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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

What's the point?

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Dear Editor,

I just wanted to ask what was the point of the article written about the Travis murder?

Do you realize that it happened over 28 years ago? Is that the heritage of McCook that you want people to know, as if anyone has forgotten? 

I hope that you know that the only people that were hurt by that story are the ones who are related to those accused.

I doubt very much that my uncles Jerry and Les Bussard are feeling the sting of the story, their families however are. Over all these years since that happened there has been a stigma associated with the Bussard name, trust me, I know from personal experience.

Some of those involved have children living in this community, who will now have to endure the snide comments of ignorant people who feel they need to chastise an innocent child for something that happened long before they were born.

Parents will tell their children they can't befriend them because they are related to a murderer. They will be looked down on from people in this community.

When I was a child the same thing happened to me, my siblings, and my cousins. Guilt by association, as if there is a choice who you are related to.

I hope that one day Mr. Sehnert's dirty laundry is hung out to dry in front of the whole community then maybe he will think before he airs someone else's.

Melissa (Bussard) Clinton     

McCook

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  • I am responding to Melissa Clinton's comment. I, too, am related to a murderer. My Mom and my two brothers still carry the name Simants. Yes, we are related to Charles Erwin. As Melissa said, there is a stigma associated with our name also. My Mom still cringes when her name is called at the doctors office, dentist office, etc. People can be so hurtful with their glares, comments or just plain ignorance! The sad part of it is, we did not commit the murders but we are being punished because of what a relative has done (whom I've never even met). The kids of such relatives are NOT to blame, nor are the other family members who are related to them. Think about it next time you write about something of this nature. There has got to be more cheerful things to write about! Sincerely, Patricia Simants Hanken, Palisade

    -- Posted by PattyH1956 on Wed, Sep 12, 2007, at 8:02 PM

  • Perhaps this bothers you because your Uncles murdered a man. It should. A family lost a man that night. Do you imagine that they feel sorry for your "stigma", or would they just tell you that at least you still have your family member with you? It seems to me that you make quite a selfish argument for the sake of your own reputation, assuming anyone outside your own circle knows who you are.

    -- Posted by mommily on Wed, Mar 12, 2008, at 7:04 PM
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