Speak Out 07/07/04

Looking for the hawk

I HAVE checked my bird identification book and cannot find a redhawk. The common hawk in this area is called a red-tailed hawk. I can hear it now: Go, Redtails, go.

Pushy maintenance man

I LIVE in an apartment. The maintenance man doesn't wait until you're answer the door. He just puts his key in the door and walks in. Why can they do that?

Fireworks incident

I'VE LIVED in Cape Girardeau for 20 years and have never had a problem with police until the night Wehrenberg was held up at gunpoint and Town Plaza was burglarized. My friends and I were shooting fireworks. We were surrounded by eight cop cars. Does it take eight cops to tell six people to go home? Does it take a cop cussing at me and calling us idiots on the scanner to make us stop shooting fireworks?

Pothole needs help

COULD SOMEONE please fix the pothole near the old Hanover Cemetery on Delwin Street in Cape Girardeau? It has gotten worse over the last couple of months.

Need winning teams

WHAT SOUTHEAST Missouri State University needs is a real athletic director who can get winning teams to put fans in the stands so they can sell shirts and hats.

Professional artwork

SO THE Southeast regents have decided on the Redhawks as a mascot, which is fine. However, please consult professional artists before investing in a logo that we'll live with for many years.

Baring it all

WOMEN ARE showing the biggest parts of their bodies. What has gotten into our world? I hope God sees all things. I remember when someone wanted to sue a woman for having her breast uncovered while nursing her baby. Now women can let it all hang out all the time, and nobody says a word about it. Can you tell me what is going wrong with our world today? I would love to know.

Satisfying a minority

I CANNOT believe the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents changed the mascot name to Redhawks just to satisfy a small majority. The Indian name has been at Southeast forever and has not hurt a soul. I will always call our Southeast teams the Indians regardless of what these people say. I guess the next thing they'll want to change is the St. Louis Cardinal name because it discriminates against birds.

Pulpit politics

I GOT a letter from my pastor telling me I had to support George Bush because he says he is a Christian. If I'm not mistaken, there is supposed to be a separation of church and state. I will not be going back there unless I stop hearing who I should vote for.

Indian pride

IN REGARD to the Southeast Missouri State University mascot change: I would like to know how many Native Americans are on the board of regents and how many in the NCAA? I'll bet none. I am 35 percent Cherokee Indian. My ancestors died on the Trail of Tears. Now after the white man has taken away everything from them including their lives, the slight mention of the Indian name seems to be taboo. Our parks are being renamed, Sports teams and symbols are being replaced. At least make some reference to a once-proud race.

Good movie critic

I LOVE to read Jim Lloyd's movie critiques in "Everybody's a Critic" He does such a great job. He's better than most professional critics -- much better than Roger Ebert. Keep up the good work, Jim.

Defending the movie

DAVID LIMBAUGH recently wrote that the left's only defense against Michael Moore's film is to demonize Rush Limbaugh and the right wing and that by saying others do it is no defense. I agree wholeheartedly. Two wrongs do not make a right. However, I'm confused as to why Limbaugh would write that the left would want to mount a defense against Moore's movie. Would they not want to mount a defense of it?

Disagreement matters

I AM so tired of David Limbaugh's propaganda. His attempts to portray any individual with views contrary to his as part of some vast liberal conspiracy is right out of chapter one of the propaganda handbook. "They," "those who," "the left" and "the liberals" are terms intended to dehumanize individuals with views different than his. Look at the history of warfare in the 20th century. Dehumanization is the first and most critical element of any propaganda campaign. I disagree with virtually everything Limbaugh says, and I am an individual and an American.

Timely reminder

I THINK Gary Rust was trying to demonstrate the existence of a media bias against President Reagan. What he did instead was to outline in precise detail what I and millions of other Americans think about Reagan and his legacy. The "me" decade of the 1980s, as personified by Reagan and his fellow Republicans, was defined by greedy corporate politics and a complete disregard for the well-being of the poor and needy in our society. Thanks for reminding me. I had almost forgotten how much I despised the man and his politics.

Push for a lake

A LAKE is just what this area needs. I am tired of traveling so far just to be able to enjoy water sports. I hope someone will organize a push for this. I know a lot of others who would help with the campaign. Maybe a spark will start a fire and spread throughout the area and get this achieved.

Time to move on

THANK GOODNESS, SEMO University has finally decided on a mascot. Now maybe the administration and students can go on to something else.

No insurance

MEDICINE HAS a lot of steps and human involvement, so there are lots of places for mistakes. Malpractice premiums drive up the cost of our doctor bills, but that insurance is bought by doctors to insulate them from the consequences of making a mistake. Why don't we just outlaw all malpractice insurance? Our bills would be lower. And the docs wouldn't need a law to tell them to take a time out to make certain they cut only what needs cutting.

Still an Indian name

THE NAME change for Southeast Missouri State University is complete. The bottom-line reason was money. Dr. Ken Dobbins seemed to be the leading force behind the change. I have talked to numerous alumni, and not one was in favor of the change. The alumni I spoke to agreed with Coach Rosengarten. Ironically, we went from the name Indians to an Indian name. I just read about Chief Redhawk.

Not in my back yard

TO THE person who thinks the people of Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties need a lake: Where do you propose we put this lake? I live in Bollinger County and personally do not want a lake in my back yard. If you want a lake, let's put it on your property.

Lots of memories

I'D LIKE to brag on Chris Pagano's June 28 story, "Nostalgia revisited." My husband and I both remembered all the toys the Chateau residents made. My husband made all those things and still has his hoodoo sticks he made years ago. We are 89 and 91 years of age, so we remember them well. We also know Dilman Putz from Jackson and high school and lived next door to his parents in Jackson. John Putz was a very important man in town and managed a weather station in his back yard.

Don't be bypassed

IF WE bypass Jesus, we will be bypassed by God. It is by grace we are saved through faith because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. We cannot inherit eternal life by just doing good, but only by repenting for our wrongs. Church attendance and Bible study and fellowship with other Christians are the best ways to really find out what Christianity is all about. Try it.

Thanks for stripes

I COMPLAINED and griped about the stripes on Mount Auburn Road for quite some time. The city finally painted them. They look really good. I hope there will be no accidents on that street now. I'd like to thank whoever was responsible for the city to paint the stripes. Thank you.

Not proud of change

MY WIFE and I are graduates of Southeast Missouri State University. I'm one-half Cherokee Indian. I was very proud of the fact that the mascot was the Indians. It was not offensive to me whatsoever. When I see that the mascot has been changed, it makes me sick to my stomach, and it tells me what kind of mentality we have running our universities.

Courage to change

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents for having the courage to change the mascot name. I don't think it was about political correctness. I think it was about respect for others. I wish the Jackson School District would examine its practices. I wish Jackson would at least get rid of that offensive tomahawk chop at football games, because I think it teaches children the wrong lesson about what it means to respect other people