SPEAK OUT

Government help

ASKING THE government to lower the price of gasoline is not socialism. Who are we supposed to ask? The millionaires on Wall Street or in the big oil companies? We need the federal government to help. We don't need a handout, just a hand. What else is government for? You pay taxes to be entitled to government help when the big companies get out of hand -- particularly now that the oil companies have one of their own in the White House.

Spreading fear

I'M VERY glad I started taking the Pill before I was married, and after marriage I was very grateful for Planned Parenthood being in my life. It was hard enough for me to become a mother when I wanted children. Some women who don't want children will kill them. Some people live in this ideal little world where everything's rainbows and flowers, but their ideas don't work for all women. I get tired of people who try to make women fear birth control, because the alternative is bad things happening to unwanted children. I hate people who use fear tactics to keep women from using birth control and taking charge of their lives.

Few dictate to all

SCOTT CITY High School's girls basketball coach, Randall White, and boys basketball coach, Derek McCord, are two excellent coaches who have always set high standards and strong discipline and work ethics in our players and students. Their absences will not only be reflected in our sports programs, but in our hallways. They both will be sadly missed. It is a shame that such a few on our school board dictate the outcome for so many individuals. I certainly will do my part in the next school board election to cast my vote for new individuals who will represent the majority of the community and not a select few.

Protecting oil profits

IN HIS last news conference, George W. Bush says he wants a tax cut for the working class by Memorial Day, but he'll do nothing about freezing or investigating rising fuel costs. Will his tax cut cover this year's increase in gas, electric, natural gas and heating oil costs? Not hardly. The Texas oilman in the Oval Office protects the obscene profit margins of his partners and friends at the expense of the taxpayers.

Good ambassadors

A COUPLE of weeks ago, my wife and I took a trip on Amtrak. While we were on the train, we found out there were 20 or so Oak Ridge High School seniors on the train. I'd like to let their parents, teachers and community know that they were some of the most respectful and well-behaved people I've been around in a long time. It gives you a little faith in young people these days. They were very polite. I was really impressed.

Congested intersection

I'M CALLING about the Old Hopper Road intersection with Mount Auburn Road. Just who has the right of way? Eastbound on Old Hopper Road? Turning north or south on Mount Auburn? Or the exit to the church day care? Sunday is especially bad when the church service lets out. You might as well just turn off your car's engine to save fuel and wait for their exit to unload.

Sure, I believe it

NOW LET me get this straight. Forty-six FBI field officers all just happened to forget to turn in this information on the McVeigh investigation? Forty-six of the most prestigious law investigators in the world all just happened to make the same boo-boo? Yeah, right.

Use it on infrastructure

IN REGARD to the comment regarding anti-smoking spending, I think people need to realize that the money from the tobacco litigation was intended to reimburse states for all the funding they've put in caring for the victims of smoking. But since we've had warnings on cigarette packages for over 30 years, it's time the government stop footing the bill for all these people. Let parents take the responsibility for educating their children. We should take this money and use it for things like our state's infrastructure.

This is good news

DAVID LIMBAUGH asked, "Can you tell me why Attorney General John Ashcroft's morning Bible study at the Justice Department is news?" The Justice Department is, as Limbaugh documented in his wonderful book, so messed up that it is newsworthy that Ashcroft is apparently trying to set it straight through Biblical study and prayer. Since no previous attorney general has taken that approach, it's newsworthy and, I assume Limbaugh would agree, good news.