Opinions

October is “National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” According to its web site, “It is a collaboration of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to services.”

According to NBCAM, since its creation more than 25 years ago, “it has been at the forefront of promoting awareness of breast cancer issues and has evolved along with the national dialogue on breast cancer. NBCAM is dedicated to educating and empowering women to take charge of their own breast health.”

We need to do all we can to help support this crucial national campaign. Many years ago, breast cancer took my former sister-in-law at a very young age. Cindy was in her early twenties when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her cancer was very aggressive, ravaged her mind and body, and caused her to endure a very painful death.

Cindy left two small children and a devastated husband. Her mother was also a victim of breast cancer. Cindy’s mother, Jeannine, underwent a successful radical mastectomy, along with aggressive treatment, and was able to survive well into her eighties. I don’t know why Cindy’s treatments didn’t work, and it breaks my heart because she was one of the sweetest and most loving persons I’ve ever known.

Breast cancer takes far too many of our mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters. The women of our lives are the driving force behind the progress that civilization has made throughout the ages. We ought to do all we can to help them fight this terrible scourge. In spite of all they’ve done to advance and improve civilization over the millennia, we’ve not treated them very well.

I find it absurd that women, who are easily the most important factor in the successful propagation of the human species, are the ones who have suffered the most, based solely upon their gender. For the most part, all societies, religions, and ethnic groups have tried mightily to keep women down, and have only reluctantly given them voice.

Yet, when women have had the opportunity to lead, they have done remarkably well. Indira Gandhi of India, Golda Meir of Israel, and “Iron Margaret” Thatcher of Great Britain, have all been excellent leaders.

Even so, the Catholic Church continues to prevent women from serving in the priesthood. To me, this is more a cultural bias than a biblical bias. Ditto with some protestant churches, who continue to prevent women from holding high office. Islam continues to mistreat women. The Mormon Church still does not allow women to hold the priesthood, or other high offices in the church.

In America, it took women 144 years of continuous effort to win the right to vote. This is outrageous because I think women are as smart as or smarter than men. Today, more than 65% of college students are women, and over 70% of high school students who make the honor role are female.

The point I’m trying to make is that we need to do all we can to encourage our mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives to get the proper medical tests done early in order live long and healthy lives. Early detection and treatment may have saved Cindy’s life.

We, as a society, and as men, have not always treated the women in our lives fairly and respectfully. We can make up for some of that past disregard by encouraging them to do all they can to enhance their health and welfare. Our women are much too precious to needlessly lose to ill health and early death from breast cancer – from all cancer.

It is primarily women who make this world a much nicer place to live. Even so, throughout history, women’s thoughts and opinions have been mostly ignored, disregarded, and ridiculed.

Over the centuries they have been war booty, pawns, abused, and trafficked in for illicit and horrific purposes. Yet, through personal persuasion – mostly through their spouses or significant others – they have managed to keep civilization moving forward, sometimes making slow progress, but progress just the same.

They are resilient, persistent, and have served as beacons of wisdom and stability in tumultuous, insane times – most of the tumult and insanity being caused by men, of course.

Women give life, nurture life, and comfort the grieving when life ends. They add love to a hateful world.

I love women, and shudder to think where we would be without their steadying influence on society and civilization. They are sources of wonder, gentleness, and goodness to life, and are a shining example of a magnificent love. They are precious and priceless.

I just wish I could stay married to ‘em.

So, let’s think pink this month. Actually, let’s all think pink all year long, and pledge to take better care of our women now and forevermore.

This is the story of events and how I and others feel about what needs to be told. I thought you might like to know a few more details about what happened. The fact that Gayle Edes will only serve 90 days in a county jail instead of a prison and 10 years probation in the county of her choice, for a plea of guilty to a first degree felony is just wrong. Isn’t that like saying to someone that I am a little bit sorry but what I did isn’t that bad? Gayle can still see her friends, drive around free, sleep in her bed and most of all live her life.

I am not sure why the DA decided to offer her a plea but I do not feel like it was best for what she did. I admit I do not know all the ins and outs of the law but it seems like she just got a slap on the hand compared to what she deserved. At the time she was the only person who could have helped her grandson. She knew what her son, Robert, was doing and did absolutely nothing to prevent any more of it or to stop it.

Before Chance Mark went to live with Robert, he was a happy, healthy smart four-year old boy. He lived with a couple in Post, Texas, who loved and adored him. He had other “family” that cherished him. The couple in Post were more his parents than anyone had ever been. They took Chance, his sister, and their mother in when they had nowhere else to go. Chance’s mom had made bad decisions and burned a lot of bridges with the people that could have helped her. Chance had a stable home with this couple and he loved them as much as they loved him. Most of the time, Chance’s mom did her own thing, and this couple cared for Chance and his sister.

