SPEAKOUT

Too big for your ...

RENO THE storm trooper has sent a message to all companies and entrepreneurs: You'd better not get too big and successful, or Justice will split you in two. Also, don't compete with Albert Gore's Internet or you'll get sued.

When will it go?

WELL, HERE we go again printing on the front page of the paper that the old Marquette is going to go. How many years has the City Council printed this in the paper? Every time they do, they're either going to tear it down or it's been sold. I don't know what the council believes the people of Cape Girardeau need to believe. All they do is tell stories about the Marquette and the old St. Francis Hospital. Neither one has been dealt with and probably never will be. At least I won't live to see it.

No barking dogs

I'D LIKE to comment on the caller who wanted to keep dogs as outside pets only. Do you really think that everyone should chain or tie up a dog in their yard and let it bark and bark, disturbing their neighbors? Wouldn't it be much better to have them inside where they're not bothering other people?

Social Security supporter

IN REPLY to the person who said he was replying to the genius about Social Security, he says he is amazed that anyone who has average intelligence can praise Social Security. Anyone who can't praise Social Security doesn't even have average intelligence. There are a few facts he needs to think about. If a person dies before drawing Social Security , his widow with children can draw it, raise the children and educate them with the funds. Then she can start drawing her own Social Security at age 60. It used to be that children had to take care of elderly parents. Now, they don't have to. Anyone who becomes disabled can draw on Social Security and not be a burden on anyone. And there are many other benefits of Social Security. If it wasn't for Social Security , our country would be in a mess like it was in Hoover's days. It's the best thing that ever came out of Congress, and we have to give Franklin Delano Roosevelt credit for it. I have been retired over 22 years, and have drawn over $300,000. Praise the Lord for Social Security.

Think this through

WHERE DO you get off telling people to stay home with their pets? Where did you get your information on "pets are outside animals only"? People live with pets because they want to, and most pets act better than some people. I can't believe that someone who has had pets all his life would rather live with a smoker than a pet. Put your thinking cap back on.

Pets like people

I'D LIKE To say a few words of wisdom to the person who was so rude in his comments about people staying at home with their pets and not allowing pets to be in motels, campgrounds and airlines. First of all, you say you would rather live with a smoker than be hemmed up with a pet in the house. This was a rather silly statement to make. It's nationally known that pets reduce high blood pressure. Does smoking? Pets do not cause lung cancer. Does smoking? There are a lot of people who regard their pets as part of their family. From your comments, thank God you're not part of mine. God put pets down here for a purpose: to be cared for and loved. Apparently you missed the boat on this one. I know I speak for a lot of people out here, and we will stand our ground when it comes to our pets. I'm sorry for your lack of kindness, and I will pray for you and your simple-minded opinions.

Self-defense comes first

A FEW days ago there was an editorial about the trouble that happened when police tried to arrest two people. I'm surprised at the restraint the police showed when 150 people were jeering and throwing rocks, knocking one officer down, kicking him, and holding him down by putting their feet on his head. Had it been me, I would have pulled my gun out and defended myself. A person has a right to self-defense.

It's not easy to lose

COULD YOU lose one year of e-mail? I don't think so. I couldn't. My daughter couldn't. But Hillary, Bill and Al Gore, did. They "lost" one year of e-mail. Ain't that something?

Lights cost gasoline

THE STATE built a nice four-lane highway between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Now it appears that this is going to be goofed up with traffic lights every mile or so. I'd like to know whose bright idea it was to place traffic signals at Orchard Lane and Old 61. I went through there the other day, and the cars were stopped to and from Cape. There wasn't a single car on Orchard Lane. These traffic lights aren't needed at this location. There isn't much traffic there. That's where our gasoline goes, sitting at traffic lights waiting for non-existent oncoming traffic. If someone would adjust these lights so they'd work, it wouldn't be so bad.

Test the teachers

I'VE BEEN enjoying all the hubbub in the paper regarding the testing of students. Here's an easier solution to grade the teachers' performance and knowledge of the subject areas: Ask the teachers to actually take tests on the subjects which they're teaching. That may not gauge their ability to teach, but it sure would gauge their knowledge of the subject they're teaching to children. It would be a good start. What do you teachers think about it?

Where will it go?

A QUESTION for Mr. Wilson: Jackson wants new retail business, said the mayor and the city officials. But they vote down all commercial zoning unless the city owns the land. IF you're not going to have C-2 zoning on East Main to I-55 or on West Highway 72 to the city limits, or on 61 North, I ask Mayor Sanders and Mr. Wilson, where do you propose to put this new business?

