SPEAKOUT

Guns and road rage

THE IDEA of Proposition B is to enable a person to carry a concealed weapon anywhere. Naturally, you would have to get a license to carry. That would let school kids out. No guns in schools. No guns for ex-cons. Banks can breathe easier too. There is one thing to consider, though, and that is road rage. If everyone packed their gun in their car, there could be a lot of shootings on the highways.

National moral decline

I WONDER what the founders of our country and the men who have died for our country would think of the moral decline of our nation today. The sacrifices they made seem in vain. Every minute there's a rape, a robbery or an assault in our country. Prostitution, pornographers and perversion are the norm. Homosexuality is a lifestyle, and sexual predators entice our children. Then there's living together, one-parent families, same-sex families, abortion on demand. There's the president having oral sex in the White House with his employee, and the public which gives him a high popularity rating. Christian people are denounced for stating their views on decency, character and religious values. Rock stars make the political statements and are admired for how vulgar there can be. What's the difference between Soddam and Gomorrah and our country?

Notice to cat owners

I LIVE on Georgia Street in Jackson. There are two beautiful cats roaming loose in my neighborhood. One is solid black with a pink collar. The other looks like a Holstein cow, black and white. Very beautiful markings. Both are as sweet and as friendly as you could ever want in an animal. I know a tragedy is coming. The black-and-white cat is stone deaf and never knows when something is coming up behind it. I've seen both cats nearly get run over numerous times. I try not to feed them and encourage them to hang around my house, but a couple of times they've climbed my tree, and I've needed to coax them down with food. I never see anyone giving them affection. I never see them inside a house or coming out of a house. If they belong to you, I plead with you, please, keep them inside or at least give them away to somebody who at least has a fenced yard. I'm a cat lover. If I am the one to accidentally run over the cats, God help you. You're going to wish you had been run over by a car instead of them by the time I'm done with you. That would just break my heart. They could get diseases or into fights with other cats. There have been other cats run over in this neighborhood before. I'm very afraid for them. Every time I see them, I struggle with whether to call the Humane Society. I figure some life is better than none at all. I just hope that when the end comes for them it's quick and painless, in the street. Because if I were to take them to the Humane Society, not only would I have to fight their owners, I would also have the knowledge that if I couldn't find the owners, they would probably be euthanized if no one adopted them. I don't think I could live with that. I can't take them in myself. I live in a house where it's not possible to have pets.

New national motto

WHILE BILL Clinton still faces trouble, the American people are as free as the wind. Clinton's acquittal and the American public's overwhelming demand that their hero face no consequences for his misdeeds teaches several lessons. Perjury is no big deal. Obstruction of justice? Who cares. Witness tampering? Whatever. The truth is what you think it is. Adultery? Schmadultery. Sexual harassment? So what, it's just about sex. A land whose people are equal before the law cannot be home to a king. In a sense, then, the Americans have agreed to define themselves down to Clinton's level. Henceforth, the sons and daughters of those who died for duty, honor and country, will be governed by a brand new national motto: "Just do it."

Appreciated Time Travel

WE REALLY enjoyed the Southeast Missourian on Feb. 28. The Time Travel sections were especially a blessing for all of us. Thank you very much.

YOUR NEWSPAPER and KFVS-TV keep referring to the new Blanchard Elementary School as being built at the corner of Sprigg and Bertling. I will buy anyone in town the most expensive steak dinner you can find if you will take me to the corner of Sprigg and Bertling and show me a new school that is being built there.

REPLY: The new school is being built north of the intersection. Southeast Missouri State University is building tennis courts right at the intersection.

Teaching good work ethic

IF YOU can exempt Indians for special rights to hunt out of season, which is being proposed here in Missouri, certainly the Amish should be allowed to teach their children the good American work ethic and be exempt also. At least they're teaching their children to work.

