To the Editor:

I am a lady who loves a good editorial by headline, or even better a good editorial by photograph, but I do think you went a bit overboard with the article about the recent public meeting with our state rep and state senator. “Hijack” is a pejorative term, and didn’t really describe the events of the evening. Since many members of the Democratic Central Committee were there with questions, I don’t think it was fair to demonize them by calling them “progressives”, which seems to be the derogatory term of choice for anyone who is not a conservative.

Republicans had every opportunity to ask as many questions as they wanted. For some reason they mostly stayed quiet, except when booing. They asked about the “firecracker” law, which I hope means less people shooting firecrackers in my neighborhood, but assume it doesn’t. Someone else complained about Joe Biden’s terrible VA, but of course, our state legislators have no control over the VA, so that discussion dead -ended. The senator, without a question, spent a lengthy time discussing Bayer and why they needed protection, yet I don’t believe the Senate is taking up the House bill that does that. And then someone threw out, not even a question, but the word abortion.

Our electeds made it clear that they believed people didn’t know what they were voting for when they supported Amendment 3, legalizing abortion. Tim Taylor may be a country boy, but he knows how to push buttons. Suggesting that Dr. Tinker wanted to kill babies was a ploy to heat up the discussion. Dr. Tinker, a champion for maternal health and children during all her years of practice, attempted to speak on the realities of late term abortions, but was talked over and shouted down. Right time, right place for the photographer, but maybe an interview about what she wanted to say would have been enlightening.

I am guessing that both Mr. Taylor and Mr. Gregory are supporting overturning Prop A, using the same reasoning that we didn’t know what we were voting for.I am pretty sure we did, and it’s too bad we didn’t get to discuss that, especially since both of their districts supported sick leave and a raise in the minimum wage. I see that they have run out of time to totally overturn it, just removing the indexing of wages to inflation, but I am sure they will try again next session.

In general, most people were polite and respectful, including the senator and the representative, allowing people to make their points and ask their questions. I was most dismayed by the clear lack of knowledge of “due process,” and the role it plays in our republic. The crowd shouted their support for mass deportations, and our electeds agreed.

Below is a letter that I sent to Mr. Taylor and Mr. Gregory. Neither responded.

Thank you both for coming to Glasgow and being willing to answer questions. It seems many people do not understand that, under our constitution, everyone is entitled to due process. And yes, there have been reported instances of people being swept up, usually without a warrant, and spirited away to some holding facility. More concerning is that many of the law enforcement folks are not wearing badges, are not identifying themselves, and some are masked.  Homeland Security explained that ICE is using DEA, FBI, and other law enforcement agents who are masked to protect their identity. Somehow this doesn’t seem quite cricket.

I know this is a federal matter, but state agencies are being asked to cooperate with ICE, so you may be faced with some questions, and you may have legislation put forward that is pertinent to the issue. Especially concerning for me is agents going into schools, hospitals, and churches. I might be wrong, but probably most violent illegals won’t be found there.

Both the Obama and Biden administrations regularly deported people, prioritizing criminals, in greater numbers than the current administration. They just didn’t brag about it. They just thought of it as doing their job.

The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees due process to “any person,” not “any citizen” 

Fifth Amendment

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

The Fourteenth Amendment compels states to offer the same protections.

Thank you,

Jane Whitesides

Glasgow, Missouri