Speak Out A 04/07/03

Good old days

TYPE I diabetes has been treatable for decades. Mary Tyler Moore had it. As far as modern-day technology goes, I guess some would like it, but at what cost? We are living longer. As a result, the elderly can pay for 10 or more pills a day or they can decide to buy food with their limited incomes. They can also live in a nursing home. I would rather see the old days when you could walk down a street worry-free and Mom was home when you got there from school and the teacher thought enough of you to actually teach and eat with you at lunch and neighbors cared about you and the worst thing you would see when you're walking down the street is a kid smoking a cigarette.

After the war

I PRAY for the troops and I hope they come home safe and sound with victory. I only hope history doesn't repeat itself like during the Depression when the World War I veterans marched on Washington demanding the bonus they had been promised. I only hope today's veterans don't have to do the same thing if they need medical treatment or are out of work. I hope there's not another Herbert Hoover when the war is all over.

Something's wrong

IF YOU are on Medicaid, you get all kinds of medical help such as vision, dental, pharmacy and medical care. But if you are paying $3,000 a year for Medicare and supplemental health insurance premiums, you get no pharmacy, vision or dental care. That's extra expense. Something is drastically wrong for senior citizens who are paying high premiums.

Need container deposits

THERE HAS been a lot of discussion in Speak Out about all the trash along the roads not being picked up by the volunteers. Until people take pride in their community, they can litter faster than it can be picked up. And until the state passes container refund laws like other states, our litter will only get worse. If you really want to help alleviate this problem, call your state senators and representatives and have them introduce and support laws that require deposits on bottles and containers that litter our roadways, especially glass bottles that can be very dangerous when hit by a mower. I am tired of picking bottles along my roadway.

Flying too low

I LIVE between Benton and Kelso along Interstate 55. Airplanes and helicopters fly real low over our houses, power lines and trees. It's hilly in this area. I'm just getting tired of it. You think the helicopters are going to land on top of your house. I was curious if there was a law against flying so low in residential areas. A lot of people have elderly people living in these houses and have farm animals. It does nothing but scare everybody.

Yellow bow ripped off

OUR SON is a Marine MP who has been stationed in Kuwait since December. We bought large yellow bows and ribbons and stapled them to trees in our front yard. Some lowlife scum came into our yard and ripped off one of the bows.

Prepared to do the best

BRIBING IS not a good thing when raising children. Scholarships are gifts. There have to be better ways to encourage kids to do well on MAP tests. Ultimately it is up to the parents, teachers and administrators to do this in a responsible way. If I encourage my child and tell him how important it is, he goes to school prepared to do his best.

Everyone is worried

THE SOUTHEAST Missourian photo of a woman praying in a bar tells us that people everywhere are worried about our troops and are praying for them. People who go to bars have hearts too and believe in God.

Let them drink

IF OUR young boys are old enough to go over in Iraq and fight at 18 and 19 years old, they should be allowed to drink. Lower the drinking age.

God will listen

A LOT of religions do not see drinking as a sin. If a person chooses to pray in a bar, that should be his business. It is his privilege and right. I think God will listen to this prayer.

Thanks for ribbons

JUST WANTED to let everybody know that I have such a good little neighbor. She lives just down the highway from me. Yesterday she brought me some yellow ribbons to tie around my trees. Thanks, Nina.

A beautiful spring

THIS MORNING I opened my bedroom curtain to spring. The birds were singing good morning in their own tune. The trees are blooming beautifully. The spring flowers are saying hello, full of blooms. After the long winter, we appreciate this spring. Thank you, Lord.

No napalm in Iraq

HAVING SERVED with the Marine Corps in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969, I am familiar with the weapons of war the military had available at that time. There's one weapon from that war that we have yet to see used or even hear about in our battles in Iraq. That weapon is napalm, which is very effective in killing the enemy and destroying their positions and weapons.

Pray anywhere

I WAS raised that you could pray to God no matter where you were. What has become of people who think praying in a bar is something horrible?

Great place to live

MY HUSBAND and I moved to Jackson six years ago from a big city where we had lived for 45 years. It's great living here in Jackson. There is no place like it. It is so quiet and has friendly people and good neighbors.

Sensible springboard

GILBERT DEGENHARDT'S guest column calling for a national health-care system was sensible, scintillating and Socratic. It should serve as a springboard to implementation of this shamefully lacking social safety net.

Pro-sterilization

I BELIEVE we should have free sterilization clinics in every county. Why? Because everyone does not have the right to have a child. If you cannot support a child financially or emotionally, why bring a child into this world? Yet every day women have children they don't want or can't support. Unfortunately, most often, it is women in poverty who can't afford another child, yet keep having them. It hurts our entire society.