Speak Out

Good Samaritan

Not being able to pay for my groceries recently at Country Mart, a nice lady left a $30 gift card for me to pay for my children's food. The card said, "Merry Christmas in honor of the 26 new angels from Conn." I'm a little short on getting the point, but a girl enlightened me that this was in honor of those 20 children and six adults killed. I just wanted to say thank you and that she too is an angel. We do have angels among us. God bless all people trying to do good in an ungodly word. Thank you.

School safety

I think one of the best suggestions as far as protecting schools was on Facebook where someone said returning veterans who can't find a job would be good to train and work at the schools as guards. They would be very good. I believe this idea is one we should consider.

Father Craig

I read in the paper about a Father Walter Craig and the man's arrest. He was an outstanding priest when he was in Jackson. I knew him personally. He was an outstanding man; let the man rest. Let's remember the good things.

Sandy spending

I've been listening to what recent legislation approved: over $9 billion to help the northeast because of Superstorm Sandy. I didn't hear if there's a vision for anything after the storm. I remember back in Louisiana when there was a bad flood, about a third that was spent couldn't be accounted for. This is typical of our government spending and why they can't control the deficit. They can't keep up with what they do with our money, as long as they spend it and make someone happy to vote for them or give them campaign money.

Hypocritical

We Americans are such hypocrites. We act appalled at the killing of baby girls in China, yet here in America we sit idly by and allow abortion, the slaughter of unborn babies.

Job performance

If I did my job like the Congress and the president do theirs, I would have been fired a long time ago.

Obama's agenda

President Obama's lofty and soaring endorsement of a solid progressive agenda for his second term make the snarky Southeast Missourian critiques of the commander in chief seem even more small minded and tortuously trivial.

Self-defense

If someone with a gun is breaking into my home to do harm, I want more than a cellphone to protect my family. The police can't be everywhere, and God help us if we turn in your guns and the movie "Red Dawn" becomes real.

Gun debate

The gun debate is getting old. Don't have one, don't want one, and don't need one.

Government's role

It has taken over three decades but I now think it is safe to say that most Americans now believe that Ronald Reagan's famous quote has been turned on its head. The majority of people have come to believe their government is not the problem. Indeed, in many instances it is the solution.

Leaving early

Conservative voters and elected officials established a record with Conservative/Republican/vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who resigned as governor with approximately 50 percent of her term left. The 8th District Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has wiped out that record by an astounding margin. With Rep. Emerson's resignation, she hit it out of the park with 99 percent of her elected term left. Go figure.

Handball court

About midway through the article pertaining to Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus, I had to laugh as the person being interviewed gave all these safety reasons why this ball practice court at the old seminary River Campus was unsafe and then followed the quote with "and it is in the way of the new building." Ah, there's the real reason. Why can't they just be up front with their real reason? They do whatever they want anyway, and then pass the inflated cost onto the backs of the students.

Liberalism's effects

My first paycheck for 2013 had 35 percent taken out for taxes, thanks to those who voted for liberalism over capitalism. The hard-earned money taken from me will not be spent in tips at restaurants or merchandise at retail stores where the people who voted for this path rely on my money. I guess they will get it anyway in government health care, debit cards and all the programs they feel they are entitled to from my hard work.