SPEAKOUT

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?

Religious differences

IN SOME recent letters the matter of Roman Catholic-Lutheran doctrinal issues has been discussed. It was especially an article by Pastor David V. Dissen that came under attack. Let me just state that as a Lutheran (and I am a layman) I also can see vast differences in doctrine between the two denominations. Lutherans cannot recognize the authority of the pope as the vicar of Christ here on Earth. Neither can we concede to his supposed infallibility, since popes and church councils have often contradicted each other in the course of history. We furthermore cannot accept the teaching about purgatory. The Holy Scriptures teach that "By one offering, he (Christ) has forever perfected them that are sanctified." And "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses us from all sin." Some time ago I had the opportunity to attend a high Mass. I noticed that the priest addressed prayers to the saints: St. Peter, St. Paul and the Virgin Mary. Holy scripture states, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve." These are only a few differences. To state that if Luther were living today he would not voice protest against such doctrines is simply not true. We Lutherans would certainly rejoice if all differences between the two denominations could be resolved. However, such reconciliation would have to be on the basis of the Holy Scriptures alone.

Here's a fair plan

I THINK we should vote people into office who have no trouble with the budget or deficit. We should have government health insurance 100 percent free and a federal burial plan. We need to double the hike in Social Security benefits. A free car and TV every year for poor folks. And if you don't want to work you should immediately be put on disability. And most of all, everyone should know where the government keeps its big pile of money to pay its bills with. It's only fair. It's our right.

Need ethanol facts

THEY KEEP talking about ethanol, but they never explain how it will affect automobile engines and performance. If it has an adverse effect or if expensive modifications have to be made to accommodate the use of ethanol, these facts need to be brought out to the public.

Arts need financial support

THE BOOSTERS of our local high schools and universities need to rethink where they are putting their money if they believe it is doing better in the sports programs than it is in the arts. We as a community in Cape Girardeau are supposed to be one of the finer arts communities in the Midwest. The only way we can reflect that by supporting the arts with money.

Enjoyable column

THIS IS a message to Mr. Sullivan. I thoroughly enjoyed his column on the mistakes in the paper the last couple of Wednesdays. I thought it was wonderful.

Health care needs regulation

I'M A Republican. The last time I voted for a Democrat was 1960. In most instances I'm in agreement with Republican Party principles. However, I no longer agree with my party on national health care. We need federal government regulations on health care to protect not just the poor, but also middle-income Americans. The health-care industry has run amok. My wife and I have been fortunate. We never had major health problems until recent years. None of our children had major health problems. Our family went 35 years before we ever even met a medical-insurance deductible. Between my wife and me, we carry three separate medical insurance programs. We probably have better-than-average protection. However, I can understand the situation people of limited means face when it comes to obtaining medical care. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was a recent visit my wife paid to an exalted, godlike specialist. The specialist merely confirmed that the medication her regular doctor had prescribed was adequate. He spoke to my wife for less than 15 minutes. His bill was $250. If a person was making minimum wage, it would take them an entire week to pay for one 15-minute visit. We only had to pay a fraction of the cost of the visit, but that really isn't the point. The point is, the fee was not just excessive, it was obscene. And the cost of similar necessary medical care is beyond the reach of a vast number of Americans. The social parasites who have taken control of the medical-care industry in this country need to be regulated. And only the federal government, imperfect as it may be, can do it.

Millions need health coverage

FORTY-THREE million people without health insurance. Could they all be lazy riffraff or welfare recipients who don't want to work? Can all 43 million be that way? I think not. Maybe 5 million, maybe even 10 million. But not all 43 million people. Something's wrong when that many people have no health insurance. They wouldn't know what to do if they needed major surgery or needed to go into intensive care. One day of such medical charges could wipe out everything they have. They'd have to work the rest of their life just to pay their hospital bill. Think long and hard about it. Most people want the government by their side. I don't need federal health insurance, but I see a lot of folks who do. The minimum-wage workers, the working poor need a national health-care bill and need prescriptions paid for like Medicare.

