Speak Out A 11/03/02

Get some backbone

SYNDICATED COLUMNIST Kathleen Parker is quite correct in stating that it takes courage to bear witness and make a public stand. That is why I urge area citizens to get some backbone and speak up in Speak Out.

Cause for amazement

I AGREE with your editorial assertion that Missourians are watching with amazement as the Missouri Supreme Court considers a case concerning collective-bargaining rights for public employees. However, unlike the Southeast Missourian editorial staff, my amazement is not based on the heretofore successful effort of the legislature to circumvent the constitutional rights of public employees. Rather, I am amazed at the possibility that the Supreme Court might, after all these years, recognize that due process and equal protection demand just treatment for those who labor so selflessly in the public sector.

Worst suspicions

WHY ARE we taking precious military and intelligence resources away from tracking down those who attacked the United States and who may again attack the United States and using them to invade a country that has not attacked the United States? Wouldn't an attack on Iraq confirm the Arab world's worst suspicions about the United States? And isn't this just what Osama bin Laden wanted?

Planned aggression

AGAIN AN attempt is made to discredit the peace movement by putting forward an absurd argument: being for peace is not the same as being pro-Iraq. We do not have to state what we propose to do "if Iraq does something terrible" when we are trying to prevent our country from doing something terrible. Be very clear about this. "Pre-emptive strike" is an Orwellian phrase that translates to "unprovoked aggression."

All the wrong reasons

THIS IS for all those who are saying churches should not use contemporary methods in their services. Shouldn't we be able to worship no matter what the circumstances? I'm not saying compromise our values. Go to a church that preaches the Word, the whole Word and nothing but the Word. But if we are looking for a church because of the music style, why are we even in church in the first place? Read all of Psalm 100.

Who and why

TO THOSE who wrote about finding a more traditional church that doesn't try to get noticed and to all those who responded against these churches: This sounds like a heart problem, not a problem with the church. It's people who are too busy thinking about self and fail to remember the one who it's all about that drive people from church. These people should forget self and what they want in a church and get into the game of God. It's not so much how we worship as who and why we worship.

High-level briefings

I DID not realize that college biology, social work and dance professors got such great briefings regarding the status of Iraq's nuclear weapons program.

Liberal arguments

POLITICAL DEFINITIONS of liberal and conservative have little to do with the dictionary definitions. Many of the liberal accomplishments cited by Russ Kullberg were, in fact, the result of Republican presidents, including Teddy Roosevelt with the environment and workers' rights. As for Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, who is now being criticized as a result of liberal presidential historian Michael Beschloss' uncovering of FDR's decisions about Auschwitz, most historians will, in fact, give credit to President Hoover for putting together groundwork for the programs that FDR passed in his first 100 days. This is not to say that FDR wasn't a great president or that Hoover was a successful one. But Kullberg does the same disservice that many conservatives, including those on the Southeast Missourian Opinion page, commit against many liberals. He ignores or distorts their positive attributes.

Clapping for Creator

WHEN WE clap in church, we're giving praise to God, not the singer. Every once in a while you need to put your hands together for the one who created you, loves you and knows exactly how many hairs are on your head.

Voters had their say

D.J. DAWSON'S letter to the editor indicates the effectiveness of Jim Drury's attempts to smear the River Campus. Historical revisionists want those who aren't paying attention to think that Cape Girardeau residents didn't vote for the River Campus. In fact, they did. A majority of us spoke, saying we supported city funding for the project. What happened is that the people did not approve a funding mechanism that the university wanted. The university found another way to raise the money. That's how democracy works. The fact is we already voted for the River Campus -- which, as Mayor Knudtson said last week, represents a great business investment.

No prior warning

I WILL call the city before I burn leaves, but I will not call the city to tell them that something they've done burns me up and that I've made a fiery Speak Out comment about it.

Strange police work

I MOVED to Scott City about five years ago from northern Missouri to get away from the crime and drugs. I understand that those problems are just about everywhere. But Scott City takes the cake. When someone gets pulled over on a routine traffic violation and turns out to be a convicted felon with a pistol in his purse and a officer then sends the person home with a verbal warning, it does that not add up. Where I come from that is illegal. You would be taken into custody.

Try McClure Baptist

IN REGARD to traditional churches, I would like to suggest to anyone that wants to attend a traditional church to try McClure Baptist Church in McClure, Ill. We are a Bible-believing and practicing church. We are a simple, country church that loves the Lord and practices from the Bible through the true meaning of the word. We would welcome anyone to attend our church.

How much is enough?

I'M CALLING about the comment by Robert Pollack against war in Iraq. How much blood is going to be enough? How many Kurds and Israelis and Americans are going to have to die before America does something? Those Kurds are waiting for America to do something.

A safer campus

JACKSON'S PLAN for school expansion in one area does not seem very practical: a future joint school-community library. There is a reason kids are kept on a separate campus from the community. You could have a problem if a girl's boyfriend is hanging around the school, maybe someone who has no business around the school. If it's a community library, you can't tell this individual he can't be there. School campuses should be kept separate from the community. It keeps our children safer.

No friends at church

AT THE church I go to, nobody says a word to you. You try to make friends and you be sociable but they don't say a single word. You mention something to the church leaders about it, and they get hostile and belligerent. In the old days, the pastor would come every once in a while to see you because he was concerned. But this has changed.

Planning for interstate

I'M CONFUSED. A few weeks ago, I read in the Southeast Missourian about a concerted effort to bring an interstate highway over the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge through Cape Girardeau. It was touted that it would increase business and visibility for Cape Girardeau. Then I read where several people are willing to spend millions of dollars to put gasoline stations along the same route. If the bridge access were to become an interstate, it would be limited access and would also require service roads for those businesses. I wonder if anyone has really taken this into consideration.