Speak Out A 10/22/01

Immature adults

IN REGARD to "Brains and brawn": I have to say my piece. I am a former area student. Adults who argue over whether Jackson or Cape Girardeau is stronger or smarter just add fuel to the fire between the students. Most of the students are more mature to one another. In regard to the football game, it's a game. Academics are still academics at both schools. I can assure you that while the football game was important when I was in school, so were learning and grades. It's time for all the bitter adults to grow up.

Time for reprisals

TO EVERYONE who says to pray for the people who hate us and want to kill us, I say let's pray that we find the dead, smoking carcasses of the murdering zealots of dictator governments and their manipulative financiers like Osama bin Laden. We weren't kicking Taliban butts until they gave safe harbor to the king of terrorists. Some people are willing to forgive and forget anything. The transgressions that have been perpetrated against our citizenry must result in serious reprisals or we invite every punk around the world with a beef against us to blow up a plane or kill a few thousand of our family members. It's only because others who are brave have defended our rights to live in a free country that anyone can complain about our government's correct military response.

Love the NBA

THE NBA? I love this game. And I read the Southeast Missourian. Besides, it is the only professional team sport that has local kids playing,: Tyrone Nesby and Troy Hudson. There are lots of things in the papers that I am not interested in. Do I want them eliminated? No, I just don't read it if I am not interested.

Shocking drag show

I AM shocked and appalled to hear that SEMO allowed the gay and lesbian group on campus to have a drag show in the University Center. It is bad enough that this group gets funding, but to allow them to have such a display on the campus is disgusting.

No ID cards

ATTORNEY GENERAL John Ashcroft's proposal for a national identification card is ridiculous. There are other ways of handling terrorism than taking away people's civil rights.

Students don't care

STATE TEST scores in schools are low because kids know the grades don't count for anything for them. They couldn't care less about what the state thinks of their scores.

Age discrimination

I JUST like to comment on the several calls about age discrimination for jobs. I am 58 years old and can't find a job. I have interviews three or four time a week with a background in sales. I interviewed for a job in Ste. Genevieve for a sales job. The interviewer said that with my qualifications and knowledge of the area she would offer me the job. I accepted. One of the perks of the position is to have birthdays and anniversaries off. She asked my age, and I told her. At that time she paused and retracted the job offer. She said she wanted to go over my resume with her boss. I had to call her seven times to find out the company hired another person.

What successes?

IN THE story about Cuba and Southeast Missouri State University, Professor Peter Gordon says that to be able to observe firsthand the failures and successes of the Cuban system would be a great opportunity. I am curious about what successes he is referring to.

Enjoy the music

I WOULD like to comment on the complaint about loud music in Scott City Park. The caller should have come out and joined us for some Christian music and fellowship. It's a shame we can't go to a public park and enjoy fellowship and music. I hope the next time the caller hears music he will come out and have a good time.

Family terrorists

I WONDER how many of us have grown up with terrorists within our own families. I am talking about families where a parent has been harsh and hostile and cruel and let the older children become the bosses of the younger children. They become harsh and cruel and mean and nasty. Then they grow up and think everything is forgiven, but as they get older they get meaner and nastier. We need to take stock and see what we are doing and stop their evil wicked ways.

Mattress decoration

TO THE people on Briarwood who have had a mattress outside for us to look at for the past few months: Please put that in your garage or something. We care about what the street looks like.

Running away

OUR BRAVE U.S. representatives urge the public not to fear terrorism and to persevere, yet they flee the House when there is a threat of anthrax.

Bridge mess

I'M FROM Scott City. I would love to eat in restaurants in Cape Girardeau more often, but I refuse to drive through the mess MoDOT has made. Why didn't the highway department just build a new on-ramp instead of taking down a perfectly good bridge?

Lots of garage time

THIS IS in regard to fire trucks being 20-something years old. It's not like a car that drives 20 miles a day. Some days it just sits in the garage all day.

More auto deaths

IN THE United States we have around 3,000 people killed in auto accidents every month. Yet when we have one person dead from anthrax, people are shocked. Terror reins. Everyone wants a gas mask and is afraid.

Guard is a bargain

A SPEAK Out caller called the National Guard soldiers a waste of money. I disagree. They are a bargain, and they are true professionals. The National Guard has come a long way in the last 30 years, and it is wonderful.

Close the borders

DON'T YOU think terrorism could be stopped very easily by closing the borders?

Positive story

THANK YOU to Bob Miller for the wonderful article on Notre Dame and Central High School soccer. It's nice to see the paper put something positive about what the kids are doing, and I really appreciate the was he made it personalized. I hope both teams do very well.

Shedding no tears

I JUST want to tell all of those callers who keep saying they miss Bill Clinton that I miss him too -- just like all the other great things in life I miss like the Yugo, New Coke, Ed Wood movies and the Hong Kong flu.