SPEAKOUT

Responsible father

IN RESPONSE to the woman who called in about HUD and being forced to move: I'd like to know why she doesn't collect child support. The child support is hers. The father has to be responsible for his children.

Smoking stupidity

LET ME get this straight. Florida awarded billions of dollars to people who took a piece of paper, with or without filter, that had leaves of tobacco in it, lit it and inhaled the smoke into their bodies. I'm 45 years old and watched my mom die from smoking. I knew growing up, smelling like an ashtray with both parents smoking, that cigarettes were bad for you. My parents had holes in their clothes from hot ashes. Their teeth, fingernails and skin were yellow from the tobacco stains. I don't know who's more stupid: the jury for awarding this amount of money or the people who smoke, especially around their kids. The smokers and their families probably won't see a dime from the cigarette companies. I have a question: Can I sue a person if I have to breathe his cigarette smoke?

Use video cameras

I WAS watching TV, and the national networks were showing the different cities that use video cameras to see who was running red lights. I think in Cape they need to put those video cameras by the stop signs, because not many people in Cape stop at stop signs.

Quayle for VP

I HAVE the answer for George W. Bush on his choice for vice president. My idea is to have Dan Quayle as his vice president. Quayle already has four years' experience in the office. He's young enough to take over if Bush is incapacitated. George W.'s father already chose him, so he should meet with the Bush family approval. He's a true voice of the Republican Party. He's loyal to a fault. For these reasons I think he belongs on the Republican ticket with G.W. Bush. In addition to this, his family has enough money that they could be a significant help in financing the campaign. Also, Bush and Quayle also seem to be equals in mental capacity.

Don't use tax money

SO THE city council has a half-million dollars to tear down the Marquette Hotel. This is the taxpayers' money. It should not be used to demolish someone else's property. The owner of the property has the responsibility to take care of this eyesore. If this was an individual, the city would force him to tear it down and pay for it himself. If this happens I will not vote for the extension of the transportation tax. They simply refuse to do anything with the streets on the north end of Cape.

Reagan memories

IT'S ALMOST laughable trying to give Reagan credit for the recovery. I can remember walking and driving the streets in 1983 during his recession looking for a job. I didn't have three or four pages of the local paper filled with employers looking for workers. I remember the Iran-Contra thing. And I remember the 141 boys left in Lebanon, blown to pieces. And two days later we go into Grenada. A sergeant down there had to call back to the States to get directions for the firepower he needed. Those are the things I remember about Reagan, along with the high deficit he left this country with.

Anyone can quit

I'VE HEARD about this tobacco settlement until it's sickening. They act like people don't have any sense. Everyone who smokes is an idiot, and I wouldn't argue that point. Anyone who started smoking in the last 20 years knew better, and anyone who continued to smoke must have no regard for his life or his loved ones. To want somebody else to pay for their stupidity is beyond me. I've been a smoker. I smoked for over 20 years, and at times smoked three packs a day, so I know what I'm talking about. Anyone who wants to can quit, and if they say they can't, they're a liar. They just don't want to. I have no sympathy for anyone who gets sick because he smokes. They've had warnings and warnings. If they ignore that, who can do anything about it? They're the only ones who can.

Sharing with elders

IN MANY third-world countries, senior citizens are thought of as a national treasure rather than a deficit. When I was a kid I used to sit at the feet of older people and listen to their stories. I got away for a few years, but now I'm back and appreciating once more. They can share stories of what was, and we can share things hoped for.

GOP apoplexy

DAVID LIMBAUGH recently wrote that George W. Bush threw a scare into Democrats by speaking to the NAACP. Perhaps. But I would dare say that for every Democrat frightened by Bush's conciliatory speech, two Republicans suffered an attack of apoplexy.

Sending sympathy

ON BEHALF of the Cape County Private Ambulance Service, I'd like to thank all the people who took time out of their day to stop during the motor vehicle accident on Interstate 55 on Saturday afternoon, and also send out our deepest sympathies to the families and the victims involved.

Thanks for cleanup

I would like to say a big thank you to whoever cleaned up the weeds and junk on the creek banks at the entrance to the Brookside Memorial Park.

Can't fool lawyers

Clinton may fool the public with his ambiguous rhetoric, but he sure didn't fool the Arkansas Bar Association. They know a sleazy, lying attorney when they see and hear one, and they will disbar this disreputable Clinton from their prestigious bar association. They don't shelter or condone corrupt behavior.

Destroy, dismantle?

I agree with Senator Kinder that it is wrong to run political ads accusing Senator John Ashcroft of attempting to dismantle Social Security and Medicare. The word "dismantle" implies that he is trying to take the programs apart slowly step by step. In my view, he is attempting to destroy the programs in one fell swoop. Poof! They are gone.

A suggestion

To the people who think they want to get Jack Kervorkian to do their suicide. You don't need to do that. Just join an HMO.

Doesn't make sense

I don't smoke cigarettes. I just think they are just really yucky things. At the same, time I don't understand these tobacco settlements. These people are making a legal product approved by the U.S. government. Cigarette packages have warning labels saying they may be dangerous to your health. And now the tobacco companies have to send all this money to different states including Missouri. Then, on top of that, states like Florida allow private citizens to sue the tobacco companies, and now the companies have to pay private citizens and lawyers an additional $200 billion above what they are paying the states. Some other group of private citizens in California will sue, and they will need another $200 billion. Does this make any sense? Everybody knew cigarettes were dangerous.

Nonsense political ads

Watching TV political ads, I can't believe these candidates. Can you understand how having parents who didn't to college is a benefit to a candidate? What difference would it make? You can have great parents whether they went to college or not. When some candidates have nothing to brag about, they brag about nothing. Some even show their childhood pictures of how sweet they were when they were a child. "Vote for me. I was a cute child." What a joke.

Killers are everywhere

To the people who have cats that run loose at night making a mess in flower beds and gardens with their filth and killing small rabbits and birds and squirrels in my neighborhood: It is irresponsible for not caring if these natural-born hunters run loose. I would like to know where the animal control is. Just drive any street at night in my neighborhood, and these felines with the instinct to hunt and kill are everywhere. That is all they do: hunt, kill and mate. Those who really love their cats usually don't turn them out to wander their city until morning.

No compassion needed

What does a public administrator do? I saw it in the Southeast Missourian: The public administrator handles the financial affairs of mentally disabled or elderly or minors who have no relatives. Compassion isn't needed.

Some standards

Jack Stapleton recently listed six qualities he thinks all political candidates should have. May I offer two criteria as a standard for future Stapleton columns: clarity and brevity.

They got their money

To a degree I sympathize with the Speak Out caller who suggested we add a dollar to our electric bill to help out those who are having trouble paying theirs. However if my last bill was any indication, the electric company has already taken care of that 20 times over.

He can dance

A Speak Out caller challenged us to name one thing that Al Gore has done as vice president. No problem. I can name a lot of things he has done like inventing the Internet and so forth. However, the most important thing he has done as vice president occurred right here in Cape Girardeau when he did the macarena.

Went too far

I will tolerate virtually any comment made in the Speak Out forum. After all, the purpose of Speak Out is to offer an opportunity for the expression of a wide variety of views. However, when a comment strays way beyond the rational, reasonable and sane, I think the line should be drawn. That is why I must object to the publication of the comment calling for the abandonment of the name Cape Central High School.

Jackson voters, take note. The Board of Education approved a budget that has deficit spending. In other words, they are spending money they don't have again. They never learn anything from the defeat of the bond issue in April. Beware. The next vote is April 8. They would like to put this one past you. I am voting no.