By Jerry Haferkamp
Today I am going to apologize to the people who avidly read this column and those who have attended our meetings. This will be my last column under the PSCF header. I am also resigning as Chairman of the group.
The reasons are obvious to the group since I’ve stated for months that I was tiring of efforts to inform the public and being harassed for my effort by the 60 or 70 who would fall on their sword or drink the kool-aid to keep their benefactor in office. It is their support of what had been going on under this mayor’s realm that has pulled this city down to the level it has now attained.
I think the culmination was when I saw the 60 or so who showed up at the administrative hearing to help promote the suppression of information at all costs. When four Councilmen voted to stick their heads in the sand and not get information from the actors involved, you have to seriously doubt that they have the interest of our citizens at heart.
I read with interest the two pages in the Hughes publication devoted to Carrie Caskey’s recall of events. Her writing sounded credible. She did express her view of events admirably. The problem arises when you see that she did it in her format, which did not allow for questions that should be addressed and answered.
I don’t know if someone else will start writing under the PSCF logo, but be aware of the pitfalls, not the least of which are the character assassination by the nameless bomb throwers on the stchuckwatch computer site. Just to let you know how they operate, this past week I was called an idiot, primarily because I didn’t go to college. He or she let it be known that anyone who didn’t is of inferior intelligence. Another stated he had to be intelligent because he made over $100 grand a year. Hell, I know some truck drivers that make that and they didn’t even finish high school. Now some of you hardworking men and women that didn’t get to college know what the Mayor’s fan club thinks of you. When I explained that I didn’t go to college but I did go to Vietnam, I was scolded for bragging about my military service. Before I decided to mention no more about my military record, I was branded a bag of hot air because someone who obviously was unable to attain rank didn’t like the fact that I was promoted so quickly.
One of the posts urged viewers to “dig up dirt” on me so they can publicly “embarrass his ass”. Another urges flooding my mail with vindictive letters. I can hardly control my shaking. They accuse me of associating with “perverts, wife beaters and felons”. I don’t even know anyone accused of being a pervert. I’ve been to Richmond Heights, but never knowingly “associated” myself with anyone who was involved in domestic violence. Yeah, “Big Tone” did do 29 or 30 days in a camp on a felony conviction. What’s that got to do with the price of rice? A football player named Little killed someone and you worship him on Sunday afternoons.
I don’t know if someone will take up the column to keep the residents informed, but I can’t support radicalism on either side of an issue. Nothing good comes of it.
PSCF was started with the intent of keeping the public informed. As time passed, it started becoming a place for folks to come if their particular ox was being gored, but after we helped them, they didn’t return. Later the makeup of the group changed to something I couldn’t accept. My decision came when attempts were made to force me into assisting with the recall of our Mayor. I didn’t then and I won’t now. We learn to live with our mistakes. There are many in town that can hardly wait to show her the door, but a nearly equal number would like to treat our Councilmen likewise. It will all shake down at the next mayoral and council elections.
Mr. Brockmeyer has told me this is a column the readers really like. I know they like to read the truth, and I gave it to them, like it or not.
Note to the anonymous bomb throwers at stchuckwatch: Don’t go slapping each other on the back. My resignation was due mostly to the radical bent the PSCF meetings had taken. I encourage you to keep trying to dig up dirt on me. You’ll find nothing, and it will take up enough of your time that it will spare some other honest citizen from your attacks. May God bless a few of you with enough guts to start signing your names to your attacks. You may even get some credibility.
A new day is dawning at the CVB. Via con Dios, Steve.
Editor’s note
Jerry we are sorry to see you go. A lot of our readers will be disappointed. They enjoyed reading your column. I can understand why you feel the way you do. Anytime that you wish to restart your column we would be happy of have it in the First Capitol News. We realize that you have received rough treatment and wish to give up the good fight. We would just like to leave you with a thought . . . .
DON’T QUIT
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will.
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill.
When the funds are low, and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about.
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow.
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out.
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit.
It’s when things seem worse that you must not quit.
Author unknown