Matching the grants

I'M RESPONDING to the June 9 Speak Out article entitled "Apply for some grants." I agree with the caller. Jackson schools need to take advantage of technology grants. The Jackson school district has applied for and been awarded tech related grants over the past several years. In fact, the Jackson district has already been awarded several competitive technology-related grants for the coming school year. The most recent grants affect West Lane Elementary through Southwestern Bell, the vocational-agricultural department at the senior high through a state vocational grant, and the entire district through a technology literacy challenge fund grant. Such grants do, however, require district matching funds of approximately 20 percent. For instance, $500,000 worth of technology grants calls for the district to supply $100,000 to match it. Bottom line: even with Jackson's aggressive grant-writing approach, it takes money to apply for grants. For further information on this particular issue, please contact the Jackson board office at 243-9501. Someone will be glad to provide the information that you're seeking on this issue.

Plenty of hummingbirds

I'VE BEEN reading in Speak Out that Jackson doesn't have any hummingbirds. I've fed hummingbirds for a month and a half or longer. I've had to fill up my feeder every other day, they're so thick. You just have to put up feeders and fill it with sugar water, and the hummingbirds will be around. There are a lot of them.

More important worries

I WATCHED a City Council meeting, and it's really something else. Every bar in this town -- I don't care if it's a black, white or purple bar -- is going to have problems. My father ran a bar here in town. He had problems. And he didn't have the chief of police come there and snap orders and threaten his license. We didn't have to report to the liquor personnel about incidents in our bar. What is going on? I think the police and the City Council, have too much time on their hands. They should be worrying about how crappy these streets are rather than if somebody's fighting. Big deal. People are going to fight. Get a life. The city council needs to worry more about the junky looking houses up and down William and Independence Streets. They should leave the owner of that bar alone and let the folks have their own bar.

Cut those taxes

I READ today that Jo Ann Emerson voted to phase out the death tax. Last month she voted to phase out a telephone tax that was supposed to pay for the Spanish-American War. That's the way to go. Every time you get a chance, try to cut taxes. Thank you, Jo Ann Emerson.

Control your dogs

THIS IS to the people who live in Jackson along and on Greensferry Road. I wish they'd obey the law and keep their dogs tied up instead of turning them loose to run all over people's yards and gardens. I'm getting tired of it. I clean up dog messes from other people's dogs all the time. They run through my garden. There's a law to keep them tied or penned up. Now keep your dogs in your own yards or get rid of them.

A necessary evil

I'D LIKE To respond Judge Grimm's eloquent and clever defense of judges. The problem is not that lawyers and judges are inherently evil or immoral individuals. The problem is that for one to be a successful lawyer or judge, a person must be amoral. Any personal integrity, morality or ethics must be checked at the door of the courtroom. I have lived long enough and have had enough experience to know that Lady Justice is not blindfolded so that she can give equal justice to all, but rather so that she will not have to look upon what lawyers and judges do in the name of justice. No, I don't want to kill all the lawyers. I accept that they are: a necessary evil. And society would be much the worse without them.

Christians targeted

THE ERRONEOUS campaign by the least credible presidential administration throughout history demonizes the Serbian Christians who were defending their own historic land from a Muslim takeover led by Islamic terrorists. The U.S. State Department seems to take the side of Muslims in every regime in the Middle East and world wide, including those persecuting Christians by denying the freedoms to practice religious faith, carry the Bible, wear a cross as jewelry or to wear a cross as a chaplain. They beat, imprison, enslave and even kill converts to Christianity. Our so-called Christian leaders support the Muslims against the Christians who have basically provided the freedoms necessary to become a great nation of freedom, faith, hope, charity and peace. God forgive the befuddled administration. The pro-Muslim, anti-West, anti-Christian policies of Clinton and his State Department require serious attention by the Congress, not collaboration or support for their stupidity and whatever reasons they may profess to have.

Cover the portrait

CONCERNING THE recent vandalism of the Rush Limbaugh portrait on the floodwall: I'm against vandalism, but I do think that Rush Limbaugh is an inappropriate figure to put on the wall. He's a partisan political commentator, and I don't think he deserves the status of Mark Twain and Harry Truman. We're not all Republicans in this town. I think Limbaugh's portrait should be painted over.