Speak Out 03/31/04

Spectacular concert

IT WAS a night to remember. Saturday's performance by Keith Brion and the Southeast Missouri State University wind ensemble was spectacular. You could almost feel the presence of John Philip Sousa himself. Watching Brion imitate the conducting style of Sousa was simply poetry, a dance. The university students were also at their very best. With talent like this, the River Campus has quite a foundation upon which to build.

Let her testify

IF CONDOLEEZZA Rice wants to mouth off about the book that Richard Clarke has written, she ought to have courage enough to testify before the committee.

Paying for the cure

IRONICALLY, IF we had a national health-care program, many Medicaid recipients might be healthy, productive taxpayers. If one has an incurable disease that goes untreated for years due to inability to pay doctors and labs, that disease probably will eventually disable a person who might otherwise have still been able to work.

Health care is basic

AS A disabled person over 60 with $7,000 annual income, I am on Medicaid. I agree that small co-payments are a good idea. The main concern is that if the top co-payment would be $3 this year, would it be $6 next year? If our government would, at the same time as it considers cutting out the fraud and waste by welfare recipients, take it upon itself to cut out waste in its own bureaucratic offices, that would make an even bigger difference. Without health coverage, it's really tough to maintain the "life" part of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Excellent bands

WOW! ONCE again congratulations are in order for the Jackson High School band instructors. We attended the spring concert with the jazz band and concert band. They were excellent.

Students on meds

TOO MANY students are on prescribed medication for their behavior. I have been teaching for over 25 years. It is amazing how the number of students on meds has gone up. Checking back in my files, I had two students out of 21 taking Ritalin 10 years ago. Now I have 16 out of 22 on some sort of hyperactive medication. I think parents today put their children on medication in order to make an excuse for their wild child's poor behavior. Why won't parents be adults and point the finger at themselves?

Afraid to discipline

PARENTS' PANTS are getting shorter when they aren't allowed to discipline their own children without fear of getting them taken away because of today's laws. Someone decided that spanking your child was wrong. Look at children today and 20 years ago. There is a big difference.