As things went on it became obvious to this couple that Chance’s mom was still making bad choices and about to leave and take these two kids to who knows where. So it was decided it was time to call CPS. CPS came to the house and ask Chance’s mom to submit to a drug test. She refused. She told them she had used drugs, and they were in her system. Instead of taking custody of the children or sending the mom somewhere, CPS allowed this woman, who just admitted she had drugs in her system, to decide what would happen with her kids till there was a hearing.

CPS told her that the kids could stay where they were. They could live with a relative or that she could stay there with the kids as long as she was not alone with them because there had been some abuse on her part. Since she was mad that this couple had turned her in, she decided the children could go stay with their fathers – men neither one of them were close to at the time.

Chance’s sister had a dad that had known Chance’s mom for at least a year before Chance was born. This man thought he was Chance’s dad and gave Chance his name. Chance’s mom started asking for cash from him and when she was angry would tell him that Chance is not your son. So the man asked for a paternity test and said he would set up child support. Well when Chance had just turned four it was proven that Chance was not his son, but the daughter was his. That is when two other men were tested and it discovered that Robert Babcock was his dad. When CPS and Chance’s mom notified Robert about what had happened with Chance and that he could live with him. Robert had met Chance one other time, at the paternity test.

Robert, who knew nothing about kids and did not know Chance, came to town that day. Outraged that Chance’s mom would have abused a 4 year old. (She was accused of slapping him and his sister and spanking with a belt), he wanted Chance to go with him then. It was finally decided that he and Chance needed time to have visits and get to know each other over the next few months. Robert did a few visits with Chance and in less than a month decided he was taking Chance to live with him. Robert was told we would do anything to help them or if he needed anything just to call.

Once with Robert, Chance was not allowed to talk to anyone who had loved him or cared about him. No one was allowed to see him and sometimes there was just no answer to calls or text messages. When Robert did answer all he would say is that Chance was fine. Also once Chance was with Robert, CPS was not involved as before. Robert was the biological dad.

It took less than one month for this man that was known to others for his temper to beat Chance to death. Robert beat Chance time and time again over an eleven day period. Robert was very careful to hide it from everyone. Everyone, except Gayle. She had been to Robert’s house. She had seen Chance and how he had to be suffering, saw the bruises and what was happening. She was the only other person around Chance besides Robert. She knew what was going on and did nothing. She was his last hope and she had let him down.

When 911 was finally called by Robert, it was too little too late. When Chance was at the hospital, Gayle was there. Again the people that loved Chance and truly cared for him were not allowed to see him there, to speak to him to let him know they had not forgotten him and that they loved him. Gayle, yet again sat in the room with Chance, knew what had happened and saw that little body and how he had been battered from the top of his head to the tops of his feet and still said nothing. She heard the doctors, the nurses, the officers and others talk about how that little boy must have suffered and how badly beaten and bruised he was. She sat there and looked at him and showed no guilt, no shame and little emotion. She had been Chance’s last chance and she had failed him. Did she understand that she was just as guilty as Robert?

I believe in my heart that God looked down from Heaven and saw Chance and what was going on and told him that if he was not going to be allowed to be with the people that loved and cared for him that he belonged in Heaven with him. Gayle was a grandmother to this little boy and yet she watched him die because she did not step up. How does a person do that? She could have saved him and her son. Now she has lost her son to the prison system and a precious little boy to death.

She should know that Chance would have loved her if only he had been given the chance. His heart and his love was big enough for all to share. My question is, does she even care? I am part of the family that loved Chance and knew he was one of us from the day he was born.

When child abuse touches a family as it has us with Chance, it leaves a hurt, a hole in your heart and a burning desire to try to stop this from happening to anyone else. That is why this family has decided to speak up. We will do anything we can. We try and tell others that if you think someone is being abused, DO something, tell someone, take some kind of action. If it is physical or emotional it is abuse. If it is a woman, man or child, it is abuse. Do NOT stay silent. You may be someone’s last chance. If you are not sure, find a way to have someone check it out.

Everyone in our family wears a bracelet to remind us of our love for Chance and how we can help others. That bracelet simply says, “Don’t take a CHANCE” We realize that if you do nothing there can be a high price for that person to pay and for the people that love that person.

Chance Mark Jones, we love you!

Vicki Harrison

I have sat in front of my computer many times since we came home Monday, September 17, 2012 trying to figure out what to say….I am at a loss for words. For the past 20 months I have tried to be strong and have had little time to grieve. Instead I have prepared myself for war.

