask the pain.

Commonly Treated Conditions: „ … � † ‡ † ‡  � ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ � ‰ Š � �  � † �  �

LiteCare™

LiteCare relieves muscle and joint pain through the use of one of the most advanced FDA approved Class IV therapy lasers that is widely used among top professional athletes and sports trainers. The treatments are painless. The results will amaze you.

Commonly Treated Conditions:

 �

�  � �  � ­ � €

Â?

€ €

� � ‚

08.11.2014 • Monday • M 2

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • A5

ferguson police shooting

J.B. Forbes • jforbes@post-dispatch.com

A crowd gathers Sunday evening at the candlelight vigil in Ferguson, near the spot where Michael Brown, 18 and unarmed, was killed Saturday by a police officer.

FERGUSON

• from A1

Civil rights lawyers in the Justice Department are monitoring case, and the FBI says it is working with St. Louis County Police traffic. The situation grew more tense as the night wore on. Looting was reported at a QuikTrip at 9420 West Florissant Avenue about 9 p.m. Businesses along West Florissant were broken into. Around 11 p.m., looting was reported at a Walmart in the area. A large fire was burning at West Florissant and Northwinds Estates Drive.

A civilian was reported severely beaten near West Florissant and Chambers.

At Ferguson Avenue and West Florissant Avenue, hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic. They were taunting police officers, who were lined up in riot gear, carrying shields and batons. “It could have been one of your kids,� yelled Charles Staton, 35, of Ferguson, at the officers. “Protect and serve. They aren’t protecting.�

At the same time, about 100 people remained in front of the Ferguson police station, where South Florissant Road was also blocked by demonstrators. There, the emphasis was on keeping the peace.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar promised a thorough outside investigation. “It’s turning into something it’s not supposed to be,� Darryl Jones of Pine Lawn said as the looting began.

Late Sunday, County Executive Charlie Dooley came to the line and tried to convince demonstrators to leave. His efforts were yelled down. Eventually, officers moved their line forward. “It’s time to leave,� the officers said. Reporters on the scene said the area calmed down shortly after as action moved elsewhere.

Some people were caught in the crowds, though, and couldn’t leave. J.R. Grace, came for the vigil but never made it because of the blockade. “The businesses didn’t kill that man. That’s not going to solve anything,� he said. “That’s only going to make things worse.�

Gunshots were reported in the area late Sunday, and a SWAT team was seen in the area. Hundreds of police officers were reported on the scene.

Jimmy Mohammad, 32, was among people arming themselves to protect their own property. Mohammad, with a gun in his hand, said he was protecting his uncle’s store, United Mart, 10393 West Florissant Avenue. “It’s bad. I don’t blame the police, but they can’t keep up.� He said he believed some of the looters were armed.

NATIONAL Implications Benjamin L. Crump, a civil rights lawyer known for representing the family of Florida shooting victim Trayvon Martin, announced Sunday night that he had been hired to represent Brown’s family. Crump is based in Tallahassee, Fla. In Washington, a spokesperson said Attorney General Eric Holder asked civil rights lawyers in the Justice Department to monitor the case. In St. Louis, Special Agent Cheryl Mimura said, “I can confirm that the FBI is working closely with the St. Louis County PD to review the matter at this time.�

Protesters complained that the killing was emblematic of deep tensions between black residents of North County and a predominantly white Ferguson police force. Officials have not revealed the race of the officer who killed Brown. “We have to stick together because we are targets,� said Robert Brefford, 26, an African-American musician from Berkeley who spoke in front of the police station Sunday night. He said police in the area pull over, poke and prod black drivers. “The bleeding began long before Michael Brown,� said Pastor Traci Blackmon of Christ the King United Church of Christ, in nearby Florissant.

She passed a petition seeking a dialogue with officials. “We come in peace,� she said. “But we are angry and in need of action and answers.�

Shontell Walters, of Berkeley, com-

J.B. Forbes • jforbes@post-dispatch.com

Shontell Walters, of Berkeley, yells at St. Louis County police officers Sunday in front of the Ferguson police station.

plained to stone-faced police outside their headquarters: “This child was ready to go to college and you killed his dream.� She added, “He is not coming back. He could have owned a business and made money for Ferguson someday, but you killed him.�

Dooley visited the protesters around noon Sunday to acknowledge their “justifiable anger� and implore them to “channel this anger into justice.� But the group turned on him for expressing confidence in the ability of county police to do a fair investigation, buffeting him with heated rhetoric and questions. “How can we protect our children?� one mother screamed at him.

