Speak Out 12/21/03

Remembering others

WHATEVER HAPPENED to the time when it was an honor to have something named after you? When did it become embarrassing to have a sports team or park named to remind us of others?

Racial perspective

I THINK that the recent episode involving Mizzou's president's wife speaks volumes about the different perception society is placing on racial issues. Can you imagine the yelling that would ensue from minority groups if the president and his wife were white and insisted that someone date only white men?

Ideals of freedom

WHILE IT is true that most of our Founding Fathers held Christian beliefs, they also founded this country on liberty for all, which included the freedom of religion. What is problematic is how we have come out of an era of almost 200 years in which Christianity was the religion of the majority. As our country has become more diverse and pluralistic in the last fifty years, so has the need to honor the freedoms that our Founding Fathers endeared. We need to either uphold freedom and liberty for all or quit complaining and make Christianity a federally declared national religion. This move would be just fine with me. But a nationalized religion is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind, even though it was their faith that gave us such great ideals of freedom for this country.

Frivolous things

REGARDING THE budget problems in Cape Girardeau: I have a suggestion for our mayor and city council. Stop wasting big bucks on such frivolous things as the asinine slogan "Where The River Turns a Thousand Tales" and hiring consulting firms from out of town to solve our problems. Don't you think we have enough intelligent people in this town to do this? You could all stand some lessons in balancing a budget.

Part of our culture

TO THE person who didn't like Anheuser-Busch being part of the Mississippi Bridge dedication: The Clydesdale horses are a part of Missouri and American culture. The bridge is about past, present and future. Just because the Clydesdale horses are there doesn't mean you have to drink beer.

Change of heart

FOR AL Gore not to endorse his own pick for vice president and back a front runner is about as shameless as one can get. Changing his mind for political advancement isn't new for Gore. After years of pledging his stand for pro-life issues, he changed overnight to get the vice president's nod.

Courage to act

I AM thankful for a president who didn't back down and had the courage to stay in Iraq and capture Saddam Hussein. We should be very thankful that we have a president who didn't listen to the negative advice.

One more gift

I WANTED to thank the U.S. military. You've already given me one of my Christmas presents: the capture of Saddam Hussein. Now, to complete the package, you can give me Osama bin Laden, I'd be a very happy man.