After Robert was convicted and sentenced, I felt the way many people did – relieved that justice had been served. But those feelings were short lived because I had tricked my mind into believing when you fight really hard for something you normally are rewarded. But, my reward never came, Chance was still gone.

So to respond to Gayle’s plea hearing on [September 17] is difficult because I know that no matter how hard we fight Chance is never coming home. Should she have received a harsher punishment? YES. But, I am very thankful for all the hard work and dedication that Luke Inman, Hattie Sanderson and all of the individuals involved in helping fight for justice. Everyone worked so hard for a little boy who deserved so much better than to have suffered at the hands of his own blood. I have read very few articles about Chance’s death unable to bear the truth, but I have read every single comment that has been posted by readers from Clarendon to Oklahoma and was never able to respond because I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the upcoming cases. I feel that I have waited long enough… Chance Mark was LOVED by so many people and I am thankful every day to have had the opportunity to hear him say, “I love you.”

Many people make the comment that Chance was never given the chance to be truly loved by anyone. This is the farthest thing from the truth; Chance was loved so deeply by so many people. If anyone were to truly look at the pictures of Chance they would see his amazing smile and glowing eyes know that he was a happy child. Chance Mark had an amazing non-blood related family that would have fought to the ends of the earth to keep him safe. Chance touched so many people’s hearts with his humor and beautiful smile and why anyone would ever want to harm him is unimaginable. I am reminded every day of how precious life is how fast it can all be taken away.

Memories and pictures of Chance is all that we have left and what happens to Robert Babcock and Gayle Edes is now in God’s hands and they too will suffer their own punishment. They were never apart of Chance’s life and will never be seen as anything more than murders – father and grandmother are not titles that they deserve.

Chance Mark Jones will never be forgotten and his memory will live on forever in our hearts. If you take anything away from Chance’s story please remember this, “Don’t take a Chance, against child abuse,” because you can never bring them back once they are gone. You have a voice where many children like Chance did not. Speak up and help to prevent a child from ever having to suffer the way that Chance did…no-one deserves to be hurt, especially a child.

Heather Hill

After contemplating the outrageously lenient plea bargain agreement (nine months in county jail) between District Attorney Luke Inman and Gayle Edes, in return for her guilty plea to Injury to a Child by Omission,I got to thinking, which can be an adventure for me.

While explaining his rational for the agreement, Mr. Inman stated, “The injury to a child case by omission was not something that we could file immediately due to factual and legal hurdles we had to overcome. It’s not as simple as going forward against the perpetrator who actually committed the assault. There had to be forensic medical testimony that would support the injury occurred as a result of not seeking medical attention, and that part of the investigation took time.”

I understand that Gayle Edes’ health has suffered during these intervening months. If I were facing this charge my health would suffer considerably, too – although not as much as Chance Jones’ health suffered. I’m still outraged that Mr. Inman basically let Gayle Edes walk. The dirty little fact that Chance died from his injuries apparently made little impact upon Mr. Inman’s sense of moral and judicial outrage.

In the case of Gayle Edes, justice was not served. I wondered how justice is normally served in the 100^th Judicial District. A two year search of Clarendon Enterprise records, which do not include all the case dispositions in District Attorney Inman’s prosecutions over this period of time, I discovered that justice is usually served with a generous helping of leniency.

This leniency makes me wonder why this is so? One thing I’ve always loved about Texas is that we are a people who value law and order and are known to be tough on crime.

Perhaps Mr. Inman just doesn’t want to be bothered with trying cases in court. It’s much easier, and probably cheaper, to plea bargain than to prosecute. After all, he does have a large area to cover, and it may be tiring to spend all his time driving around his district, toting all those files and depositions around. Why not just plea bargain those cases that don’t involve unseemly death or injury? Now, a few of his cases involving injury did result in probation and deferred adjudication for the perps.

More than a few of Mr. Inman’s cases involved some remarkable case dispositions. For example, in one case, a man pleaded guilty to kidnapping, a 3^rd degree felony. He received three years probation – for kidnapping for heaven’s sake!

Even worse, another fellow pled guilty to sexual assault of a child. His sentence? Probation, with deferred adjudication – which means he doesn’t have to register as a convicted sex offender. Nice.

On that same day, another disagreeable fellow pled guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and received two years probation with deferred adjudication. In case you didn’t know, deferred adjudication means that if you keep your nose clean for the duration of your probation or sentence, your record is wiped clean of your crime.

Over this time period several people have plea bargained burglary of habitat – which means they broke into an occupied house – into case dispositions that resulted in probated sentences with deferred adjudication. And we wonder why we have folks breaking into our local business, five of ‘em at last count.

