Speak Out A 11/02/01

Location, location

IN JIM Drury's Sunday article, he said, "I believe an expansion should take place on the existing campus for economic and student convenience." I must have this wrong. Wasn't it the Drurys who fought so long and hard to have the Show Me Center built on I-55 out by their property?

Saving a life

I WAS at a birthday party recently with my granddaughter. While I was eating dinner, I choked on a piece of meat. I thought I was going to die. My granddaughter came to my rescue. I will always appreciate what she did for her grandmother. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. She's only in her early 20s. Young people do help the world.

Good word for teens

I SPENT last Wednesday at the Show Me Center at the Generations of Valor. It was a wonderful day, and I just want to comment on the teen-agers who represented the 28 high schools there. There were literally hundreds of teen-agers, and they visited the booth where I was stationed. I wanted to let everyone know that the teen-agers that day were very polite, saying "please" and "thank you." There are some good teen-agers out there. We hear too much about the bad ones and not enough about the good ones. They were a joy to be around.

Staying in business

IN RESPONSE to the caller who asked, "Would you stay at your business if anthrax was found on the premises?" My answer would be that I wouldn't have a choice. I would be forced to stay, because my place of business is the U.S. Postal Service.

Here's the answer

IN ANSWER to "Prayerful concern," I wish to answer with Luke 18:10-14. "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Theory about letters

I DON'T think it's an American who's sending the letters laced with anthrax for the simple reason that if it was an American who hated the U.S. government, the first office that would be attacked would be the IRS. I think the letters were mailed before Sept. 11.

Early prevention

COULD HAVE, should have and would have. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf in the Gulf War could have taken out Saddam Hussein. He should have taken him out. And he would have taken him out if it hadn't been for the 41st president, George H.W. Bush. He stopped Schwarzkopf when he could have had Saddam's head on a silver platter. If he would have done that in the Gulf War, a lot of this wouldn't be happening today with the anthrax scare. I think Iraq is behind it 100 percent. If we would have let Schwarzkopf go on, he would have prevented this over 10 years ago.

All have sinned

I'M NOT a proponent of homosexuality, but the person who called Speak Out is so wrong. God would hear a homosexual's prayers the same as he would yours and mine. We're all sinners. I know God's spirit is with me. I feel he's probably with the homosexuals too. We all sin. It's only by God's grace that we can be saved. It would help if certain people repented, but we all have our secrets.

Hearsay is enough

CONCERNING THE Speak Out item "They're not thinking" on the difference between a Republican and a Democrat: The caller ends up by saying Democrats vote normally by knee-jerk reaction. I disagree. They vote by trance-like reaction. They don't even think. They just go by hearsay.

Using our taxes

I AM a believer in the Bible, but I do not practice my religion. I smoke. I drink. I commit sins all the time. And God is going to judge me for that. But I'm a believer. I have gay and lesbian friends. I don't judge them. But I don't think they should be allowed to use tax dollars to fund their celebrations any more than the church groups can fund their celebrations with tax dollars. Christian groups aren't allowed to have parties on campus, so I don't think gay and lesbian groups should either. It's just a matter of what our taxes should be used for.

Drinking questions

IN RESPONSE to the comment concerning drinking on the SEMO campus, I have a few questions. Do the coaches and athletic administration want their players drinking? Not if they are concerned about performance. Do they want to be consistent with campus regulations? I would hope so. SEMO's administration is very hypocritical on this issue by allowing alcohol to be served at tailgate parties on campus when the majority of the students are under 21 and no one is carded.

Union peril

I WAS flabbergasted to read the article about the union activity at Dana Corp. You would think that the person responsible for driving the push, who is also a member of the city council, would like to keep jobs here at Cape.

Pray for victims

LET ME get this straight: God conspires with Osama bin Laden to attack the United States to send a message to the sinning homosexuals. This whole notion strikes me as sheer lunacy. The Speak Out callers offering to pray for homosexuals should redirect their energy and pray for the actual victims of this tragedy.