OpinionFebruary 9, 1999
SPEAKOUT
THIS GOES out to the person who has nothing better to do than gripe about kids hanging out in parking lots. Where would you like them to go? There aren't too many choices. Leave the kids alone and let them have some fun. THE HOUSE Republicans have given the Democratic senators every opportunity under the sun to do what is right. ...
Where should kids go?
THIS GOES out to the person who has nothing better to do than gripe about kids hanging out in parking lots. Where would you like them to go? There aren't too many choices. Leave the kids alone and let them have some fun.
No wiggle room
THE HOUSE Republicans have given the Democratic senators every opportunity under the sun to do what is right. They know what the truth is, but they will not do the right thing because they're Democrats and their president is a Democrat. However, if Mr. Starr does indict Bill Clinton, that will be one thing he will be unable to wiggle out of.
Standings are appreciated
I'D LIKE to commend the Sports page of the Southeast Missourian for listing standings for all the major conferences this week. That's a great addition. If you'd like to do it once a week or so, it would be greatly appreciated.
Investigate Starr
I THINK it's time that Janet Reno should appoint an independent counsel to investigate the wrongdoings of Kenneth Starr. He should be punished. He should be prosecuted and gotten rid of. He has done this country more damage than anyone ever before.
Giving instructions
I NOTICED in the Feb. 2 edition of the Southeast Missourian you're telling kids how to get high and how to use different products to make themselves to get high. Why do you tell these kids how to do this the cheap way? Do you not realize that a lot of kids will try this and maybe do great harm to themselves in the process?
Be a patriot
TO ALL the critics of Bill Clinton, wake up and appreciate what we've got. Clinton may have his flaws, but he's a saint next to Ronald Reagan (arms for hostages, sitting-duck Marines killed in Beirut) and George Bush (CIA links to Noriega, a war on Americans under the guise or a war on drugs.) Use some common sense, people. The Republican hypocrites in the House and the Senate are the real evil doers here. Stop criticizing Clinton's morals. He's done more for ordinary Americans than any president since Roosevelt. If you care anything about the future of America, you'll be a patriot and stand behind our president.
There will be no meeting
THIS IS about the comment saying the young women who planning abortion should remember that they have to meet their child someday in the hereafter. The hereafter is eternal life in heaven or eternal life in hell. All those little babies who are being murdered will be in heaven. Unless you repent of your sins, if you're having any part in the murdering of those children, you will spend eternity in hell, and there will be no meeting with that little child.
Not overturning elections
I AGREE with the Walter Williams column in which he question the defense presented by many Democrats for President Clinton that impeaching him and removing him from office would completely turn over the 1996 election. Let's say that some hypothetical president took office, and the pressures of the office shortly afterward caused him to huff gasoline. In a gasoline-huffing induced anger, he kills two members of the Spice Girls during the Kennedy Center awards. Would we want to remove him from office, or would we want to uphold the election that elected him? I guess the bottom line of my reasoning goes to a line of reasoning first presented by comedian Chris Rock. The boy responsible for frying burgers at McDonald's can't go back to the freezer with the fry girl, engage in oral sex with her, get caught at it and expect to keep his job. And neither should the president of the United States.
Stay-at-home moms pay the price
TO THE lady who feels that working mothers abuse their children by working, I wish to say that when you are old and your husband, the bread winner, dies, your Congress that promotes family values will reward you just as it does the current elderly widows of this society. You will be impoverished. You will be a member of the poorest segment of this society while your congressmen and women enjoy huge pensions. You will be choosing between food and medicine. How do I know? I work with these women every day. They stayed home and raised their children, and now they are reaping the rewards. Many of them try to survive on $500 to $700 per month income. Doesn't that sound wonderful? By all means, stay at home and hope that your husband outlives you or that your children will support you when you're old, because those are your options.
Would have been expedited
JUST CURIOUS. Had we had a woman president in office who had had sex with a young male intern, I wonder how quickly matters would have been expedited to impeach her.
Address abortion issue too
IT IS because of people like Darrell Mease whose sentence was changed from death to life in prison that the pope believes himself obliged to ride the streets in a bullet-proof vehicle. I don't understand why Gov. Mel Carnahan chose this particular person to give a life sentence to instead of death. He killed a family in cold blood, and he has no remorse. If he was going to be influenced by the pope, why didn't the governor do something about partial-birth abortion. Give me a break, Carnahan.
No future support
I WILL not vote for Gov. Mel Carnahan again because of the simple fact that he should not have let the pope make his decisions for him. That man should be put to death for what he's done, especially killing a child and mother. This is wrong. Governor Carnahan needs to reconsider putting this man to death. There's no excuse for it, and I will not vote for him again.
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Someone else's fault
I READ the Speak Out comment from the parent of one of the arrested students at McDonald's. I'll bet the other 21 parents feel the same way: It was the fault of the other students, and my child wasn't doing anything wrong. That's what's wrong with this country right now. Parents won't or don't take responsibility for their child's actions. They dump them at the nearest corner and blame someone else if they get into trouble. My child would never do that. I suppose they would never throw trash on the ground either. All you have to do is drive around the school or McDonald's or wherever and see all the trash on the ground, and then you will make a determination as to whether your child would ever do that.
