Stand up for you what you believe 

It has been said if you have enemies—then good—because that means that you stood for something. 

I want you to ask yourself what do you really stand for. Are you one that wants to ride the tide so that you do not have anyone ever say anything against you? 

I have offended some cattlemen that should have been happy for anyone to challenge packers and retailers. We had cattle organizations or leaders in those organizations that didn’t have the guts to stand up for the individual cattlemen. 

Instead it appeared they thought, “Well, we do get a little bit of the checkoff so let’s do nothing.” 

Whether we agree or not you need to have the guts to stand up for what you believe. 

Even in the Bible, Jesus said, “If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my father in heaven.” If you are a Christian be happy and gladly let it be known that you are. If you are an American be proud that you are and thankful for it. If you are a farmer or rancher, be proud that we feed America. 

Feeder cattle prices seem to keep gaining strength while some calf prices have dipped a little as we are at the time and will be for a couple of months that it is harder to keep some of these unweaned calves alive—and expensive too. 

For you that say, “My calves never get sick” when you take them to the sale right off the cow then I challenge you to buy a load or two of calves then buy you some medicine. And, oh yes, get yourself a log chain, too. 

I was telling a friend that I was part Indian. He said, “Being conceived in the back of a Jeep does not make you part Cherokee.” 

Right outside our restaurant at the sale barn I am going to post a sign that reads, “Please do not throw cigarette butts down here. They get soggy and hard to light.” 

I was at the hotel and walking across the street to get something to eat when one gal working there said, “Where are you headed?” I said, “I’m going to get something to eat.” 

She said, “You have never gotten me anything.” I said, “I have given you something several times.” She said, “Like what?” I said, “I have given you a headache.” 

Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.