Included also, were a few cases of misdemeanor drug possession – marijuana for example – that also resulted in a couple of years of probation with deferred adjudication. Meanwhile, there was an ill tempered man who pled guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He also received probation with deferred adjudication. There must have been some really interesting extenuating circumstance for him to the receive a similar sentence as the guy won was busted for possession of pot.

Throw in the two idiots who stole some water meters, with accompanying accessories, who also received probation with deferred adjudication, and you get my point.

For whatever reasons, Mr. Inman does not seem to be too tough on crime, which is good for the offenders and not so good for the victims and law abiding citizens.

It’s a shame because we (Donley County) have an exceptional sheriff and sheriff’s department. Sheriff Blackburn and his chief deputy Randy Bond, along with the rest of the deputies, do an excellent job of keeping the peace. They are excellent investigators and are highly committed solving crimes and keeping us as safe as possible. Sometimes, the leniency of our district attorney may undo much of the good that they do.

If all this bothers you as much as it bothers me, you can always put pressure on Luke to repent and change his ways.

 

　

Folks came from far and wide, some to cook, some to eat, some to see. Those who came to cook, came in style, too. Seventeen original or restored chuckwagons, accompanied by top shelf cooking teams, gathered around the grounds the Saints’ Roost Museum this past Saturday. Charlie Goodnight, if he were still with us, would be right in the middle of things and having a high old time. As it is, I can see him smiling down on us from Heaven, as we gathered together for good food, good entertainment, and good conversation.

I bought my ticket at my bank, the Donley County State Bank, and good fortune immediately commenced to smile upon me. I was assigned to eat the “C – C” (C Bar C) chuckwagon, out of Hartley, Texas, located in the northwest corner of the Texas Panhandle, just south of Dalhart.

The chicken fried steak dinner that head cook Sue Cunningham and her team served up was probably the best chicken fried steak dinner I’ve ever eaten. After two brain surgeries, and a few unfortunate self-inflicted brain traumas – like slipping on ice and landing on the back of my head, twice no less – I may not have the most acute memory in the land. I can, however, say with absolute certainty, that it was the best chicken fried steak dinner that I’ve ever eaten, or remembered eating.

Throw in a generous helping of mashed potatoes, a couple of homemade rolls, and mighty fine peach cobbler, and ‘twas a veritable feast. The only negative, if there was one, in the entire meal was a somewhat paltry serving of peach cobbler. Of course, Sue and her crew may have noticed that my gut appears to be unduly extended, primarily because I’m apt to eat too much of the wrong foods – mostly comfort foods if you must know – and therefore they may have cut my portion of peach cobbler accordingly, in the hopes of adding months or even years to my life.

Anyway, back to the Chuckwagon Cookoff. It turns out that the C – C won this year’s competition for the best overall wagon and cooking. Not surprisingly, they won it last year too.

The crowd was large, featuring folks from all over the Panhandle, and a sprinkling of folks from Oklahoma and New Mexico who drove down for a nice dinner. It was easy to spot the veterans. They came in family groups and carted in tables and chairs, etc, and settled in for the long haul.

The museum itself was also a star of the day. It remained pretty much packed all day long, with myriad folks strolling through the place and enjoying the excellent displays. Young people outfitted in period costumes provided needed commentary and politely answered a wide variety of questions from the roving guests.

Heck, thanks to the Hedley Senior Citizens Center, I was able to enter a raffle for an AR-15 assault rifle. Only in the Chicken Fried Nation can you enjoy a fine chuckwagon dinner with good folks from around the area, listen to a little gospel music, stroll through a museum and enter a contest to win an assault rifle. I’m hopeful that Providence will once again smile on me and allow me to win the AR-15.

While strolling through the museum grounds, while digesting my dinner and visiting with family and friends, I noted that the attendees were old and young, of varying sizes and shapes, some smart, some not so smart, some ranchers, some stock farmers, along with townsfolk and assorted others – all seeming to enjoy each other’s company.

I was also pleased to see that many reasonably well adjusted individuals were packing concealed firearms. With so many locals packing, in the event that a dastardly individual comes along and needs to be shot, I figure that they can handle the shooting, do the required paperwork, and serve any jail time that is deemed appropriate, thus allowing me to feel safe and secure in such a well armed community.

Entertainment was also provided for the diners, with a little rock-n-roll, country and Western, and a touch of gospel. Perhaps sometime in the future, the organizers of the cookoff, who do a fabulous job, will invite a few cowboy poets to come and recite their special form of poetry to the crowd. Everyone should have the opportunity to listen to good cowboy poets as they enthrall and mesmerize their audiences.

The Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff is an extraordinary event, with the proceeds going to a very special cause – the Saints’ Roost Museum. Clarendon and the surrounding area offer many wonderful cultural opportunities that seem to be somewhat overlooked, which is a shame.

Next month, Clarendon once again offers two more opportunities to partake of our cultural bounty. The 2012 Clarendon Arts Festival happens on Saturday, October 27, and Sunday, October 28.

That same weekend Clarendon College will present the first inaugural Clarendon College Stampede, an intercollegiate rodeo, from Thursday, October 25, through Saturday, October 27.

In line with the new rodeo, we also have a new business opening its doors. It’s called Straight Off the Ranch, and the proprietress is Jamie Bebout. Jamie hand crafts various leather items that come off the ranch. Things like chaps, bridals, and handmade leather purses. Her shop is located on Kearney Street, a couple of doors south of Jim Owens’ Boots. Stop in and introduce yourself and welcome her to our fair town.

Folks who say that not much goes on in our neck of the Chicken Fried Nation simply aren’t paying attention.

Now that another fall semester has commenced at Clarendon College, it seems to be a good time to consider the enormous contributions that Clarendon College makes to Clarendon, Donley County, and the Texas Panhandle.  Although Clarendon College is known as “The Athens of the Panhandle” it is also a gem of enormous value to our fair community.

As far back as I can remember Clarendon College has sat atop its hill, serving as a beacon to higher aspirations and the acquisition of knowledge.  I’ve always thought the campus looked magnificent, especially at night.

My late mother attended Clarendon College long ago, and was always proud of the formal education that she was able to acquire, an education that allowed her sustain herself in her later years.  She used the educational training she acquired at Clarendon College to serve the people of Donley County when she was the County Treasurer in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

I’m not sure that we fully appreciate the jewel that lies hidden in plain sight up on the hill.  Clarendon College contributes at least $75,000,000 (seventy-five million dollars) to our area, which includes campuses in Pampa and Childress.

In addition to its fine academic programs, Clarendon College also provides our citizens with opportunities to attend plays and other artistic programs.   The men’s and women’s athletic teams afford us the chance to see international student athletes compete at the highest levels of competition, providing us with a wide variety of entertainment options.

The Clarendon College Stampede, a NIRA College Rodeo, will be held for the first time in Clarendon this coming October 25, 26, and 27.  Student athletes from a wide geographical area will travel to Clarendon to compete in competitions that include:  bull riding, barrel racing, saddlebronc riding, along with several other events.

Academically, Clarendon College offers excellent educational opportunities to national and international students.  Students benefit from higher personal income, improved health, healthier lifestyle habits, an increased ability to think critically, and the ability to make better life decisions.  Society benefits from savings associated with reduced welfare and unemployment, improved health, and reduced crime.

Community colleges like Clarendon College promote economic development by increasing consumer spending and raising the skill level of the labor force.  This in turn leads to more jobs, increased business efficiency, greater availability of public investment funds, and eased tax burdens.

The city of Clarendon, Donley County, and the Panhandle area have received enormous benefits from Clarendon College since 1898. The college is an economic engine that will give us an important edge.  Combined with our strong ranching and farming industry, supportive banks, vital small businesses, an excellent newspaper, and a creative populace, we should prosper long into the future.

Let’s not forget the many benefits offered by Clarendon College and do all we can to support our fine institution, the pearl of the Panhandle.

While driving through Clarendon on my way to grab a bite to eat downtown, I just happened to look over at City Hall only to be appalled at what appeared to be a very rude structure attached to the southeast corner of the building. I quickly doubled back and parked and walked up and looked at this new addition to the front of our used-to-be-decent looking City Hall.

At this point, I should explain that what I am looking at is a cover for a wheelchair lift that is supposed to be used to give handicapped persons access to the upper floor of City Hall in the event that a City Hall meeting overcrowds the downstairs meeting area they may access the larger rooms upstairs.

Over the past several years, the City of Clarendon has done a good job of maintaining City Hall. It’s had a nice coat of paint, and David Pitts and Jeannie Molder worked together to secure an energy grant which replaced the old windows in the upstairs and also put in central heat and air. City Hall downstairs has been remodeled and looks nice. All these things added to improving the looks of City Hall without taking away from her old beauty.

I encourage every taxpaying person in Clarendon to drive by and look at this eyesore that has attached itself to City Hall and tell me truthfully that it does completely take away from the look of the building. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not against making it possible for a person in a wheelchair to gain access to the upstairs, but I am strongly against a very old historic building (1918) being vandalized. There are ways to get things done and get them done economically, but this is not the way that this needs to be done.

Jeremy Powell