Speak Out A 03/17/02

Sky is falling

SINCE I never read David Limbaugh's biased accountings, I can't say that I read this. But someone told me that he actually wrote a column criticizing President Bush's stance on the steel industry. As Chicken Little said, the sky must be falling for Limbaugh to criticize a Republican.

No stadium taxes

PETER KINDER, I do not want to pay more taxes to build a stadium in St. Louis.

Paying for programs

I'D LIKE to call in defense of the criticism against the Southeast Missourian editorial that talked about too many government programs. Anybody who analyzes government programs knows a lot of them should not exist. Has anyone ever heard of government programs being canceled? They leave laws and everything else on the books forever. But people pay for these. The government doesn't give anything away except what they've taken from someone else.

Concerns expressed

ALAN JOURNET'S op-ed piece expresses my concerns very accurately. He has written an excellent piece, and I thank him for going to that effort.

Tax-exempt abuse

WOULD SOMEONE tell me why some not-for-profit organizations have a tax-exempt status but openly campaign and support politicians and political views and have registration drives for one party? For every honest one, we have hundreds of freeloaders on our government. It's a shame and disgrace to decent citizens. This tax code is a joke.

Whining wins

I USED to live in St. Louis. One thing I've learned is that no matter how much you bicker, cry or whine, St. Louis gets what St. Louis wants no matter at whose expense. It's going to happen, so just get over it.

Problems with water

WHEN THE water department sends out a letter saying you will experience a loss of water pressure due to a new water line going in, does that mean no water at all? When I got home March 12, I had no water. When I called, someone at the water department said, "Didn't you receive the letter?" I said, "I received a letter saying I would experience a loss of water pressure, not no water at all." I don't appreciate being talked down to.

Why the wait?

I'M WONDERING why the man who was molested by a priest 25 years ago waited 25 years to tell someone? He's a grown man. He should have come out years and years ago. If he was just a little kid, I could understand him being scared, but he's been a grown man for years and years. It seems to me like he thinks the Catholic church has got money and he's trying to get some.

Married priests?

ALL THESE stories about sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church are very sad stories. This is a church that means well, is growing, has more members all the time and has an acute shortage of priests. I don't know what the answers are, but one thing for my Catholic friends to think about is that there are presently some Roman Catholic priests who are married. It's a very strange circumstance where they are ordained in a different church, had families and wives and then joined the Roman Catholic Church. Married priests might be a solution.

Blame the Democrats

WHY DO some Democrats think people are referring to them when they denounce the declining values and morals of our country? They assume it's aimed at them and their party's platform. I wonder why. Maybe it's because Democrats fight for animal rights while also fighting for abortion of children. I don't believe family planning ever meant killing an unborn. You have those who want more laws to protect children. You have those agreeing that homosexuality is a lifestyle and marriage and adoption is their right.