Speak Out 4/16/04

Wonderful musical

WHAT A wonderful review of the Notre Dame Regional High School musical, "Crazy for You." The kids have been working hard on the play and deserve a big audience.

Embarrassing remark

ROD JETTON has embarrassed his district again. His remarks that he is glad Gov. Bob Holden took his idea to release the money for the schools is ridiculous. Holden did this on his own, not because of Jetton. This is a laughing matter for the people Jetton represents.

No big loss

I WAS glad to read that somebody else remembers when we were forced in school to learn to add "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. This is why I don't understand why there's such a big outcry over taking it out. It isn't something that has been in the Pledge of Allegiance for 200 years.

Round them up

THESE CHEERING, weapon-waving people who are terrorizing our troops and the citizens in Iraq should be rounded up and put in a fenced compound. If they resist, they should be shot. There is no point in letting this kind of person survive while we're trying to straighten things out for these people. I see absolutely no reason to tolerate this kind of activity.

Picking up trash

IT'S PRETTY shabby when you can't drive down the road because you're got junkers in front of you slowing down to pick up other people's trash.

Ridiculous change

I WANT to comment on the change of mascot change at Southeast Missouri State University. I think it's absolutely ridiculous, uncalled for, too expensive and should be stopped. The Indians have been here a long time, and it's a very honorable name. We have numerous things in this whole area that have Indian names. I think the Indian people are honored to be connected with all of this.

Honoring our history

THIS IS about the controversy over the Indian mascot at Southeast Missouri State University. I believe we should change the SEMO Indian name when the Atlanta Braves and the Florida State Seminoles change theirs. I am sure the Indian name was chosen for this area's Indian history, not for demeaning purposes. We should be proud of our Indian heritage and leave the name alone. I am half Cherokee and have been around SEMO for 35 years and have yet to see anything offensive about the way the Indian mascot is used.

Repulsive notion

WITH LUCK, this hullabaloo over Southeast Missouri State University's mascot will be the catalyst for Jackson to change its mascot, too. Talk about offensive: Andrew Jackson, the town's namesake, is the one who forced the removal of the Cherokees. Imagine a town called Hitler whose football team is "The Jews." It's utterly repulsive.

A matter of pride

I DON'T know what the big deal is about the school mascots. I also don't see why anyone would take offense because some school chooses to use the term Indians for their mascot. I don't think it was intended as a slap in the face. I went to school at Jackson and was very proud to be a Jackson Indian. I would like to think that the Indian was chosen because Indians are very strong and full of pride -- just like we are proud of our teams in Jackson.