Speak Out 11/12/03

Minority scholarships

SOMEONE COMMENTED that we should take the $3.8 million from SEMO athletics and give it to minority scholarships. That's wrong. Spread that money around to everyone. I think minority scholarships, unless privately funded, are reverse discrimination and unjust.

Released by mistake

THIS IS not the first time the prosecuting attorney has made a procedural error in reference to a domestic-assault case. His office was to notify a victim of a domestic assault case when the offender was released from jail. The repeat offender was released early due to an error, and the victim was not informed. Luckily, in this case, no further harm was done. The prosecuting attorney could not explain how the offender could have been released early and could only apologize for the victim not being informed.

True spirit

IN MULTIPLE ways too numerous to list, the words and deeds of Heidi Hall symbolize the true spirit of Christmas much more than her holier-than-thou, sanctimonious critics.

Criminal low-life

INTHEarticle about one gun, two crimes, it was interesting to see how the gun traveled from one owner to another, I was disappointed in that most of the article was about the gun and not the person who did the killing. The gun was only the tool that was used to kill a person. Instead of celebrating, as the article stated, when a gun is removed from the streets, we should instead celebrate when the low-life criminals are locked up and removed from the streets. The gun did not act on its own.

Moving forward

THE MIDDLE school is what's happening. Frank Ellis and his crew are moving forward.

Attracting students

SPENDING $3.8 million on athletics in a time that faculty members are being cut and majors are being reduced is ridiculous. If basketball and football are the cornerstones of the athletic department and bring in paying students, then how come enrollment has steadily gone up even though those sports have struggled? Division I-AA football does not bring in more students. Basketball in the OVC conference does not bring in more students. Lower tuition and a great curriculum with quality faculty have always and will always bring in more students.