Speak Out 09/23/01

Good men gone

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Cape Girardeau school board. Once again, they've run off another good man. First it was Randie Fidler, now Dan Steska is leaving. We can't seem to keep any good men around here. We need to look deep into this situation. There must be a worm in the apple somewhere. It's not Fidler or Steska. The worm needs to step aside so we can have a good school system and an honest school board, one that really cares about the kids and stops playing so much politics.

Touching sight

I WANT to relate something very touching I saw earlier today as I was driving to work. There was a group of probably 150 students and faculty members out in front of Cape Central High School in a prayer circle around the American flag. For those people who think prayer has been removed from school, it hasn't been removed. It's become voluntary. What I witnessed this morning on my way to work is proof of that.

Flag etiquette

I THINK it's wonderful that so many people are flying their flags, but they also need to know proper flag etiquette. For example, if you put out those little flags like along your driveway, you need to check them and make sure they don't bend over from the wind or fall to the ground. The flag should not ever touch the ground or be rained on. Check on the flags and make sure they're being flown right. Respect the flag by using the proper etiquette.

No more aliens

I CERTAINLY hope that last week's events put an end to President Bush and other officials saying we should legalize the many illegal aliens in our country. We would really be asking for more trouble.

Think it over

I HOPE we don't send our troops into those mountains and valleys of Afghanistan. We should declare war on terrorists all over the world and go after them. Use all the security and all the forces we've got to hunt them down. But to send our boys into this atmosphere, when even Russia couldn't win a war with these people, is absolutely wrong. I hope the president thinks it out before he acts. So far he's done a good job.

Airlines unprepared

THE COMPLETE lack of foresight and planning for countermeasures in the case of a hijacking attempt shows how unprepared the airlines are. The pilots could and should be locked into the cockpit without the possibility of getting out during the flight. The entry to the cockpit should be reinforced with materials such as Kevlar to protect the pilots. Other actions that could be taken are a quick depressurization of the cabin and a system to release gasses to incapacitate everybody in the passenger area. With many of the airplanes being idle, these improvements could be made quite rapidly. The reason the hijackers were able to do the damage they did is the fault of the airline management.

Hope for teens

AMERICA HAS hope. A lot of that hope can be seen in the teens of our community and their rallying to prayer for the country under the school flagpoles today at See You at the Pole. As a bystander of the Jackson High School prayer at the pole, it is with great confidence I see the students in future leadership of this country arising by being on their knees. It was a beautiful sight to see about 75-80 kids fall to their knees, many with tears in their eyes and hugs for each other as they prayed for their country and their classmates. Our hats are off to you, Jackson High School, along with other schools in the community for your beautiful displays of dependence on God. May you be an example to the rest of the community.

Name change

I THINK it's time to change the name of the capital of Afghanistan from Kabul to Kaboom.