Speak Out A 09/07/03

Facts about cruelty

I'M READING the article on the Religion page about PETA. This person says, "My God is a God of love, and I'm sure he believes cruelty in any form to anything is wrong." Does this person think that when God created the earth that he would not have been able to prevent cruelty if it wasn't part of life? Cruelty is a fact of life, as in one animal eating another animal.

Surviving the attack

IF A sabotage organization were striving for power and determined to destroy a country, its modus operandi would be: Destroy the young people with drugs, sexual obsession, filthy movies, obscene music and lyrics while promoting violence through movies and pornography. Break down all traditions of that country and destroy its values. Destroy and mock all religion. Deny all beliefs in God. Attack families. Promote parental disobedience by children. Attack all government programs. Attack schools and teachers as incompetent. Promote materialism and fast-lane living. Promote racial clash and gender and age discrimination and warfare. And on and on. But the law-abiding majority of strong Americans will survive these heinous attacks and monsters.

Sad commentary

THIS IS to the person who said the Catholics in Jackson want to take over because they got themselves in a mess. That is really sad for somebody to say something like that. The mess was caused by a tornado.

Not a good excuse

I'D LIKE to say something about these gasoline prices. They're blaming a pipeline rupture and the blackout. While that blackout was going on, nobody could pump gas. So how can they blame the power outage? True, refineries couldn't refine oil for gas, but a lot of people could not pump gas. So I don't go along with this theory whatsoever. To me, it's just price gouging.

Sidewalks need repair

THE WEATHER cooled off, and I tried to take my granddaughter for a ride in the stroller. To my dismay, I found the sidewalks are impossible to navigate with a baby stroller. Can anything be done about this situation? I never in my life saw a city with sidewalks in such disrepair and buckling and crumbling.

Local beautification

THE NEW overlay on Harmony Street really looks great. If all of the residents along that street would dig the grass out of the cracks in the sidewalk, the whole street would be pretty again.

Get a grand jury

I THINK Sheriff John Jordan should request a grand jury in the case against Mayor Paul Sander, because he can politically influence the attorney general's office and our local prosecutor's office, but he can't influence a grand jury.

Separation issues

CONTRARY TO what David Limbaugh asserted in his recent column, the Founding Fathers really did support the concept of separation of church and state. And in his tortured efforts to rewrite the Constitution, all he managed to do was to convince us that he really doesn't support the concept and how sorry he is that they did.

State religion

I WANT to thank David Limbaugh for explaining how separation of church and state is not in the U.S. Constitution. In fact, Congress can make no law to establish a national religion, but if Alabama wanted to it would be perfectly constitutional to establish a state religion. It would be a bad idea, but it would be constitutional.

There were good years

I FIND it disgusting that the Southeast Missourian sought out an individual like Terry Hill to bad-mouth a good company that has put its employees first. Cape Girardeau has lost a one-of-a-kind employer. It is natural to feel anger about the loss, but who can deny all the good years?

Blame the Republicans

A CBS News survey shows that the average person who's out of work will take five months to find a job. I wonder how many of these people voted for George Bush and voted for a Republican in the congressional elections. And I wonder how many of them will vote Republican again. Every time there's a Republican Congress or a Republican president, there's always a recession. I wonder when we'll get smart and vote Democratic.

The real heroes

I SAW where Jessica Lynch signed a $1 million book deal. I wonder if she's going to share that money with the men who rescued her. They're the real heroes.

Lots of loving dogs

WITH ALL the loving little dogs there are, why in the world anybody in their right mind would want a pit bull? They are so vicious. I hope the city has a law against them.