SPEAKOUT

Few cards with religious theme

I JUST wanted to solicit people's comments on this. My sister and I went shopping a few days ago, and we were looking for some Christmas cards with a religious theme. We were very shocked to find that it was extremely difficult to find Christmas cards that had a religious theme. In fact, we had a difficult time even finding Christmas cards that had the word "Christmas" on them. Most of the cards we saw said "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." Has anybody else noticed this? Are you as upset about this as I am?

No doormat in marriage

WOMEN HAVE clubs, and I can't see that it would be bad for men to have a club to discuss importance issues of our day. The woman who has too much to do simply has herself to blame. Early in my marriage -- like from day one -- I made it clear to my husband that our marriage was a partnership. Even if you work outside of the home, you can make a bed. I was never my husband's doormat in our marriage. My husband does his own washing now.

They're not the experts

JUST HAD a quick comment concerning an article about the school district. I find it interesting that school administrators would ask a community committee if the school curriculum is meeting expectations, especially when the community committee members are not experts on school curriculum. The question should be, who is the expert on curriculum in this school system? We do not have experts in the schools, only state and federal officials telling us what we should offer in the schools. I think it's interesting that school would ask what the community what they think we should offer in the school or if our school is meeting the expectations in curriculum. Really, no one has a clue about what we should be offering.

Who were the employees?

I WAS very interested in the picture and article about the 50 years of the coffee klatch. I thought it was neat, the names that you listed in the paper. I would also be real interested if you could tell us who the employees were at Woolworth who were behind the counter.

REPLY: Unfortunately, our files didn't include the names of the Woolworth's employees in the photo. If anyone has that information, please share it. Thanks.

Missing out on children

THIS IS concerning Heidi Nieland's Dec. 23 column. It was not really amusing. It was rather sad, because if she is so adamant about not having children and getting pregnant, just think what she's going to miss. And Heidi, you will miss it. Your little grandchildren someday will come running, grabbing you around the legs and saying, "Hi, Grandma, I love you!" Sorry, that's what you're going to miss.

A political prediction

I'M GOING to tell you what's going to happen in the impeachment trial. You will have an impeachment trial in the Senate. It will probably last until the first of March. The president will be found not guilty. Then the senators will try to put on a censure, which is completely unfair, because he's already found not guilty. But they will anyhow, because they control the Senate. So they will vote for a censure, and it will go to the House, and of course the Democrats will object loudly, but there's nothing they can do. That's what's going to happen.

Bible has the right word

I AM a Republican, and I don't like our commander-in-chief being called a pervert, either. He is a sodomizer. Read your Bible.

This is the best ever

I LIKE reading Speak Out, and I see some comments always going on about Bill Clinton. If the callers had any sense at all, they would see how great the country has been in the past five years. We're making more money than we've ever made, We're driving better cars. We've got better homes. We're able to feed our children. So when you read someone going on about Bill Clinton, it's some old Republican, mad because Clinton got elected and his party got beaten so bad that you'll never see another Republican president in office. It just burns the Republicans up.

Tired of decent wages?

I CONFERRED with Congressman Jo Ann Emerson's office and asked what made her vote for impeachment. Was it the pressure of the Republican Party, or was it her views, or did her vote reflect the views of the voters? The answer: call-ins from her constituents. If the majority of the people wanted our president impeached, then I say Emerson's congressional district is really in serious trouble. We're certainly not a millionaire's area like Tallent's area in St. Louis county or maybe Blunt's area down in Springfield. I guess her constituents are tired of living good. I guess they're tired of having decent wages.

In addition ...

THIS IS in response to the fellow who called himself an honest Democrat. The gentleman may very well be honest, but he's also opinionated and partisan.

Who named the bridge?

READING THE comment in Speak Out about naming a local bridge makes me ask: Who is responsible for naming the bridge? Please find this out for us.

REPLY: The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge was named by Congress as a memorial to the late U.S. representative upon his death. Most of the money for the bridge, also approved by Congress, is coming from federal highway funding.

Appreciate what we have

I REALLY enjoyed reading the vacation letter from Daniel Stuart of Evarts, Ky. It made me realize that we do have a lot of great things to see in Cape Girardeau and surrounding areas. We need to enjoy and appreciate them more. Missouri is a beautiful state, and I hope others will come to enjoy it with us. Come back to see us, Daniel, and a happy new year to all.

