Freedom about having respect, too

Would you be willing to sacrifice your life in order for the rest of us to have freedom? That’s what a lot have done in the military.

And that is indeed the ultimate sacrifice. And that is the reason I feel so strongly about respect for the flag or a prayer. When I see kids at a sporting event that are wiggling around or talking or standing in a slouched position it bothers me. And a lot of times it may be nervousness but I still think the coach or teacher should enforce the idea of respect.

Another thing that I could not stand was taking a knee during the national anthem. There are lots of ways to show their disappointment other than that. And that goes for anyone from another country. They can love their country, too, but respect America. Let’s all be proud to live in America and teach our kids and grandkids to have respect for the flag or a prayer and simple respect for other people. I myself would never hand my kids something to eat without them saying thank you.

And they have learned they only have a couple of seconds to do so. One of my sons bucked up once and wasn’t going to when I handed him some grapes I had washed off. I immediately said, “I will throw them away before I give them to you if you are too proud to say thank you.”

On this July 4 week—be kind, be grateful and be proud.

Cattle futures last Friday made a big rally across the board higher. I think at some point we will grab a hold and move into a higher market. And our sale last Thursday was very aggressive showing lots of demand sending several cattle north. Plus with the nice rains we received last week you can see lots of grain.

A farmer just sold his hand hay stacking machine the other day and said, “When me and my wife were first married 40 years ago we would get up at 4 a.m. when it was nice and go to the hay field and load small, square bales on a loader and stack hay in a barn.” I said, “I didn’t know it was ever nice at 4 in the morning to stack hay.”

I was headed this morning to the café when I noticed a new sign that said the Mexican restaurant left. So I turned around and went home.

There was a young girl who every time someone asked her who she was she would said, “I’m James Brown’s daughter.” Her mother said, “Don’t say that. Say I am Teresa Brown.” A few days later a man said to her, “Aren’t you James Brown’s daughter?” She said, “Well, I thought I was but I guess I’m not.”

Editor’s note: Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.