The shaken Dooley responded, “This is not the way to console the family right now.�

The NAACP and State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, joined a chorus seeking a federal investigation.

State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, DUniversity City, said, “This demonstration has to happen to release all the negative energy people are feeling on the inside.

And we are doing it peacefully.�

Activist Zaki Baruti said the presence of police dogs near demonstrations reinforced the perception of bias against black people. “It sends a very negative message, and it is a very insensitive reaction to the outrage of the people,� he said.

Another protest was scheduled for 10 a.m. today outside the police station. And the St. Louis County NAACP is planning a mass public meeting at 6 p.m. today at Murchison Tabernacle Church, 7629 Natural Bridge in St. Louis.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, a New Yorkbased civil rights leader, called the shooting “very disturbing� and said he planned to meet here with Brown’s family today or Tuesday.

The demonstrations Sunday drew national news media attention to two sites: the police station, at 222 South Florissant Road, and the street where Brown fell, in the 2900 block of Canfield Drive.

‘FERGUSON KILLED MY SON’ Brown’s stepfather, Louis Head, sat crosslegged, head in hands, sobbing Sunday morning before a memorial on Canfield that would grow exponentially though Sunday with teddy bears, flowers and tributes.

“Ferguson killed my son,� he said. “Ferguson flat-out murdered my son in the street, a cold-blooded murder.�

In a news conference Sunday morning, Belmar, the county police chief, said the Ferguson officer had an encounter with two “individuals� about noon Saturday and that Brown pushed the officer back into his car and “assaulted� him in the vehicle.

Belmar said one shot was fired by the officer’s gun inside the car during the struggle, hitting no one, and that the officer then fired multiple times as Brown ran away. Brown fell dead in the street. Belmar said the crime scene covered a distance of just 35 feet.

AUTOPSY IS PENDING Belmar did not describe the reason for the initial contact, nor indicate whether police think the shooting was justified. He also did not provide any details about the person who had been with Brown.

He said the shots that hit Brown were “more than just a couple but I don’t think it was many more than that.� He said an autopsy was pending.

serving SERVINGmid MID-AMERICA AmericA for FOR MORE THAN Almost 25 20 YEARS yeArs!

The chief said the investigation’s results will be forwarded to St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch, whose office would decide whether criminal charges were justified.

Belmar noted that as Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson arrived at the scene Saturday, he called Belmar to ask for a county investigation.

Jackson sat beside Belmar but did not speak in a short news conference at 10 a.m. at the community’s firehouse.

Belmar emphasized that the outside investigation and consultation with the FBI — which has jurisdiction over allegations of civil rights violations by police — are “standard protocols.�

The officer who fired, whose name has not been disclosed, is now on administrative leave. Belmar said that officer has been on the Ferguson force for six years and appears to have “no other issues� in his past. Belmar and Jackson abruptly left the news conference as reporters continued to call out questions.

Ugly Concrete?

The beautiful and durable

Pebblestone/Epoxy System goes on top of your existing concrete!

Available in 15 beautiful colors!

FREE ESTIMATES! Senior Discounts

End ofDiscount SEaSon SalE! act now!

PRE-SEASON - Save $500 & more!*

GARAGE FLOORS! EE ORR O BBEEFF

EERR AFFTT A

*Savings sizeonly! of job.

Deep discounts available fordepends limited on time

St. Louis Resurfacing, Inc. cing

90 Š19

esurfa uis R St Lo

www.stlresurfacing.com

094773

A L E E E N T E R P R I S E S N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D BY J O S E P H P U L I T Z E R D E C . 1 2 , 1 8 7 8

MONDAY • 08.11.2014 • A10

DISPARITY OF DUE PROCESS Our view • Michael Brown didn’t get any. The police officer who shot him will get plenty.

Michael Brown didn’t get due process.

The still unnamed police officer who shot the 18-year-old black teenager dead in Ferguson will get plenty of it.

This is the root of the frustration that is driving the African-American community to the streets in north St. Louis County over yet another senseless killing of a young black man.

“What do we want? Justice!” chanted a crowd of family, friends and community members who gathered after the Saturday shooting. “When do we want it? Now!” They may get justice — in the form of a prosecution of the police officer who shot and killed the recent Normandy High School graduate — but the odds aren’t stacked in their favor, and even if it happens, it won’t happen anytime soon.

