Speak Out A 08/27/03

Consistent policy

THE CURRENT stance of the Roman Catholic Church on the issue of the death penalty is consistent and anything but relativist. It is based on the principle of sanctity of life. This principle informs the anti-abortion and the anti-death penalty stances. The church's opposition to the war in Iraq was also based in this principle and the just-war theory. The relativists are those Catholics who think they can pick or choose when life is sacred based on their personal views or on what the people and the society around them are saying. These are the ones who oppose abortion in one breath and support the death penalty in the next. These are the ones who construct convenient arguments to justify their inconsistencies using Bible verses out of context.

TIF planning

TAXPAYERS OF Cape Girardeau, hold on to your wallets. Cape's TIF commission is planning ahead.

Update Homecomers

BOB MILLER'S article on the Jackson Homecomers hit the nail squarely on the head. For people who have business or want to do business in that area, it is a big pain in the backside. I respect the American Legion, but I think it's time they move Homecomers to a better location. It started during horse-and-buggy days. Let's update it.

Fighting evil laws

I AM stunned at David Limbaugh's timidity. He refused to endorse mass, non-violent, peaceful acts of civil disobedience in the face of a court order to remove the Ten Commandments from an Alabama courthouse. Thus, Limbaugh would apparently look with disfavor on the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. This cannot be. Evil laws must be met with civil disobedience.

Professors' biases

I HAVE been a SEMO student for years and have had many professors. Alan Journet is one of the very best at SEMO. His passion and dedication to the environment are inspiring. He lets his views be known because he believes that the environment is in trouble. No one who looks at the facts can disagree. There are a whole bunch of really conservative professors who don't mind spouting off on all sorts of issues. Why isn't their bias a problem?

Demolition derby

ATTENTION DEMOLITION derby aficionados: There will be a free demo derby at the intersection of Mount Auburn Road and Independence Street with the feature crashes in the southbound Mount Auburn lanes. Bring lawn chairs. Watch the left center lane become one with the right lane. See fenders and doors crumble. Be there.

It would be better

IN ANSWER to Paul Greenberg's question of whether anyone would really prefer that Saddam Hussein still be in power: Yes, it was better than what is happening and what is going to happen.

I CANNOT figure out why some people get upset just because someone else is talking on a cell phone. If it is acceptable for me to be talking to a person with me, then it should be acceptable to be talking to that same person on the phone. The same rules apply. If you are loud or talking where quiet is important, then it is rude whether you are on the phone or not.

Not a democracy

JUST A bit of info for the individual who thanks God for our Founding Fathers who formed a government run by the masses and not the elite. You couldn't be more wrong. This country is run by wealthy special-interest groups. Our Founding Fathers intended for us to live in a Democracy run for the people and by the people. What we have now is a republic, not a democracy.

Too many side effects

I BELIEVE a good part of the arthritis problem is caused by side affects from prescription drugs. I am a 68-year-old woman and I did not have any problems until I started taking drugs which were prescribed by my doctor. So many of the drugs have side affects. There are many that I have taken in the past, but no more. I may as well die if it is my time rather than be subjected to these side affects.

Volatile Balkans

"THE BALKANS never had the potential to tie up our military for years," said a Speak Out caller. Problems in the Balkans have precipitated many wars, including World War I, and would have, if unattended, plummeted the United States into World War III.

Evil ignorance

IF SOMEONE from Jackson attacked you, would you consider it legitimate to go to that city, select a house at random, demolish it and kill its occupants? Those who argue that attacking Iraq was a response to Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are making exactly this case. If you follow the news, you must know that there is no evidence of a link between Hussein and al-Qaida. There was, however, a long-standing plan amongst members of the Bush administration to attack Iraq to support U.S. corporate interests. Sept. 11 was simply used to legitimize this military action. If there is evil on the planet, it is militant ignorance as expressed by those who think killing Iraqis is justified by the Sept. 11 attacks. The protesters are protesting this evil ignorance.

More classrooms

IT WAS nice to see that Scott City has expanded its school to give kids more room to grow. But I'm wondering why the Kelly schools can't get anything to pass to expand and let their kids grow. I'm a graduate of that school and I vividly remember having a few minutes to get to class and having to push through a sea of people. And let's not forget having a class in a trailer with a barely working air conditioner on a hot August afternoon. It's time to expand and grow for Kelly schools.

Driveway madhouse

SCHOOL IS back in session at Scott City. Once again it is a madhouse trying to pull into the parking lot to drop off your children. If it isn't a parent late for work it is a bus trying to stay on schedule. Why isn't there an area designated just for car riders? There are two driveways going to the elementary side of the school. Couldn't the car riders use the first one and go into the school at the first door?

Liberal demands

AS A liberal Democrat, I don't want to see any candidate nominated who voted for this war. I want a candidate who believes in national health care, is against the right-to-work law, does not want to give a big tax break to the rich and who would eliminate the right to fire without a hearing or union representation. I'm proud to be called a liberal and a socialist if that's what the liberals believe.

Morning chuckle

THANK YOU, Joe Sullivan, for your column Friday morning. It's 7:15, and I've already had a chuckle for today. Thanks again. Good work.

Good old days

WHEN I went to school, we didn't have air-conditioned schools. We had to walk to school. Now they say the kids can't stand to ride a bus without air conditioning. What sissies.