Speak Out A 09/19/02

Thanks for the keys

I WOULD like to thank the person who found my car keys at Wal-Mart and turned them in. They were at the service desk in a short amount of time. It's good to know there are caring, honest people. Thanks again.

Bush needs scapegoat

BUSH SHOULD spend all his time in the White House office running this war on terrorists, not out fund raising for Republican candidates. If the Republicans were to gain control of the Senate, he would be responsible for all the decisions made. If those decisions turn out bad, Republican opinion would then be brought against him, and the Republican Party would suffer for it. He'd better hope things stay as they are. Then he can blame the Democrats.

Cost of freedom

I CAN'T believe Sen. Tom Daschle and these poll-watching Democrats who are worrying about elections and party votes would want our country and its citizens to go on day by day, month by month in fear of terrorists as a way of life. If it takes removing Saddam and the terrorist cells everywhere, it must be done. We don't need fear and cowardly leadership. We need action. We have been attacked at a cost of billions, thousands dead and many injured. We owe our children a future, no matter what it costs, to live in a world without fear.

It's not peaceful

I'M SURE an overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful people. But for politically correct apologists to state that Islam is a peaceful religion is just wrong. Is it peaceful when women are stoned to death for adultery in accordance with Islamic law? Is it a peaceful act when a father, following Islamic law, beheaded his 7-year-old daughter because he mistakenly thought she had been raped? Was it a peaceful act when thousands of Muslims were celebrating in the streets following Sept. 11? It was primitive but not peaceful.

Growing churches

YOU HAD an article that said church attendance had risen right after Sept. 11 but had tapered off again. I'm a lifelong church member and go regularly, but I'm just about ready to leave. A couple of years ago, we were told we were a dying church and, if we didn't get a new children's center at the cost of several hundreds of thousands of dollars of remodeling, we weren't going to grow. Now we have a huge building debt and a wonderful children's center in our church, yet our membership continues to decline. Now we're going to an alternative type of service with contemporary music, and that's going to cost over $100,000 to revamp and buy the necessary equipment. It seems like churches, instead of wanting to do God's work so people will come and God will reward us, want to spend money and add all these flashy programs and bands to attract people. I think God will reward churches when they're doing his work. There's all those parables that tell us it's by being fruitful that we will continue to grow and be blessed. Maybe that's what's wrong with some of the churches that aren't growing.

Refreshing change

HOW REFRESHING it is to have a president that speaks my language: the truth.

Keeping commitments

IS THERE anybody out there who really thinks that we could occupy Iraq for four to six years? And what about Afghanistan? Is that just a memory now?

Getting the message

RECENTLY I was at the stoplight at Mount Auburn Road and William Street, probably one of the busiest intersections in Cape. The left-turn signal on Mount Auburn wasn't working. I called 911. There was so much background noise that it sounded like a game show going on. The girl answering the phone could not hear what I was saying. I tried four times to tell her that the signal was out. She never got it. I drove home and called appropriate officials from home. I would hate to think if this had been a life-threatening situation.

Goodies for the police

THIS IS to the students of Notre Dame Regional High School. I'm an employee of the Cape Girardeau Police Department. The goodie bags the school sent were greatly appreciated. Words cannot express the gratitude the department expresses for the students. May God bless each one of you richly for your efforts. The goodies and homemade treats were greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Pray for the birds

I THINK it's time to pray that we will have birds left for the future. It seems like the bird shooters are determined to kill all the birds that the West Nile virus doesn't get.