America’s history is riddled with officer-involved-shootings in which juries give police who perform a dangerous job the benefit of the doubt. Trying to learn from those shootings to prevent further ones is difficult, says criminologist David Klinger, one of the nation’s foremost experts on police shootings.

Mr. Klinger, a former police officer, practices his craft just down the street from Ferguson, at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he is an associate professor in the criminal justice department.

One of the findings in a 2012 study he did of shootings by police in the city of St. Louis could offer some interesting guidance to whomever ultimately investigates the shooting of Michael Brown. Mr. Klinger recommended that the shooting investigations be handled with more transparency, and that ultimately, findings be posted on the department’s website, with the names of officers clearly identified.

Few police departments nationwide operate with such transparency, Mr. Klinger’s research has found, and that means little public accountability when a police officer shoots an unarmed civilian.

It’s no wonder, then, that leaders in Ferguson, including members of the NAACP, have called for the FBI to take over the lead in the investigation into how an unarmed 18-year-old was shot.

That’s a good suggestion, especially

DAVID CARSON • dcarson@post-dispatch.com

Protestors raise their hands in mock surrender while confronting police Saturday night in Ferguson after the shooting of Michael Brown.

considering that the NAACP already has an ongoing federal complaint against the county police department over alleged racial profiling.

While answers are likely not to come in this case as quickly as some would like, appointing a federal agency to oversee the investigation will instill the sort of trust that might calm some of the justified anger over the shooting.

It’s a good first step.

Here’s a second one: Efforts to elevate the importance of annual studies of racial profiling by police in the region and the state should be intensified.

Last year, for the 11th time in the 14 years that data has been collected, the disparity index that measures potential racial profiling by law enforcement in the state

got worse. Black Missourians were 66 percent more likely in 2013 to be stopped by police, and blacks and Hispanics were both more likely to be searched, even though the likelihood of finding contraband was higher among whites.

Every year these numbers come out to little fanfare, in part because there isn’t enough political will to do the further study to break them down by precincts and individual officers to determine whether there is a cultural or training problem in entire departments or just a few rogue, racist cops who need to find another line of work.

Perhaps the tragic death of Michael Brown will spur a little political will.

While he wasn’t driving a car when he was pulled over and shot, the concept is the same: Nearly every black man in

America has a story of being pulled over, stopped or harassed as a young person for doing something that a white teenager would never imagine might end in being on the wrong end of a police officer’s gun. Driving While Black. Walking While Black. Wearing a Hoodie While Black.

In Ferguson, the city where Michael died, the police in 2013 pulled over blacks at a 37 percent higher rate than whites compared to their relative populations.

Black drivers were twice as likely to be searched and twice as likely to be arrested compared to white drivers.

Those statistics don’t prove racial profiling.

But those numbers plus a dead young man in the street make a strong case for deserving a closer look.

YOUR VIEWS • LETTERS FROM OUR READERS Farming amendment will hurt rural Missourians Feeling badly for the rural Missourians who were duped into voting for the socalled right to farm amendment. They will suffer the brunt of the problems when this amendment is used to negate Missouri’s modest regulations on high concentration feedlots and over use of fertilizer as the water they drink and air they must breathe will be polluted by runoff and foul odors.

This amendment also failed to define “farmer.” Is a foreign corporation a farmer? How about a puppy mill operator?

Can any animal cruelty laws be enforced or would that violate the right to farm with no interference by the state?

Sadly, whenever the buzzwords “right,” “freedom” or “liberty” are attached to a proposal, no matter how ill conceived, there will be strong knee-jerk vote in favor. The backers of the rejected sales tax amendment should have titled it, “The freedom to subsidize the big trucking industry bill.” It would have passed easily.

Jim Shepard • St. Louis

Is the livelihood of real farmers really under threat?

I am deeply disappointed in the good people of Missouri. How could such a no-nonsense group of people, from a state with a “Show-Me” motto, no less, have fallen for the snake oil of Prop. 1?

To my knowledge, none of the farmers I know have ever had their right to farm threatened. This is a state that has always supported our real farmers, and we don’t need an amendment for that. The mystery is who spent the $1.5 million to change our constitution to presumably insure a right that we already have?

Sue Jarrett • Webster Groves

Legislature ignores common sense solutions I wonder when Missourians will finally wake up to the stupidity of the Republican snake oil salesmen who control the Legislature. All we need to do is look to

want to be bullied and abandoned just for profits’ sake. Maybe they should look at Walgreen and see what it saw.

