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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Disrespected

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dear Editor,

The June 4 issue of the Gazette ran an article on the town's housing project. In the article, one town official was quoted as saying "Trailer Folk," aka as "Trailer Trash."

I find this term insulting and bigoted. I am NOT a second-class citizen as implied.

I believe the term "Trailer Folk" or "Trailer Trash" came into use during "The Great Depression" as prideful people traveled across the country looking for work and not sitting around polishing their fat behinds while holding out their hands.

Next came the term "campers," which has evolved into "recreational vehicles" which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and if you get a motor coach, they can cost in the millions of dollars.

As for the term "mobile home," there is nothing mobile about them. They require a special truck to tow them and permits are required. It costs thousands of dollars to move them. They are now called manufactured homes because they are built in large buildings under strict government standards and are superior in many ways to stick-built homes. I choose to live in one, as it is more affordable than the bloated prices of homes in McCook. Also, they are more environmentally friendly because they are better insulated and can be heated or cooled more economically.

It is obvious the town council and the developers do not want me in McCook, Nebraska, so I don't feel obligated to spend my money here, as the Chamber of Commerce urges us to do. I go to North Platte and / or Kearney at least once a month, so shopping is not a problem.

I have never been treated so disrespectfully and discriminated against as in the one-horse town.

One of the Outcasts,

Jess Cain,

McCook, Nebraska

Comments
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  • Jess, do not let what you said was one town official one time saying" trailer folk" offend you. I will not let you calling McCook a "one horse- town" offend me. I believe people are people wherever they live and should be respected for who they are not because of where they live.

    -- Posted by dennis on Wed, Jul 10, 2013, at 3:07 PM

  • McCook has people who would never criticize a poor person, treat them badly ,or take advantage of them. McCook also has a lot of jackasses who would do any or all of those types of things. In the last couple of national elections, you could see a conflict between rich and poor - with the poorer groups winning. Perhaps that is making the wealthier people more resentful of the poor and more critical and harsh toward them. Something like that seems to be going on. I'm not sure of that, but, when the wealthier groups (in all likelihood)lose the next election as well, we will be able to get a better idea about that.

    -- Posted by bob s on Thu, Jul 11, 2013, at 4:06 PM

  • Jess,

    A few things, manufacured homes are NOT better insulated than the over costly houses in McCook, in reality, the walls are a mere 2 1/2 inches thick which doesn't even allow enough space for the minimum R-10 insulation required by the IBC (International Building Code) so to say they are better insulated is an outright untruth.

    The homes being more economical heating and cooling.... Really? Are your pipes wrapped in the winter to keep them from freezing? I'll bet that answer is yes, and the water heater undoubltedly wrapped as well, burning MORE electricity. As an owner, I would think you would recognize that.

    I only bring this up as you offend me with your intentional contempt as you inform me that you will spend your money elsewhere. Perhaps you are correct, if you don't give anything to the community..... Then what benefit do you offer and what might you expect from your community? The definition of a parasite is: One which takes from its host without returning any benefit to it.

    Respect? If your looking for respect, try erning it.

    Before you bash me for attacking you, you should know that I have friends that live in manufactured homes, I have friends that get assistance from the state to take care of their familys (even though they work, and hard, by the way) I have friends of multiple ethnicities and religous backgrounds. Don't try to play the Biggot Card on me.... It won't work.

    My point, if you wish to bash, expect to be bashed. That all.

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Fri, Jul 12, 2013, at 10:15 PM

  • He has friends?

    -- Posted by bob s on Sat, Jul 13, 2013, at 9:31 AM

  • The Nick has friends. Does Bob?

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Mon, Jul 15, 2013, at 2:41 PM

  • "We are not involved in the trailers with the TIF situation. Secondly, the developers came by and I've got this correspondence, of all correspondence that they gave, to the trailer folks."

    This is the quote that the author of this opinion was so offended by. S/he must have a chip on their shoulder the size of a 2x4. Some people will find the littlest, most nonsensical things to be offended by.

    -- Posted by bjo on Tue, Jul 16, 2013, at 11:28 AM

  • Nick is correct. Mobile homes are not more environmentally friendly and they actually use a lot more energy to heat and cool. A manufactured home is not the same thing as a mobile home and the fact that you can hook a truck to it and move it means its mobile.

    -- Posted by ruralresident on Thu, Jul 18, 2013, at 6:32 PM
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