SPEAKOUT

Owners know best

It kind of ticks me off when people try to tell pet owners and pet lovers what to do and how to raise their pets when we know best. It's kind of like people without children telling parents how to raise their kids when they have no idea. And concerning pets and fireworks, our dogs are part of our family. When they where first born we got them used to going with us everywhere. Our dogs love the fireworks and enjoy being around large crowds of people. We just have a very good time. Those of you who don't understand ought to try it. You might like it.

What's in it for me?

The political campaigns have begun, and we have so many people interested in politics for just one reason: How many benefits or freebies they can receive. What's in it for me? They care nothing about decency, honesty or moral values of the politicians or the country. And they couldn't care less about the future of our children., It's just me, me, me. Even many of our seniors are in lockstep with the selfish of our country wanting their fair share.

Can't forget past

IN THE Civil War, we had both sides fighting for what they believed in. They prayed to the same God for victory. So for anyone to say forget about the principles of our forefathers is a rather poor thing to say. I believe that is the same thing they told the people of France after Hitler marched in. That's the same thing they told the people of Poland after Hitler took over in 1939. And that is the same thing they said when the communists took over: Put your freedom and flag away and obey the law, you are a new country now.

He's exaggerating

Vice president Al Gore has been known as a great exaggerator. Now he's becoming known as the great liar too, like his boss, Bill Clinton. Some of the media and politicians should challenge him on some of his statements. Recently he made this statement that we had a miserable economic performance in the 1980s, the "worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s." How on Earth can anyone pretend that we had a miserable economic performance on a national scale in 1980s? Reagan saved America from Jimmy Carter's economics. Inflation went down from 13.5 percent to 4.1 percent. Employment went from 9.5 percent to 5.2 percent. The federal discount rate went from 14 percent to 6.5 percent. The number of jobs went up almost 20 million. Median family income went up every year from 1982 to 1989. It was the greatest peacetime expansion in history. Somebody should correct him and challenge him on some of these lies he telling.

Tell whole story

I've been listening to Gov. Mel Carnahan's political commercial he has on the TV. He tells about everything he has done for Missouri. He fails to tell about how he backed one of the biggest tax increases in the history of the state. I think that if they are going to tell stuff they've done, they should tell it all, not just part of it.

Storing treasures

Dr. Gott's July 9 column pretty well sums up our society as it is today. It is unbelievable that the medical profession has stepped to this new kind of law too. Better to store up our treasures in heaven than on this Earth.

Messy work area

THIS IS in regard to the maintenance of the grounds and streets. If any private contractor chooses to be involved in construction in Cape Girardeau, it must keep nuisance dust sprayed down and must keep the streets clean, safe and passable. This is not the way the city operates on projects it does such as the water plant project on East Cape Rock Drive where workers totally resurfaced the area, making it difficult to go to and from the Cape Rock Park and walk and drive up and down the road.

A happy day

I read about the Perryville workshop. The workers are back on the job, and that picture is worth a thousand words. It is a happy day. It is a happy day for all of us. We are behind you.

Like the Holocaust?

I WOULD like to ask some Holocaust survivors if they consider AIDS the same as the Holocaust, because these people at this AIDS convention are claiming that AIDS is exactly the same as the Holocaust. How they are coming up with that I don't understand, but I would like to hear from the Holocaust survivors.

Only change left

I would like to comment on how people are looking at the way things are going such as the gas tax. I can't understand why so many people are upset because gas is almost a dollar higher, but when you look at your paycheck, the government takes 50 percent of it. Then when you go out and buy groceries and stuff like that, it totals up to be about 50 percent of your check. And here you are complaining about only paying an extra dollar for gas. Goodness gracious. Remember Bill Clinton was for change, so people voted for change. Now you have change. And change may be the only thing you've got in your pocket.

They will come

As one would expect, the Southeast Missourian recently argued that Missourians should figure out a way to pay off bonds to build roads before we proceed with the project. Didn't you guys see the baseball movie "Field of Dreams"? There is a lesson there that applies to revenue-building concerns. Dream a little. Put the cart before the horse. Build the roads and the money will come.

