Speak Out 6/8/08

Buy rings for champs

IT IS both great and sad to be a former Scott City Ram. I have heard that the booster club is not willing to help with purchasing a state championship ring for the baseball team. What is the booster club for, and where is my money going? I would like for the money that I have given to the club to help with the rings.

Anyone can play

IN REFERENCE to the upcoming downtown golf tournament: Are those who are not sanity-challenged allowed to participate?

Digging up flowers

I OBSERVED an elderly woman walking down my street with her dog and a milk crate on wheels. She stopped at the flowers I have around my mailbox and proceeded to dig up several and place them in her milk crate. She walked on, possibly searching for more flowers or possibly to plant those she had stolen. To that woman: I thank you for your appreciation of my flowers and efforts to keep them growing. But is this the kind of upstanding, legal, moral behavior that you communicate to your children and grandchildren?

Presidential gas

I CAN'T believe our government has let gasoline prices get so high. What are people supposed to do? Why are we making a big deal out of who gets to be the next president? Does it matter? Will the next president do what he said he would do? The candidates are telling you what you want to hear. Nothing is going to be any better.

Throwing dirt balls

A CALLER criticizing Sam Blackwell's recent column said, "Rush Limbaugh is one of the most brilliant people you will ever hear speak." Sadly, that would indicate the caller's exposure to good speakers has been limited. Limbaugh is reminiscent of the spoiled rich kid down the block when I was growing up who was content to hide safely behind his high fence throwing dirt balls at all the "average people" passing by, knowing they would not retaliate. Limbaugh used his radio show to tamper with the American electoral process after becoming bitter because Americans rejected another four years of his kind of fanatical politics and hateful rhetoric. That is not brilliance nor public service. Frankly, I think the word "demagoguery" applies to Limbaugh's behavior better than any other.

Devilish computer

WHEN I first put a computer in my home for my two grandchildren, it seemed great. You could send messages, look at pictures and read the newspaper. But after a while the computer separated me from my grandchildren. My 11-year-old grandson and my 9-year-old granddaughter were caught looking at naughty sites and were only coming home to use the computer. The devil has used the computer to separate us, as he has used so many other things. I am getting rid of the computer.

Military commitment

IN RESPONSE to the "Military issues" comment: My husband went into the Marines when he was 18 years old. He has been on two deployments, one to Iraq and currently in Afghanistan. He's an infantry Marine. He has had friends killed and blown up. But according to this comment, he should not get any scholarships for college because he only plans on serving one term. He joined after 9/11 and wanted to help his country in some way like many others have done. For anyone to say that it takes two terms to make a commitment deserving of college scholarships, I am going to have to disagree. I believe he has earned every bit of a scholarship. He has made a commitment and has served his country well.

Smoking arm

THE PROUD parent complaining about the relative lack of recognition for academics as compared to other achievements in school reminded me of a story. There was a teenager in the area who could throw a fastball 97 mph. After he told the story, someone nearby (a proud parent?) who overheard the conversation said, "Yes, and he has a 4.0 grade point average too." After pausing briefly, the fellow turned to her and said, "No disrespect, ma'am, but there are lots and lots of teenage kids with 4.0 grade point averages, but very few who can throw a baseball 97 mph." Next batter.

Grading the columnist

COLUMNIST JONAH Goldberg predictably failed in his attempt to defend President Bush regarding his feeding of false propaganda to the American people before our invasion of Iraq. Goldberg felt compelled to trash Bush's critics since the latest and most devastating criticism came not from some left wing blogger, but from Scott McClellan, former White House press secretary, in a tell-all memoir. Give Goldberg an A for effort and an F for success.

Using our tax money

I SEE our city leaders have decided to provide the police department with a double-wide trailer to combat overcrowding in the police department. Is this a good use of our public safety tax money? A double-wide trailer?

Holding the line

THE GI Bill is a free ride? Have you ever seen an invading army marching down Broadway? If the answer is no, you have the U.S. military to thank for that. It doesn't matter if they served one term or two terms, they are standing between you and that invading army. It is not a free ride. They earned it.

Sliding on ice

I WENT to the Ice Blocking & Ice Block Bowling last year in Marble Hill, Mo. I am 60 years old but tried it anyway. What a blast. If you have never slid down a grassy hill on a block of ice, well, you have to try it. What a great way to spend a summer day. This year the event is June 28 in Pellegrino Park in Marble Hill. You don't need to use a lot of the high-dollar gasoline to make this trip. I highly recommend it,

Confusing politics

I'M CONFUSED. If I profess to be a Republican and believe what I read about progress in the war, I am an idiot. Yet if I profess to be a Democrat and believe what I read against the war, I am enlightened. So, if this is the case, does this mean Republicans always lie and Democrats always tell the truth?