SPEAKOUT

Appointments are canceled

I'D LIKE to know what's wrong with these doctors in Cape. Don't they realize people have to work and they only go to the doctor after work hours? And they schedule these appointments weeks in advance in order to get these hours? A lot of times people even have to take off work for an hour or so to keep these appointments. You walk in and find out the doctor isn't there. It's ridiculous. It's happened to me three times in the last five weeks. One time I went to an appointment with my eye doctor, and I was told he had left for a meeting earlier in the day. Couldn't anybody have called me? Two weeks later my son showed up for his ear, nose and throat specialist appointment and was told the doctor had to leave town on an emergency. No one called to let us know. Then it happened again. I got 24 hours' notice that my doctor had to go out of town for her own appointments, and my appointment was canceled. I had this appointment for six weeks. I don't know if I'm the only person experiencing these difficulties, but I'm sure I'm not. The Cape Girardeau doctors need to wake up.

Face up to responsibility

I HAVE two opinions to express. First, I'd like to thank whoever turned in my wallet to Wal-Mart on March 23. I'm very proud that somebody's still honest enough to turn in lost items. The other thing is a complaint. My son was hit on a bicycle riding in Oran a week or so ago. The person who was driving did not even bother to stop and see if my son was injured or not. My son is mentally handicapped and didn't know what to do. I think that person should be honest and come and tell me he hit my son and take care of the damages.

Tribute in column is a treasure

I ALWAYS enjoy Sam Blackwell's column and his articles in the paper, but his tribute to Judy Crow was just outstanding. Judy was a very special person. All of us who knew her admired her bright mind and her brave spirit. Thanks, Sam, for putting just the right finishing touch to Judy's life in your great tribute. All her friends will treasure your column.

Vote to help the students

REGARDING THE Jackson bond issue: Yes, there are some things that could have been done differently in this election, but the simple fact remains that as long as people keep moving into town as fast as they have, schools are going to fill up faster than planned for. That is what has happened now, as overcrowding again has taken over. Help is needed now. All I'm asking is that when you get in the booth to cast your ballot, please remember your children and grandchildren and vote yes on this issue. The other problems are not their fault, and these problems can be addressed later. If the issue doesn't pass, the children will suffer, not us.

SEMO wastes too much money

SEMO's COST is already far too high. And to raise it further is ridiculous. When I was a student it cost me less for two full years than they now charge for one three-hour course. This administration and most of the board of regents need to be replaced. They should not waste so much money, such as creating a job for Dale Nitzschke, building a $3 million softball field, the fountain and the proposed River Campus which the people have already voted down. To pile this cost onto the students who only make minimum wage and already have excessive education loans is totally absurd. It's gotten totally out of hand. We have had enough of this mismanagement and their buddy system. It is time to clean up this mess.

Higher-ups get the money

THERE IS something really bothering me. The state colleges are supposed to be cheaper so that the poorer kids can go to college and get a college degree. Why is it they keep raising the rates on the students for both housing and credit- hours, and then they keep raising the pay for Nitzschke and all these other people? Why is it all the higher-up officials get all the money, and the poor kids just trying to get an education have to foot this bill? It's ridiculous. I wouldn't blame any of the kids if they wanted to quit going to SEMO.

Part of an elitist clique

THIS IS in response to caller who wondered what rock David Limbaugh climbed out from under. That's easy. The rock is the one called Cape Rock. I knew David 30 years ago when he was a student Cape Central High, and it's sad to say that his views have not changed iota since that time. He is the same knee-jerk redneck right-wing radical that he was then when his heroes were Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew and William Calley. He has the same pious manner toward the Constitution, the document he claims to be a scholar of, but judging from his latest screed in the Southeast Missourian his understanding of it leaves out its rape and violation by Mr. Nixon and his ilk. David and his pandering brother both come from the same bolt of cloth, a royal Republican blue that they deem to be their birthright. They and their friends from those early days understood that they were born to be above the common folk. In that respect, they are truly indigenous to Cape Girardeau. It is a closed society that profits obscenely from the labor of others and keeps the doors closed to advancement. Between the Limbaughs, the Zimmers, Peter Kinder, Gary Rust, and all the fat cat doctors here on the Gold Coast, they are managing to line their pockets and those of their little fraternity. The best way to handle them? Don't read their elitist musings. Turn Rush off permanently. Vote against their puppets Kinder and Emerson, and hope like hell people will finally wise up to them for what they are: fascists in waiting.

How things have changed

THIS IS to the two callers in Speak Out knocking George Bush and the Republicans. There happens to be a column by Paul Greenberg on the same page as Speak Out that you need to go back and read. That tells what we've had in the White House for the last seven years, and why it's imperative that we get him and Al Gore both out of office. Isn't it amazing and ironic that Clinton and his friends, the same people who protested big government back in the 1960s, are now the ones running this country? And isn't it ironic that Clinton is Big Daddy, and Clinton is breathing down the throats of American people in a so-called free society. I think this election is really important, and you really need to think about who you're going to vote for in November. May God bless our country. We sure do need it.