SPEAKOUT

Just another freebie

ISN'T IT amazing how the people who scream the loudest and protest the most about their rights have done very little or nothing at all to earn those rights. It was the blood, sweat and guts of others who earned those rights, but for them, it's another freebie.

Just glad they contribute

ABOUT THE campaign money the Republican candidates receive: Even with the Chinese allegedly donating to Clinton's campaign, there's no way Clinton can compete with the insurance companies, the big manufacturers and the millionaires throughout the world who contribute to the Republican Party, the rich man's party. I don't care who it is, if anyone wants to contribute to the party that believes in national health care and is opposed to the right-to-work law and opposed to busting up unions, I don't care who contributes to the Democratic Party, I'm just glad they do. We need someone in office who's for the working poor. Someone who will see that we have health insurance the way the congressmen and the senators do, who vote against the rest of us having it.

Leaves wrong impression

THIS EVENING on my way to the store I saw a Cape Girardeau police car that had a license plate light burned out. I came back around to the officer who was sitting there and told him about the light being burned out. He got out, looked at the light and gave me this Look From Hell, turned and walked away with no verbal response. I just drove away. I personally paid a $50 fine and court costs for exactly the same thing. It goes to show you that the Cape Girardeau police continue to be above the law. When I was ticketed by the officer, had he told me about the problem and not written a ticket, I would have gladly said thank you, I'll take care of that. But it didn't happen that way with me. "Thank you" was not the first phrase that actually came to my mind. The Cape police department seems to forget that the people who were on your side are the same people who fork over the money to pay your salaries. Cape Girardeau is on a revenue kick with a bunch of bad-attitude officers who think they're even bigger than Barney Fife himself. You're going to lose the respect of the motoring public, comrades, if you don't watch what you're doing.

Proud of our school kids

I DECIDED to go to the parade and watch the opening ceremony at that new Barbara Blanchard Elementary School. It was a great idea. I think it's a shame more people didn't come out for it. After I watched all the kids and saw how excited they were at the parade, it really made me feel proud. There must have been 600 of the kids all lined up talking to the teachers, hiking up and down the hills. The air was pretty cold, and the kids must have hiked a mile, but they were all smiling and waving at everyone and each one was carrying an American flag. I just couldn't believe how excited and well-behaved and quiet they were. They kept their hands over their hearts and were so well mannered. Their eyes were glued on the veterans while the veterans were raising the flag for the VFW. It made me so happy to live in a city like Cape Girardeau. It's a wonderful town, and more people should appreciate it. A lot of adults wouldn't have been as well-behaved as those kids. So many times we only hear about the bad stuff school kids do. I think we should be proud that we have some of the best kids anywhere. These Blanchard students are really terrific, and the principal, Dr. Kohlfeld, and all the teachers did a really good job. They've taught those kids how to be respectful. The whole thing made me happy and excited to be in Cape Girardeau. Keep up the good work, Dr. Kohlfeld, staff and students of Blanchard school.

No prevention program?

I JUST went to a local treatment center and asked for information on a dangerous drug, crack cocaine. They basically told me that they could not help me. This is my second inquiry with them. They handed me one little piece of paper and said they couldn't help me because they deal in treatment, not prevention. Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?

Clinton's propaganda machine

SYRIA REFUSES further talks because of the Golan Heights problem, and The Associated Press puts out the story that Clinton calls off talks between Israel and Syria. Anything to save face for Clinton. What a lot of hogwash. Does this propaganda machine actually think they can fool the American people with their tripe? It makes you sick to your stomach.

Abortion's pot of gold

TO THE person who called in about Planned Parenthood and said those people against abortion should applaud these people: First, murder of a baby should never be applauded. Second, Planned Parenthood is one of the top abortion providers in the country. Obviously they are failing when it comes to teaching responsibility. Third, investigate how much money Planned Parenthood makes off of abortions. I guarantee they will not discourage someone from contributing to their pot of gold.

Replace county road signs

HOW LONG does it take the county to replace a sign? County Road 432 sign at Highway D and 432 has been missing since Halloween. How do emergency vehicles find 432? Don't we pay our taxes too?

