SPEAK OUT

Another traitor

BENEDICT ARNOLD of Connecticut fought alongside Ethan Allan of Vermont at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. He was accepted as a hero. Later Arnold felt he had been snubbed by Congress and became a traitor to his country. Now Vermont has a new Benedict Arnold, Sen. Jim Jeffords, who was nominated as a U.S. senator by the Republican Party of his state. He was elected by a majority of Vermont citizens as a Republican senator. Jeffords felt that the Congress, after his re-election, mistreated him. So he decided to defect. He had every right to do so. The moral procedure would have been to resign his seat, go home to Vermont, ask for a new election, and run on whatever platform he wished. Vermont now has an independent senator, a self-described socialist. Jeffords could have run on that ticket had he wished. Instead, he turned his back on those who supported him, morally or otherwise. He crossed the aisle to the other side, where he was gleefully received. Benedict Arnold was received gleefully in England by King George, but "others there scorned him." (World Book Encyclopedia). Will it happen to the new Benedict Arnold, Senator Jeffords?

Oran's celebration

I'M CALLING to thank the Oran Knights of Columbus for another wonderful Fourth of July picnic. All the great food, games and entertainment made for a wonderful family picnic. Keep up the good work, and thank you.

Testing no solution

I'M GLAD Jack Stapleton understands that testing alone will not fix the public-education system. Instead of loading more tests on kids, which force them to learn specifics that only get them to the next level, we should be willing to put forth the funding to give kids full immersion into learning with real-world and hands-on applications and critical thinking skills. Politicians need to realize there is more to life than trivia, and testing alone won't get the job done.

Others need help

I THINK it is sad that Cape Girardeau can "Back the Blue" and raise money for two wounded officers, but what about the two sisters, Vanessa and Deanna Peterson? No money has been raised for the women who lost everything they own in a house fire. I feel for them. KFVS milked Cape to "Back the Blue" but has done nothing in support of these girls. To everyone who lived in the apartment and to the family of the man who didn't make it out, I'm praying for you.

This is too scary

I KNOW it's a little early to bring this up, but a Southeast Missourian editorial made me think of something. If it is your desire to visit Southeast Missourian editorial staff members on Halloween and scare them so badly they may have to be hospitalized and treated for hysteria, I suggest you dress in a costume that makes it unequivocally clear that you are a labor-union organizer.

Fix campus problems

IN REGARD to Don Dickerson's comment about imagining what life in Cape would be like without the Show Me Center: I don't feel life would be any different for me. As a student, I have yet to set foot in the building for any reason. The existence of the Show Me Center has absolutely no bearing on my life. The existence of a River Campus will have even less bearing. Perhaps SEMO should fix their problems (parking, poor service, inadequate and often poor housing) on the current campus rather than create a whole new set of problems with a River Campus. Perhaps some evening all that River Campus money could be thrown into the river while residents swim out and retrieve the money. That would certainly benefit people of this area a lot more.

Still needs practice

I DON'T think anyone as hypocritical and hateful as David Limbaugh should voice any opinion on matters of religion. He may consider himself a Christian, but he sure isn't doing a very good job of being one.

Good alliteration ...

FOR MANY Sunday is a day for religious expression, rest, relaxation and thoughtful reflection. Thus, it is puzzling that the Sunday Southeast Missourian consistently reflects a paucity of philosophical, thought-provoking Speak Out commentary and a plethora of, with a few exceptions, witless, knee-jerk, mindless political pap.

Just an excerpt?

ARE YOU sure that half-page Fidel Castroesque harangue by SEMO regents president Don Dickerson was a mere excerpt?

Plans backfired

IT'S INCREDULOUS to think that President Bush is responsible for lowering gas prices. His simplistic plans for drilling more and more have not even begun yet, and surely he wouldn't ask his oil buddies to simply cut their profits by lowering cost. This is the natural ebb and flow of supply and demand at work, and the Republican-manufactured crisis has backfired.

There's no difference

A CAPE Girardeau school administrator named Gerald Richards recently waxed indignant over a Southeast Missourian article that referred to "overspending" by the district. Richards wrote a rather lengthy polemic positing that the problem was not overspending but underfunding. That kind of reasoning seems illustrative of what rhetoricians refer to as a distinction without a difference.

Passing the buck

OH, COME on, Southeast Missourian editorial staff. Everyone and his brother knows Missouri's state government is not part of the problem for local public-school financing. Based on our ability to pay, the state is quite right to penalize the Cape Girardeau School District financially for not bellying up to the bar with enough local tax support. Quit passing the buck.

He's getting close

DAVID LIMBAUGH is inching ever closer to the truth. He recently wrote that what Democrats want is a patients' bill of regulations. He would have been right on target had he substituted the words "the American people" for the word "Democrats."

Sounds like an excuse

THANK YOU, Central Junior High School principal Gerald Richards. You may have saved me from going under, financially. Your rhetorical broadside blasting the Southeast Missourian for reporting that the school district was in financial trouble because it "overspent" as opposed to being underfunded may help me out. You see, I have a number of bank loans and I'm way behind on my payments. My banker has been patient, but is starting to tire of my excuse that I've overspent on other things and don't have the dough to make my loan payment. Perhaps he'll be more sympathetic to my plight if I tell him my problem results from underfunding.

Keep government out

THE PATIENTS' bill of rights, as many callers have figured out, is just a way for lawyers and politicians to benefit. This will put more burden on business owners and force them to cancel coverage. Then the same people who pushed for these rights will use the increasing number of uninsured people to force national health care at us. Anyone who thinks national health care is the solution, visit a VA or military hospital. Also ask, "Why did health-care and insurance costs start to skyrocket only after the government began regulating Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and dictating what providers could charge?"

Refund fairness

THE CALLER who was amazed that those who made less than $30,000 won't get a refund is equally amazing. Should someone who paid less taxes get the same refund as those who paid more in taxes? The more you make, the larger percentage of your check goes to taxes. So yes, those who have made more and paid more should get the refunds.

Area is backward

I USED to be very proud to be a resident of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri. But with all the complaining lately about having to spend money on such horrible things like education and fine arts, and people applauding the fact that George Bush is essentially buying votes with an unfair and unnecessary tax cut, I realize just how backward this part of the country is. Everyone preaches about morals, yet most of you seem to have forgotten about common sense. You all should be ashamed at your greediness and your closed-mindedness.