Speak Out A 1/10/02

Evaluating data

THE CATHOLIC school I attended taught aspects of evolution too, but we also attended Mass every day. Both sides of every issue were taught, and I was permitted to make up my own mind only after studying them. Isn't that what real education is about? Now I am a steadfast believer and a devout Catholic who can intelligently give reasons for being both.

Just more speech

EVEN IF the Democrats are engaging in hate speech, as David Limbaugh alleges, nothing extraordinary should be done about it. As Limbaugh has taught us so well, hate speech should not be treated any differently than any other kind of speech, legally or politically. For Limbaugh to encourage us otherwise would be a contradiction of his well-articulated constitutional conservatism.

Show some support

IT'S A no-win situation for police officers. They're darned if they do and darned if they don't. When they enforce the laws, people complain that they're being harassed. If they slack off and don't enforce the laws, people call them lazy. The citizens of Cape Girardeau don't seem to understand this concept, though. When they're caught speeding, they complain and try to place the blame on the cop for being too harsh. And when they see someone else doing something wrong, they complain that there aren't any police officers around. Being a police officer is a trying job, and dealing with complaining people doesn't help. Obey the laws, and try to show a cop some appreciation when you have the opportunity.

Military might

WHY ARE Bill Clinton's defenders bragging that his military cuts obviously have not affected the effectiveness of our military? Are we really surprised that we can win what was largely an air campaign against a Third World country? Unfortunately, should we have to face a large-scale conflict, our military is not prepared. The end of the Cold War did not assure any measure of peace in the world. But that was the rallying cry for slashing the military in the 1990s. Now we are faced with the prospect of fighting a war on many fronts: war on terrorism, an unstable North Korea, a China that still hotly contests our support of Taiwan. Put it all in a mixing bowl and you find that we are bringing a knife to a potential gunfight. We owe it to our men and women in uniform to give them the equipment, training, weaponry, intelligence, and personnel needed for the conflicts of the 21st century.

No diploma needed

TO THE caller who criticized U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's comments on high school diplomas for airport screeners: Let's be just a little more specific about what was said. She suggested that, under certain criteria, a diploma would not be required. Let me suggest an example. Do you really think that a 35-year-old single mother with no criminal history does not qualify for such a position because she did not finish school? Would she somehow be better qualified for the training she will receive in this position if she had a GED? I think not. There are circumstances under which even the military will accept a recruit who has not finished school.

Practical advice

TO THE hee-hawer who is outraged by his well-deserved label: The next time you need surgery or legal advice, I suggest you go to someone who has common sense, not someone who has knowledge.

Principles at risk

DAVID LIMBAUGH is a man of principle. He is standing behind his view that President Bush should not make recess appointments in a manner like President Clinton. Limbaugh wrote that many conservatives disagree with him. I'll just die if the words "principled conservative" become an oxymoron.

Match them up

HOW HARD is it to match the label on your rented video's case with that big neon sign outside the store?