Speak out 10/29/01

Getting understanding

WAR IN the 21st century is biological warfare and terrorism. We must work toward peace. George Bush did not understand this when he attended his first summit. I hope for our sakes he understands it now.

Commonsense safety

I HAVE a question for all the brave heroes who are criticizing the House of Representatives for closing early. If anthrax was found in your place of business, would you stay?

Which park?

CAN SOMEBODY tell me why the gates are always closed at the park on Sundays? It's a nice park, and we like to go there.

It's not a dump

SHAME ON the SEMO university group that thought it was all right to dump its tepee and other homecoming decorations on County Road 645 at Timberridge Place.

Does not compute

THEY ARE still removing bodies and parts of bodies from the World Trade Center and a few thousand to go. Still we have the rallies of people wanting us to stop killing the terrorists.

Thanks for the check

I WANT to thank the person who found the check on Schnucks parking lot and turned it in at the bank. I appreciated it and wanted to thank you.

Getting the point

HILLARY CLINTON is being groomed for the future presidency and now she is being booed at an event to raise funds for the World Trade Center disaster. People are starting to get the point.

Get priorities straight

QUITE FRANKLY the Rush Limbaughites are making me ill. Save your prayers for the people who have had their lives turned upside down in the recent tragedies. For those of you unaware of the reality of Limbaugh's destructive and corruptive power of speech, listen to his words. Does he show kindness, understanding, compassion and strong moral principles? If you think he does, you should definitely get your priorities in order. Limbaugh has been called the most dangerous man in America, and I concur.

Get perspective

Let's get everything in perspective here. First of all the fire and police departments are 24-hour coverage. There are about five to eight officers on at any time in Cape and three to five in Jackson. In the county we have three deputies to protect the county. So if you have a problem in Fruitland and the deputies are in Delta, it will be a while before they can get there. The county fire departments are volunteer and don't have much money. Some of the newest equipment is an 1985 model fire truck. So who has better coverage: Cape or the county?

All for safety

I HEARTILY disagree with Richard Kline's letter. Has he forgotten the war? The airlines were making it until this happened. I've been in the St. Louis airport since Sept. 11 and had the security guards go through my things. Nothing was stolen. This is security for our safety. I appreciate it. I hope Kline learns that.

Speed it up

I LIVE in Scott City. I am starting to take my business to Sikeston because I despise the drive to Cape. It is ridiculous, and this is going to last three more years. It takes me an hour and a half to get to work because everybody goes in one line at 5 mph. It does say 50 mph. What is the problem?

Educating Cuba

WHEN A SEMO University professor said he and other faculty members would travel to Cuba to teach and observe "the failures and successes of Cuba," an alert Speak Out caller wondered what success Cuba has had under communism. I suggest having Missouri taxpayers pay for their kids' education must surely count as a success. SEMO should not attempt to educate the world and should only spend our tax dollars to provide an affordable quality education for Missouri's youth.

Volleyball winners

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Jackson lady Indian volleyball team for winning the district title. Way to go, girls.

It's still a sin

I WANT to say one thing about the people complaining about Jerry Falwell when he tells people that homosexuals and abortion is sinful and that God's wrath is coming down on our country. The truth hurts, and if these people don't like the mirror being held up to them and don't like what they see, change the way they are. All that stuff is sinful and an abomination to God. Read the Bible and you will see it.

They're not thinking

AFTER YEARS of reading political comments on this Opinion page and discussing politics with Democrat and Republican friends, I have come to this conclusion: Republicans vote for their party because they support and agree with most policies of the Republican Party. Democrats vote for their party because they have been taught to do so. My friends who are avid Democrats have very little in common with their party. They are against gun control, they don't like racial preferences and quotas, they joke about the tree huggers and they are all supportive of the military. But they vote for the people who believe just the opposite. There is no thinking or contemplation. It is as if they have been indoctrinated and vote as if it is a knee-jerk reaction.

Misdirected comments

MY COMMENTS are for some of the parents at Kelly High School. If just a fraction of the concerns and complaints I've heard about the softball coaching staff were directed to the board of education rather than coffee shops and taverns, then maybe you would see some changes. Your time and efforts are wasted unless directed in the right direction.

Close the borders

A SOUTHEAST Missourian article says there are 8 million illegal immigrants in the United States and 31 million who are foreign born. Did Congress ever think this might be a reason for all this terrorism? Close the borders, please.

Blackwell's columns

I WANT to compliment the columns that Sam Blackwell writes. I am always anxious to read them in the newspaper, and they always touch my heart. The one last week was especially touching. He and his wife must be such a special couple to be so compassionate to animals. Keep up the good work. There is always something positive in his articles and in his life, and I thank him for that.

Breaking up homes

I BELIEVE the husband is the head of the home, and I think a wife should ask her husband before she takes a job unless she is already working before she is married to him. I think sometimes these women's rights groups move in and break down the home and cause more divorce rather than holding the home together.

World education

THANK YOU, Jon Rust, for your columns since the attacks on New York and Washington. I have began to realize what little I know about that area of the world. I'm glad you told about it and its relation to Russia geographically. I hope to read more about that area of the world anytime.

Historic words

COLIN POWELL'S remarks on MSNBC deserve to go down in history as being of equal importance to the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation.

Prayerful concern

TO THE person who wrote in Speak Out about gays and lesbians: I feel sorry for you. If you would read your Bible, you would know that God does not answer your prayers. He only answers prayers of a righteous person. If you are gay or a lesbian, you are not righteous. Not only is it a sin, it is against the law because sodomy is a sin and against the law. I will pray for you.