OpinionDecember 27, 2000
SPEAK OUT
THE SOUTHEAST Missourian noted that John Ashcroft is perceived by many as a moral leader. Another who was seen by some and thought of himself as a moral leader was Thomas de Torquemada. "Terrible Tom" presided over some of the worst excesses of the medieval Spanish Inquisition. ...
Moral leaders
THE SOUTHEAST Missourian noted that John Ashcroft is perceived by many as a moral leader. Another who was seen by some and thought of himself as a moral leader was Thomas de Torquemada. "Terrible Tom" presided over some of the worst excesses of the medieval Spanish Inquisition. Then there was Savanorola, a fire-breathing monk who tried to wipe out what he saw as the evil of the Renaissance. Maximillian Robespierre used the guillotine in an attempt to impose a reign of virtue during the bloodiest phase of the French Revolution. A more recent example was the zealous and intolerant leader of Iran, the Ayatollah Khomeini. And now, we must ready ourselves for the ascension of Missouri moralist Ashcroft as U.S. Attorney general. With Ashcroft in this post, citizens may have but two choices: Be pure or perish! Be virtuous or vanish.
Great instructors
I JUST read that Lt. Dale Ratliff and Lt. John Brown retired from the Cape police force. I live in St. Louis, but over a decade ago both of these gentlemen were my instructors in the Police Academy, an experience I shall never forget. I would encourage Southeast Missouri State University to recruit both men to teach our future law officers. I consider Dale and John the two best law-enforcement instructors I have ever had.
What about deputies?
I AM glad to see that Cape Girardeau County's presiding commissioner, Gerald Jones, favors granting county employees a 3.5 percent raise. I only have one question: Will Jones be the one to protect my family when all of the deputies quit for better jobs?
Funny commentary
ON THE day of the Supreme Court ruling, I had watched TV, and it was pretty dry stuff. I had to go somewhere, and I flipped on Rush Limbaugh. He cracked me up. I was just laughing in my car going down the road at his commentary on the Supreme Court and some of the humor he brought to it.
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Ready for heat wave
WITH THE weather forecast for continued record lows and more snow, I fondly recall the global-warming meeting held in Japan. It sternly admonished the U.S. for its high fuel consumption, predicting it could cause Missouri and other states to turn into a warm, tropical paradise. For my part, I'm going to pry open the door of my ice-covered vehicle, start it and let it idle. Come on, heat wave.
More important things
TO THE person in Speak Out who says his 90-year-old mother doesn't want to live anymore because Bush is going to ruin the country: I have to feel sympathy for her. I can't imagine anyone having such love or hate for any political party or candidate. There are things much more important than politicians.
Do it yourself
INSTEAD OF panicking because the public school phone numbers aren't in the new telephone book, just cut out the numbers from your old book and put it in your new book.
I told you so
I TOLD you what would happen if George W. Bush got in. He'd want to blame the Democrats if he got into a recession. I told you it wouldn't be six months. Well, watch what happens now. He said we're going to get in a recession, and he said it's going to be the Democrats' fault. It's not going to be the Democrats' fault. They had us in good condition.
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