Mike Brennell • St. Louis

Christians should have same right to host ballpark event

neighboring Kansas and to Wisconsin to see where supply side (“trickle down”) economics does not work.

In fact, you cannot cite one instance where it does work! We recently voted down a sales tax increase to fund road infrastructure — why don’t we just increase fuel taxes to pay for this? We have one of the lowest fuel taxes in the nation, and this could bring us in line with the national average.

Another common sense solution would be to increase cigarette taxes. And also, why don’t we accept the free money that comes with Medicaid expansion? This would provide much needed access to medical care for many Missourians while creating jobs and bringing millions of our own tax dollars back to our state.

These common sense solutions would work to make our lives just a bit better.

John Berkowitz • St. Charles

Veto-proof Legislature This reader is much disheartened by news that Tuesday’s elections will continue to result in a veto-proof Republicancontrolled state Legislature. Gov. Nixon has been the sane voice in Jefferson City

RAY FARRIS PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

THE PLATFORM TM STLtoday.com/ThePlatform Find us at facebook/PDPlatform Follow us on twitter @PDEditorial

for the last few years.

It’s not much less regrettable that some of the constitutional amendments were not defeated at the polls. Being part of a minority is discouraging when there is little movement some of us can feel is positive. In November let’s vote “no” on incumbents who don’t serve their terms responsibly, with dignity and humility.

George W. Morris • St. Charles

Walgreen cancels its ticket on the greed ship Hooray for Sen. Dick Durbin. Bullying or otherwise, he stopped Walgreen Inc. from jumping onto the greed ship and moving to a foreign country so it could duck out of paying those horrible taxes that so unfairly does things like pay for street repairs so loyal American customers can get to stores and purchase goods and medications.

These same goods and medications are government inspected (paid by taxes) to protect consumers from unscrupulous overseas manufacturers, many of whom fled the U.S. during the Reagan years.

How long can the GOP march in lockstep down this ever narrowing road and not see that the American people don’t

GILBERT BAILON EDITOR

difference in its cardinal principles, that it will always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties, never belong to any party, always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers, never lack sympathy with the poor, always remain devoted to the public welfare, never be satisfied with merely printing news, always be drastically independent, never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty • JOSEPH PULITZER • APRIL 10, 1907

Letters should be 250 words or fewer. Please include your name, address and phone number.

All letters are subject to editing. Writers usually will not be published more than once every 60 days. Additional letters are posted online at STLtoday.com/letters.

MAIL Letters to the editor St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 900 N. Tucker Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63101

Artful guys doing good It sure was refreshing to read about Jovan Simpson and Bob Hansman, telling how art brought them together (“Bob Hansman started City Faces to help youths; he ended up gaining a son,” July 28). It is so nice to hear two caring guys doing good. God bless them.

Joan Wilhelm • Affton

TONY MESSENGER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

PLATFORM • I know that my retirement will make no

WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS AND E-MAIL

In response to a Paul Summers’ letter Aug. 7 regarding Christian Day at the Ballpark: Christian Day has been going on for 24 years. Like any other special group day, it helps sell tickets for many who wish to attend the postgame event. Christian Day began with the blessing of the late Cardinal vice president Marty Hendin, who was Jewish. He oversaw the event throughout the years. We would not have been able to do the event without Cardinals players getting involved. Players like Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, Lance Berkman, and this year Kolten Wong, Matt Carpenter, Trevor Rosenthal and manager Mike Matheny.

The Cardinals host many events for diverse groups, and Christians should have the same right to host an event as any other group. Christian Day is open to all, and thousands of fans have stayed after the games to hear inspirational speakers such as Tony Dungy, Willie Robertson and former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell from “Lone Survivor” fame, who was this year’s speaker.

No one is isolated or forced to participate in the event. All are invited to attend no matter what their beliefs may be. This year, Marcus made few references to his “religious” views but shared his story as an American war hero.

I respect Mr. Summers’ viewpoint, and I thank him for allowing others to express theirs.

Randy Mayfield • Ballwin

E-MAIL letters@post-dispatch.com FAX 314-340-3139

TONY MESSENGER tmessenger@post-dispatch.com Editorial Page Editor • 314-340-8382 KEVIN HORRIGAN khorrigan@post-dispatch.com Deputy Editorial Page Editor • 314-340-8135 FRANK REUST freust@post-dispatch.com Letters Editor • 314-340-8356 DEBORAH PETERSON dpeterson@post-dispatch.com Editorial writer • 314-340-8276