Looking for a war

Clinton now sees that Al Gore and Hillary are not what the majority of Americans want in office. So he's getting ready to instigate another war, Israel and Palestine being his alibis. This will cause an Arab uprising and lead to Clinton's war. He needs to once again appease his humiliation. He's a very dangerous man, not a man of peace.

Need child support

I'M A single mother with two kids trying to work two jobs to make my ends meet. The father of my kids is walking around wearing a $100 pair of tennis shoes and driving two cars. Fathers can dress but they can't afford to pay child support. Child support authorities need to get on their job.

Paying for peace

Here we go again. It's time for another Middle East peace talk. Have you noticed that these peace talks happen over and over again, and every time it happens Israel has to give up a little piece of its country? That is called land for peace, and the Palestinians promised to have peace. The Americans have to give away billions of dollars. So the Israelis give away land, we give away money and the Lebanese give away peace. There is no peace. There is still war, and we go back to the talks again. The Israelis give away land and we give away money. The Arabs make war. After a while you get tired of this. Why do we need to give money to people in the Mideast so they can have peace? If they want peace, they'll get it themselves.

Great band music

I want to thank the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band for the wonderful concert it presented that featured the music of Leroy Anderson. It was wonderful, and I hope the band will have a similar concert again next year. Thanks for the music.

Welfare is worse

I want to comment about George Bush going to address the NAACP meeting. Some of the minorities want the government and people to apologize for slavery. I think Bush missed a good chance there. I think he should apologize for welfare. Welfare is worse in some ways than slavery because it steals the soul. It makes recipients willing to rob our grandchildren to pay for it. It puts our grandchildren in slavery. It keeps welfare recipients subservient and a dependent on the state.

Welcome to Jackson

I think those in the Cape Girardeau who were concerned about not having fireworks need to relax. Pretty soon Cape Girardeau is going to be hooked to Jackson. Jackson will be a suburb of Cape Girardeau. It's not unusual for the suburbs to have some of the fun things to do. One day, I guess, Scott City will be a suburb of Cape Girardeau too. So just chill. Come to Jackson. We are glad to have you.

Try using honey

I think the July heat is getting to the callers who are calling Al Gore the next dictator and saying the Democrats should change their name to Communist Democratic Party. I fully plan on voting for George Bush. But, as the old saying goes, I think you get more flies with honey. You are not going to persuade any Democrats to come on over to the Republican side with this dialogue. It will only make them stand firmer for what they believe. I'm almost surprised Speak Out even prints such foolishness. I think Gore is probably a pretty good man, not a real good man. I tend to vote Republican in the general election, but I vote Democrat in the primary. That's why I voted for Bill Bradley. I thought he was a better man than Gore. In the finals I will be voting for Bush as I voted for Bob Dole in the last election. But I don't think you get Democrats to switch over by accusing them of being communists or dictators. I think Tipper can hold Gore in check and allow him not to be a dictator.

Pay a dollar more

ON YOUR electric bill, you can add a dollar to your bill, and it is used to help those who have trouble paying their bills. If 1,000 people did this, so many people could be helped, and we would never miss the contribution. I have practiced this for the last few years, and I know the money is used as they promise.

Not helping much

THIS IS in response to the person who thought that the Democratic Party should take on a new name, the Communist Democratic Party. I'd like to say for the record that I consider myself a Democrat. I voted for Clinton. I have regretted it at times. At other times I realize with the mess our country is in, there's only so much a president can do. I fight for religion in our schools. I believe there should be more family-oriented television. We need less sex and violence in our society. I don't appreciate being called a communist. I don't want our country ruled by the government. This is not a dictatorship. It's a free country, and it should be ruled by the people. Unfortunately the people don't seem to be doing a very good job of helping.

It's an eyesore

I'M CALLING in regard to the person who said that the new county archives building in Jackson is not ugly. The building is ugly. It does not go with the architecture of the surrounding buildings in uptown Jackson. It diminishes the surrounding property values and defeats the standards of the Jackson community. The architect should feel terrible about putting such an eyesore in beautiful uptown Jackson.

Nothing's worse

I CAN think of no frustration in life that would exceed calling Speak Out and getting a busy signal.

Glorified welfare

IN REFERENCE to the government health-care plan, I believe people on Medicare and Medicaid are just leeching off the taxpayers. It's nothing but a glorified welfare system for people who don't want to work and pay their own way in life.