Taxpayer has more right
I'M NOT Catholic, and isn't meant to be against the Catholic church nor would I want to be the judge deciding who should be given the death penalty, but I'm very angry at the decision made by our governor to take someone off death row because the pope asked him to. So far as I am concerned, I have more right to ask the governor to change a sentence than the pope does, because I live in Missouri and pay taxes here.
Let priests marry
I WOULD like to comment on the article about the priest shortage in our area and in our country. I have been Catholic for all of my 58 years and have lived in several states and now reside in the Cape Girardeau area. I really feel that the priest shortage has come about due to the fact that they aren't allowed to marry and have families. Other people that I have spoken with share this thought. They are only human, and this is an inhuman, unnatural, unrealistic restriction to expect any human being to go his entire life and expect him to be alone. I think that if they would let them marry, this would meet with much less resistance than women clergy, which they are also talking about. I feel like we are going to bite off nose to spite our face if we hold on to this medieval way of thinking until we have no priests left at all. I just feel like there are a lot of young men out there who would have gone into this line of work had they been allowed to marry. I think that's holding some of them back, and they have a lot to give and should be allowed to do that type of work and not have to choose. Other faiths do it. Our Protestant brothers and sisters have.
Giving from the heart
IN RESPONSE to the comment about TV ministries asking for huge amounts of money: I don't know who you are speaking about, but my husband and I have been partners for the 700 Club for many years. Our $20 per month helps send the flying hospital to other countries that would not receive much-needed medical care, surgeries and dental care, all free. Operation Blessing helps clothe those in need and feed the hungry, and they're on call 24 hours a day with prayer counselors for those needing help with rent or electric bills. They're first to meet the need when disaster strikes anywhere. We're partner with Teen Challenge. In our small giving, we're helping someone's son. They do a wonderful job and have for many years. We're partners with Joyce Meyer Ministries in Fenton. She has spread the news of God's saving grace for years and years. We give from our heart. We're a small part of helping so many precious people for what we can afford. In this case, one apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch.
Protect Social Security number
WITH IDENTITY requests on the rise, it's important to protect yourself. I get increasingly irritated when businesses in Cape ask for my Social Security when paying by check. Several years ago, it was suggested for safety reasons that I should not have my Social Security number printed on my checks. When I tell cashiers that they're not supposed to ask for my Social Security number, I always get a blank stare, or they say their businesses require it. If you show a driver's license, you should cover your Social Security number. If certain businesses don't respect your concern, then take your business elsewhere.
Funny-money accounting
I'D LIKE to make a comment about Social Security. How can you take the Social Security surplus and put it back into Social Security when it belongs to Social Security? It's not a surplus. It belongs to Social Security. So how can you take this same money and put it back into Social Security to shore it up when it's Social Security's money to start with?
Big flower question
MY WIFE and I are having a difference of opinion regarding Valentine's Day. I believe her attitude is completely irrational and, pure and simple as an emotional rather than practical basis, typically female. Rather than throw many, many dollars away on real flowers year after year, I proposed to sign up for new silk flower service. The service provides a silk flower arrangement, and the service participant can return the arrangement year after year for a thorough cleaning and any necessary repair for a nominal fee. My wife says the service arrangement destroys the romantic aspect of Valentine's Day. I believe it is cost effective. What do Speak Out readers think?
Please return mail
I'VE ALWAYS thought people were extremely kind and honest. I put some mail on the back of my trunk. As I drove to Cape and an appointment at physical therapy, the mail was lost on Kingsbury Drive. A bunch of it was seen there by a neighbor, but later it was gone. If someone has picked up our mail, it has our address on it and our name. Would you please return it? It's important mail to us and things we need to have. I don't know what else to do. I think part of it was an income-tax return. Please, please return our mail.
Police need the best
HOW COULD anyone in his right mind who has an ounce of respect for law enforcement possibly begrudge a police department of any town having the very best equipment that is available to them? As anyone will tell you in the know, the Crown Victoria is the gold standard for police vehicles. What? You don't want them to catch the bad guys? Should they be tooling around town in a chopped, rechanneled, rebuilt '74 Gremlin or maybe a Ford Pinto that was blown up and taken off the market? What should they be driving exactly? You want them to hoof it on foot? You know, that just doesn't make any sense. If you're going to begrudge money spent on something, why don't we start talking about the River Campus. That's the most ridiculous thing that ever came down the pike. It will never get my vote, and it's a giant waste of money.
Lack of parental support
I AM shocked at the lack of support by the parents for the police on their action to do something after warnings about the smoking, cursing and loitering. I think the police were doing the job the parents should be doing. It would have eliminated the problem if they had.
The others are busy
FOR THE person who called in about the notorious McDonald's gang: The back alleys are great places to hang out, and I can understand why they would want their kids to be there next to trash Dumpsters and all. As far as the cheerleaders and the student council and athletes, they've already tried to catch them, but they're having a hard time because they're always busy. The cheerleaders are in cheerleading at school, the student council is in meetings and the athletes are in practice. But they're still working on it, so be patient.
Thanks for the kind deed
THIS IS a lady from Scott City. We were in Pasta House around Christmas time, and there was a young man and his wife or friend sitting real close to us. When we went to pay, the manager said it had already been taken care of. We never could find the gentleman's name, but my friend and I would like to thank the man for the kind deed that he did and say God bless you and maybe we'll meet again someday and we can do something for you.
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