SPEAKOUT

Makeup day is OK

I WOULD how many other schools in the area also held classes on Martin Luther King Day. I'm sure Cape Girardeau was not the only one. Also, Cape schools don't get out for Columbus Day, and that's a national holiday. What's the big whoopee about? I'd rather go to school now than in the middle of the summer.

What about the presidents?

I SAW where the black community was upset because school was held on Martin Luther King Day. They didn't mention the fact that they're going to have to go to school on Presidents Day. It seems to me all the presidents have been lumped together in one day, which denigrates each one of them. But Martin Luther King was no more and no less a man than any of these presidents, so why are they not protesting that day as well?

This area is different

IN RESPONSE to the person wanting to know where we get the polls showing the president's popularity and saying he should remain in office: This person better come out of Cape Girardeau. Just because this area may want the president impeached, 95 percent of the rest of the country does not want him impeached. We're not the only section of this country.

Democrats think it's OK

AS I listened to the impeachment trial, I noticed when the case was presented to the Senate the Republicans brought the case against the president. Democrats, have you noticed what opinion of you that leaves? My opinion was you think it is OK for the office of the president to be filled with a person of any character or morals. I also learned something. The sex act is legal gymnastics. Maybe the schools can use that phrase when they hand out the condoms.

How the questions are asked

CALLERS RECENTLY to the Dr. Laura program are saying the following: We've been called by pollsters. If you answer their first question yes, to impeachment, and no to abortions, the pollsters hang up and do not ask the remaining questions. I wonder why.

Parents can make soccer choices

THANK YOU for letting me call. This in regard to the two mothers who commented about soccer. It sounded like the first one, who complained about playing year around, seemed upset because her child is not on a competitive soccer team. The second one sounded like she was complaining because her child was playing. Now she has a choice. The kids can stay home. They don't have to play. Life is simple. You make a choice, and you live with it. If they don't want to play, stay at home. If they want to play soccer, go ahead. Quit whining.

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!

Careers down the drain

IT'S SUCH a shame to see the careers of every Democratic senator go down the drain over one criminal, Bill Clinton.

Whom should get the blame?

I SAW recently where the U.S. Department of Agriculture settled with thousands of black farmers for discriminating against them in past programs. This is going to cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. I was interested to see the time span that the suit covered. And the worst cases that were reported and were under review by the USDA were when our new state representative, Peter Myers, was in the top management of this department. He stated in his race that all the bad things that this department had done -- wetlands provision, ridiculous regulation, bureaucratic interference -- slipped by him or were not his fault. I would like to ask Mr. Myers whom we should blame and go after to recoup the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars which will be paid out as a result of this mismanagement. I would also hope that those responsible who are still remaining in the Agriculture Department would be fired.

Fund raiser for SADI

SEMO ALLIANCE for Disability and Independence is participating in a community garage sale at the Osage Center Jan. 23. It needs donated garage sale items. If you have garage sale items and would like to donate them to SADI, all funds will continue to help people with disabilities in our area. You may donate by bringing your items to 121 S. Broadview, Cape Girardeau, or by calling 573-651-6464 and ask for Marie before Jan. 22. We appreciate very much your help in this matter and ask you to please participate.

Witnesses would spur invasion

I HOPE senate Republicans are aware their insistence on witnesses in the Clinton impeachment trial will cause innocent Americans to die. With Clinton's contemptuous view of the military as little more than a political tool, the day Miss Lewinsky walks down the aisle to testify in the Senate will be the day Army and Marine personnel, along with thousands of Iraqis, will perish in the invasion of Iraq for the sole purpose of stealing the headlines and making Clinton appear a leader. My own view is that Iraq has its own crazed dictator, and we have ours.

Proud of independence

SOME YEARS ago I heard a politician give a speech for the Missouri Jaycees at a state convention. He laid two coins on the podium in front of him. He said "One represents a Democrat, and one is a Republican." He made his elementary point. He said, "You are either a Democrat, a Republican, or you are nothing." He received a standing ovation except for a small number of us. To this day I am proud of the fact that I was one of those who refused to stand for such blatant self-promotion. He was a Republican but could've been a Democrat. Many of us remain independent because of what the two parties have become. Neither is to be trusted, and neither has the morals or dedication to serve the American people without serving themselves first. The bulk of his rhetoric was about how bad the other guy is when both parties are saturated with immorality and blatant dishonesty. Neither has the integrity to clean its own chamber. I hope that if the Republicans win back the White House, we independents don't have to listen to the whining, crying, undermining, hate-spreading we have had to listen to for six long years from them. No, this independent didn't vote for Clinton. I'm proud to vote independent and make an honest effort to choose the best of the least. You can train a monkey to vote a straight ticket. I understand parties are supposed to stand for certain philosophies. At this point it is difficult to know if they know what they stand for. It's not to serve the American people first.

Ridiculous annexation comment

I READ with amusement the comment about Jackson trying to grab land from Cape and pretty soon Cape will be a part of Jackson. This is funny. This person ought to be writing humor for a newspaper column. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Jackson's not trying to annex Cape. If anything, it's the other way around. You need to get your facts straight before you go blowing off in the paper like that.

Story Tags

Speak Out