OpinionNovember 23, 2009
Speak Out 11/23/09
*** Still no insurance; *** Honoring veterans; *** Naive parishioners; *** Wonderful facility; *** Reuse glass; *** Online access; *** Leaves in street; *** Palin's future; *** Strong doctrine; *** Donation caution
*** Still no insurance
I would like to know how I am supposed to pay for health insurance after the government mandates it when I can't afford it now. So the government will fine me. Guess what. Still no insurance. Politicians have no concept of a budget let alone when you are broke.
*** Honoring veterans
I attended Notre Dame Regional High School's Veterans Day assembly. It was beautiful. The principal opened and closed the ceremony with prayer. Students who were Boy Scouts did an excellent job serving as the color guard. A teacher/veteran led the Pledge of Allegiance. Another teacher/veteran read a relevant poem. Notre Dame's outstanding choir sang inspirational and patriotic music. The band played a beautiful and memorable piece, with narration by a teacher. An honor roll of veterans was read. The thing with which I was most impressed was the behavior of the student body. They were quiet and respectful and obviously impressed with the sacrifices made by our nation's veterans. I have been to many Veterans Day assemblies. This one ranked at the top.
*** Naive parishioners
CHRISTIANITY was not the sole cause of the housing meltdown, but it contributed. According to the Atlantic Monthly, prosperity gospel preachers (Jesus wanted us all to be rich) recruited often naive parishioners to invest in subprime mortgages they couldn't afford, and many were eventually the victims of foreclosure. This is a sad perversion of the Christian Gospel. These preachers will someday get their just reward.
*** Wonderful facility
ST. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis is such a wonderful facility. I know of children from this area who have gone there and received world-class treatment at no cost. The hospital even provided housing for a parent to stay close by, provided meals and gave the other parent money to cover travel expenses for visits. I encourage anyone who wants to help out children and families to consider making a tax-deductible donation to St. Jude.
*** Reuse glass
THE best way to recycle glass is to reuse it. Stop buying plastic for leftovers. Use your empty jars.
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*** Online access
SOMEONE stated that Southeast Missouri State University's online courses are a problem because the site is down 90 percent of the time. This person also said the portal has been broken most of this semester. As an online instructor, I can assure you that both of these statements are false. Yes, there have been more problems than usual this semester due to system upgrades campuswide, but we have been able to have class, with full student participation, on a routine basis.
*** Leaves in street
THERE is an ordinance prohibiting placing raked leaves in the street. I see leaves that have been raked into the street all over town. I wonder if anyone has ever been cited for doing so. If the ordinance were being enforced and homeowners were being fined, people might think twice before placing their leaves in the street. As a result of the recent heavy rains, many of these leaves have made their way into our storm sewer system, causing expensive maintenance to that system.
*** Palin's future
I love how so many people get worked up over Sarah Palin. Liberals are scared to death of her. Conservatives love her. The elite thinkers think she's stupid. The media try anything to make her look bad. The feminists hate her. I don't know if she can be elected president or not, but one thing is for sure: If she's not for real, she will self-destruct. If she is for real, no one will stop her. Its going to be fun to watch the next few years.
*** Strong doctrine
"PATRIOTISM means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. ... Every man who parrots the cry of "stand by the president" without adding the proviso "so far as he serves the republic" takes an attitude as essentially unmanly as that of any Stuart royalist who championed the doctrine that the king could do no wrong. No self-respecting and intelligent free man could take such an attitude." -- Theodore Roosevelt. Who is man enough today to live up to that doctrine?
*** Donation caution
PLEASE beware when donating money to an individual to help with medical expenses of a family member. I recently did that only to find out the money was not being used for the purpose for which it was given. If you want to help, please give your donations through a reputable not-for-profit organization. Then your donation will be tax deductible, and there will be accountability for how the money is spent.
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