As Mark Twain said ...

GOOD MORNING. I was reading Paul Hennrich's letter on the Opinion page. It made me think of Samuel Clemens' phrase, "It's better to be quiet and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt."

Someone with integrity

THANK GOD there are still some honest people in this world. I would like to commend Carla Robert of Benton for her honesty in returning to me an envelope of money and checks that I lost in a parking lot. She is truly an honest person with high integrity. May God bless her.

Do a poll on taxation

PAUL HENNRICH'S letter to the editor basically states that Clinton should be left alone because the polls don't favor his removal from office. Well, Mr. Hennrich, if you think the country should be governed by polls rather than elected officials, I'll go along with that. The first question we'll ask in our governing poll: Should working Americans continue to give approximately half their earnings to the government? I think we all know what the results of that poll would be. And if we govern by polls, that would mean taxes would have to be slashed, and your beloved socialist -- I mean, Democratic -- party, wouldn't have the funds to buy votes through their giveaway programs, which, therefore, would cease to exist. Yes, if government-by-poll results ends in the demise of a bunch of excuse-making losers, then by all means, let's do it your way.

Doing the people's work

I THINK the person who feels like Clinton is not doing the people's work is wrong. Clinton was elected, and there is a whole other side to the argument. There are people who still feel that abortion is the woman's choice and that it is her right in a free society to choose her destiny. There is also the thought that school prayer is not really necessary in school. Prayer is a choice you make. Nothing ever stopped me from praying in school, to myself. With school prayer, you get into the argument of how to pray for a school prayer. There are so many different religions and sects. Whose do you use? Prayer and worship are personal things. As for Clinton, if I'm not mistaken, a big tax break was given to families this year. This is the work that Clinton does. If Clinton is going to be impeached, it should be for his scandals, not for his day-to-day work, which I feel Clinton does adequately.

Try a bell on cat's collar

THIS IS regarding stray cats roaming around in my yard. If a cat has a collar and a bell around its neck, it might be welcome in my yard. But what's good for the goose is good for the gander. A dog is not allowed to roam the neighborhood, and cats shouldn't either. If they get hurt in my yard, it's your fault. Redbirds build nests in small shrubs not more than two feet off the ground. They're all welcome in my yard, and most any time during feed time you can count eight or more pairs feeding at the feeders. Keep your cats home or put a bell around its neck.

Coats made from dog pelts

I WOULD like to inform the public the Chinese are exporting coats they claim are coyote, but they are actually dog fur. They've been harvesting the fur from the animals in a very cruel way. I would like to see people quit buying these coats. I wish there was something we could do to stop this cruelty. They are skinning the dogs alive.

Go ahead: Shut it down

THE NEWS commentators, and primarily the Democrats, keep talking about the government being shut down while Clinton's impeachment hearing is taking place. I think that could be the best thing that could happen to our United States is for the government to shut down. So much that they do is not very beneficial, or may even be harmful, to our way of life. Shutting down the government might be a great blessing.

Cat ruined car's paint

IN RESPONSE to "More food for cats": This cat lover evidently has never had a brand-new car that a cat has scratched up and needed repainting after two weeks of ownership. Evidently this cat owner does not realize there are leash laws in almost every town. You either keep your cat in or keep it on a leash, or it should be picked up by an animal-control officer. Birds are free to run loose. Cats are not. Maybe this cat lover should keep his or her cat indoors where it belongs or keep it contained in the yard. I don't hate cats, but I have had a car totally destroyed by leaving it outside for one night. I had to have it completely repainted because a cat decided to dance all over it. How would you like it if I let my dog run all over your car for a change? Then you could get your car repainted too. I do not appreciate getting a new car destroyed by your cat.

Superintendent is important

I'D LIKE to thank the Southeast Missourian for its Dec. 30 editorial concerning the many school superintendents' resignations this past year. The importance of a school superintendent's position and the impact it has on students, parents and the community cannot be downplayed. The Jackson school board has a tremendous task ahead in the selection of our school superintendent. I'm glad to see that they've solicited the assistance of the MSBA search staff. The MSBA previously provided a wonderful school superintendent and person in current superintendent Dr. Howard Jones.