Message for teens

I RAN across this yesterday. I thought it was great. The title is "A judge's advice to teens." A judge in Colorado passed along this advice that's worth passing along to teens everywhere. He gave it out in answer to teens who say, "Where we can go, what can we do?" "Go home," replied the judge. "Rake the leaves. Repair the sink. Wash the car. Hang the windows. Mow the lawn. Build a boat. Help the pastor. Visit the sick. Learn to cook. Help the poor. Study your lessons. When you are through, read a good book. Your city doesn't owe you recreational facilities. The world doesn't owe you entertainment. Your city doesn't owe you a living. You owe the world. Something you owe is your time and energy and talent so you can change the world. In plain words, grow up and quit being crybabies. Get out of your dream world and develop a backbone, not a wishbone. Start acting like a man or a woman. You have no right to have your parents buy your every whim and fancy because of selfish ego. In heaven's name, grow up and go home." Great message not just for teens, but for us adults too.

Teachers' job is to teach

I'M RESPONDING to the school teacher who just retired and commented in Speak Out that the main reason she retired was because she was tired of being a surrogate parent, or if you will, a baby sitter. What that has to do with the school lunches and sandwiches being served, I have no idea. Sounds like to me she needed to retire because being a surrogate parent or a baby sitter is not why she was there. She was there to teach her students.

Street sweeper misses trash

I'D LIKE to know who is supposed to oversee the driver who runs the street sweeper in Jackson. He drives up and down the street, but half the time the brushes are not even touching the street. He leaves half the stuff and goes on. He drives so fast he isn't paying attention to what he's doing. The guy who used to have this job did a real good job.

Scott City gets a cleanup

I'VE BEEN a Scott City resident for about 15 years now. I was wondering who lit the fire under the Public Works Department? I've noticed they're cleaning ditches, culverts, picking up roadside trash. I'd sure like to tell those guys and whoever is responsible for lighting the fire thank you for caring about our city. And once again, thanks to the Public Works Department and whoever is running it.

They made their money

DEMOCRATS ARE constantly berating the tax cuts supposedly helping the rich, and they are constantly beating to death the wealthy class of people as being the rich. You know, liberals love to portray productive Americans as greedy inheritors of wealth. Pure rubbish. The simple truth is, the average American millionaire owns a small business, a few neighborhood stores or a service company and lives in a middle-class neighborhood. And get this: 80 percent of all millionaires are first-generation wealthy. They worked for their money, and it is their money. Of course, there are still a few rich Democrats, such as Sen. Ted Kennedy, who inherited their money.

It started with the band

ISN'T IT amazing how success builds on success? The SEMO University band is a wonderful program that had a successful trip to Scotland last summer. Now the basketball program is winning, and soon the football program will be winning. And it all started with the band as a catalyst. Whoever the SEMO band director is, the university ought to give him a raise.

Too loud at the games

I AM a big SEMO basketball fan and have been for years, but one thing I don't understand is why they have to have the music and the microphones so loud. You can hardly stand to sit in there.

This doesn't sound right

ACCORDING TO the paper and Morley Swingle, if you want to go out and kick a policeman in the face, all you have to worry about is spending 15 weekends in jail. In the meantime you can go out and sell dope.

Freedom of speech

I ALMOST fell out of my chair when I read the Speak Out item "It's his free speech too." The caller had it exactly right. Why do all the minorities have free speech and poor John Rocker doesn't? I thought it didn't matter what race, gender or economic background you came from, we all had freedom of speech. So why should John Rocker's name even be brought up for trying? This is freedom of speech.

CBS is politicking again

WHEN BUSH ran against Clinton in 1992, CBS ran a nightly feature called "America in Crisis" featuring people down on their luck, supposedly because of the Bush economy. The day after Clinton was elected, CBS quit running this feature. It had accomplished its mission. Clinton's campaign gimmick was the economy. Gore's gimmick is the environment. Guess what. CBS is now running a nightly doom and gloom feature that deals with global warming. They treat the issue as if global warming is a fact, not a theory. Just like in 1992, this is simply an attempt to influence the election. Goodbye, CBS news. You can add me to your growing list of nonviewers.

A flag alternative

IF THE Confederate flag above the South Carolina statehouse were removed and replaced with a flag with a picture of the Virgin Mary splattered with dung, do you think that would make the Democrats and the left happy?