MISSOURI WATCH: A SERIOUS CONVERSATION JUST AMONG US FRIENDS

Glad we could get together for this brief visit, just the two of us, with no one else around to interrupt. Would you mind turning down that TV just a tad, and then neither of us will have to raise our voice to be heard? Sometimes those commercials get extremely invasive. There, that's better. We won't have to raise our voices to be heard.

What I'd like to visit with you about, and get your views about, is where we're headed as a people, as a nation, as a state, as a community. It seems a lot of us aren't very happy with the way things are being run at the moment in Washington and Jefferson City and at City Hall. I can't say that I blame them, for there are times many of us would just as soon chuck it all and go live somewhere else. To be frank with you, I never could think of any place I wanted to live more than right here in the great state of Missouri and the good old U.S. of A. I'd be bored silly in Tahiti or some other exotic spot 30 seconds after I got there. You, too, huh?

In all of this talk about dissatisfaction and morals and crime and special interests, the subject of rights comes up a lot. Oh, you noticed it too? Well, rights are important to us Missourians, and woe be to any American who isn't ready to defend his rights and those of others. We're big on rights, and that's good. We've fought a lot of wars to keep some crazy dictator from taking them away from us, and God help us if we ever reach the stage where we're unwilling to defend them and preserve them with all our strength. You say you agree, swell!

Now that we agree on the importance of rights, this might be a good time to discuss the opposite of rights. Responsibilities. Isn't it funny that when we talk about the Bill of Rights, we never mention anything about a Bill of Responsibilities? You noticed it too? Isn't it great how many things good friends have in common?

As important as rights are in our country, I have a suspicion some folks haven't given much thought to their obligations to themselves and to others, to the institutions in their community and state, and to the connection between freedom to do as one pleases within the framework of law and the need to be responsible for our words and actions. There's an important connection, you know, between my freedom to speak my mind and my obligation to hear out the other fellow, listen to his views even if I think he's occasionally a nut case.

Don't you think it might be interesting if we held a constitutional convention to write a Bill of Responsibilities? Do you suppose anyone would come? Oh, I know you'd come, but would any of our friends? Would they really want to hear that they had some responsibilities? You think not? Well, I don't agree, but we're friends, and we can get along even if we don't see eye-to-eye on every subject.

Have you given any thought to what responsibilities we citizens have? You have! Gee, you're way ahead of me, but that's great. You even wrote them down? Now, that's being a good citizen. Of course I want to hear your list. Read it!

Responsibility to help solve problems, rather than create them. Hey, that's good.

Responsibility to work with those less fortunate, thus relieving governments of supplying all the assistance. That's good too.

Responsibility to vote, to participate in local elections and even run for office. Terrific, love it!

Responsibility to live a moral life, support the religion of our choice, refrain from illegal and immoral acts that reduce the humanity in myself and for my neighbors. Hey, that may be best one yet!

Got any more? One more. The responsibility to cherish all points of view, whether we agree or disagree with the conclusion, and whether the opinion comes from an enemy or a friend. Gee you're good. Terrific idea. I'll bet Tom Jefferson and Jimmy Madison had the same idea. I'm pretty -sure Hank Thoreau did as well.

You don't think Madison did? Well, maybe you're right, but I was rereading The Federalist Papers the other night and there was something very similar to that in, I think it was Chapter 63. Would you like my copy? Well, if you don't find yours, let me know and you can borrow mine, although you'll have to excuse the condition it's in. Yeah, you're right, kind of like presidents after they've been around awhile.

Well, if we both agree a Bill of Responsibilities would be something beneficial, what shall we do? Nothing? Discuss it with other friends? Write Bill and Mel and Newt and Ross? How about Colin?

You don't think they'd be interested? Why? Well, I know they're busy, aren't we all? I've got a full platter and from what you've said, you do as well. Bill's busy with White House business, and Mel's running the state. Newt is a sometime-listener, and Ross is too when he's not talking about his aunt down in the basement. I don't know about Colin, but it's worth a shot when the book gets sold.

You think calling them is a good idea? Chances are we can't get through to anyone, except maybe Mel, maybe Newt. Yeah, you're right, letters tend to get overlooked, and to be honest with you, I never know whether my faxes get delivered.

Well, I can't get away this week, and the parents of my new daughter-in-law are due in from California the week after that, and then the next week, that's out, you said.

I tell you what let's do. Let's think some more on this before we do anything. We'll need some time to firm up our views and maybe think of a couple more responsibilities. It was good getting together, though, and let's do it again real soon. When we both have a little more time. Good idea. I'll call you or you call me. Whatever.

~Jack Stapleton of Kennett is the editor of the Missouri News and edtiorial service.