There's more than beauty

I THINK it does a great disservice to Hedy Lamarr when the article speaks only of her beauty and describes the color of her eyes. She sums it up in one line, and that is: "To be glamorous, all you have to do is stand there and look stupid." It seems to me that this woman would want to be remembered for more. An article could be more serviceable if it told maybe how many children she had, what those children were doing now, what public services Lamarr performed in her life. I think it's a great disservice to only remember a woman for beauty.

Why provide family planning?

AFTER READING the editorial of Jan. 19 on family planning funds by the state, a question comes to my mind. Why is the state providing family planning in the first place? Think about it.

Build the best school

WHY DO we need a new high school? For one thing, Central high school has been around since the early 1950s. There's so much they'd have to do to improve it to today's standards. It's not earthquake ready or tornado ready. It's got old wiring and old pipes, old sewers. If they put too much more money into this building as it is now, then they'll never get out of it what they've put in it. You have to know something about real estate before you can be against a new high school. If you put too much money into an old building, you'll never get it back and you'll lose money. If they build the new high school, they'll have made money instead of losing it. The taxpayers won't have to pay any more taxes from improving the old building. I would pay more taxes to know they're going to have a school building that's one level, that's safe for my kids to go to and is efficient. They should go ahead and get a new football field and a new pool too. Let's just do it and do it right. And get it done.

Information on bombs

I JUST wanted to congratulate the Missourian. Do you feel partially responsible for the latest bombings within the area, considering your front-page article on the young man who supplied information over the Internet for assembling different kinds of bombs? Is your next front-page article going to be on how to access guns to shoot up the school? Before you print an article, think of the ramifications of handing the lunatics in the area catastrophic information that can be accessed and used for destruction of personal property or, God forbid, human life.

New high school is needed

THIS IS in response to the "Why do we need it" Speak Out item about the new high school. In the last 17 years the high school building has been going downhill tremendously. It was in bad shape when I graduated 17 years ago. Do you want your children sitting in a hot stuffy room trying to learn?

Ruining morals of our youth

I WANT to comment about the university allowing this trash, Def Leppard, to come there and caterwaul and ruin the morals of our youth here in Cape. This is teaching nothing but rebellion and juvenile delinquency and drug use. This group can't even sing. They only have one song, and they sing it over and over. It's awful the way the kids are being done by these groups, and the stupid parents are paying for it. Before long they'll be going down to the juvenile hall to get their kids out.

Get tough on litter

THIS IS addressed to the local and state politicians. It's time Cape Girardeau and the entire state get tough on littering. Every exit and stoplight shows the signs of litter. Cigarette butts are ankle deep, and trash of all kinds litter our streets and roads. Some states have gotten tough, such as Texas. We should also get tough. Anyone caught pitching cigarette butts or trash of any kind should be fined and have to clean up trash as punishment. Dumpsters are also a problem. They should be required to be put in an enclosed area to prevent wind-blown trash.

Too much to pay to walk

WHAT A nice snowy morning we had here in Perryville. We'd like to take a walk in the new building that Perryville built, the new center, but we were informed that if we want to walk down there we'd have to pay $16 a month. That doesn't sound very nice to a senior citizen. We don't have an unlimited amount of money anyhow. That's always the way Perryville has been.

Support the humane society

I'M RESPONDING to the Speak Out regarding breeding of animals uselessly. I totally agree. I do not understand what it's going to take for people in this area -- and in the world -- what we are doing. We wonder why our children are growing up violent. It's because they don't understand what kindness is at an early age. If a person is not kind compassionate to a defenseless creature, how will he treat a human being? Parents, if you show your kids that animals are disposable and don't require nurturing and care, what are they going to think about people? Animals are living, breathing creatures that only get the care we give them. Cape Girardeau is a wealthy town as a whole, and I think it's sick that we have a humane society that is busting its butt trying to get funds when we have people in this town who claim to be animal lovers yet have such a hard time writing a check.

This goes too far

I'D LIKE to comment about homosexuals in the military. Now the homosexual community claims it's fighting for equal rights the same as blacks. Let's take a good look. Blacks were fighting to get into the same restaurants. Blacks were fighting to be able to sit at the front of the bus just like the rest of the people. But if you look at the homosexual agenda, it's totally perverse. They want to be recognized for what they do in their bedroom. How can this be right? What someone does in their own bedroom ought to remain quiet and go no farther.