Making ourselves unhappy

I WAS wondering how many readers have ever observed a small toddler who, when he falls down, calmly picks himself back up and continues walking. Have you ever noticed that when some over-protective friend or relative who reacted to the little tumble with a cry of alarm and "Poor baby!" and who rushed to pick the child up, then the toddler would be startled and begin to cry. Most of us would agree that the toddler doesn't cry in response to the fall, but in response to the adult's reaction. I believe that's what's happening with this new redistricting plan. Ask yourself: Have you been griping and complaining to your friends on the phone and at the car pool and everywhere you go about the redistricting? Do you complain about it to your husband at the dinner table and make comments in front of your child about how hard and unfair it is that they're going to have to move? If your child isn't at ease with the upcoming transfer, ask yourself why. Is it the move, or is it your response to it?

Just deliver the mail

THIS IS about the Speak Out comment, "What's up with the Postal Service?" I don't care whether the mail carrier has long hair or short hair or wears long britches or short britches, as long as he gets my mail here before sundown. We get our mail anywhere from 4 to 5 at night. We're lucky we get it. We get everybody else's mail, all around the block, clean across the other end of town. I'd just like to get my mail, nobody else's. And I'd like it to be in the mailbox, which we don't get. I'm just glad you have nothing else to complain about except the mailman that has long hair, and the weather.

Poll favor a Republican

I WAS watching Channel 6 news, and they were showing the polls for the next president. Bush was in the 70s. Elizabeth Dole was 64. Gore was 52. According to the polls given during the Clinton administration, they are always right. So it sounds like a Republican will be our next president.

Low-level conversation

I OVERHEARD a group of four women at a local restaurant who were very loud and boastful how they thought Monica Lewinsky was such a tramp, how she stalked the president, how there are a lot of women like that. Now here's the president of the U.S., who has the highest position in the land, with a duty of decency and character to defend, over twice Monica's age, a role model for their children, and he's the victim. Why we have this scum in the White House is because of women like this with no intelligence, no character, and I'm sure, no religious background.

Keep everyone illegal

PROPOSITION B's vote: I agree with the three full-time government employees on the front page of the Feb. 26 Missourian. We don't need a concealed-weapons permit to carry. If this law is passed, I would have to go get a permit from our sheriff, be checked through the FBI to purchase, and complete a 12-hour course in safety. Today all we have to do is get a permit from our sheriff and be checked through the dealer we are purchasing the firearm from. No courses to be taken. The sheriff can't refuse you a permit unless you are a felon. Or better yet, go to any flea market in Kentucky or Tennessee and you can just purchase a handgun with no permit and no background check. Now, if you are caught with the handgun on you, concealed or not, you will only be tried for a misdemeanor, as the law is now. Our government boys have really done their homework. Let's keep everyone illegal and be tried if caught for a misdemeanor, not a felony.

Cats will eat the tuna

I'VE JUST finished reading the "Ask the Vet" from March 3 about giving a pill to a cat. After I finished laughing at the wonderful article, I want to suggest an easier way. Crush up the pill. Mix it with a tiny amount of tuna. Put it on the floor. You will not have any problem getting the cat to eat it up.

More on mail delivery

TO THE person who is complaining about their mailman's hair: this is 1999, not 1959. As far as delivering the mail in the wet rain -- is there any other kind of rain?

Ties to common people

THANK GOODNESS that we have a congresswoman from the 8th District who tells it like it is in Washington, D.C. She explained in the news the other day about there being no surplus. I had figured this for a long time myself. We need someone like this representing us in Washington as Jo Ann Emerson is doing. I will vote for her every time she runs for re-election, because I feel she's working for the common class of people instead of the big bureaucrats. So keep up the good work, Jo Ann. We love you.

No jail for first DWI

I AGREE with Mr. Swingle's comments that a first-time DWI offender should not have to spend mandatory time in jail. I think that oftentimes a first-time offender uses poor judgment in driving. If after their first offense they don't get it through their heads, then I think a person should spend mandatory time in jail.

An ulterior motive

IF YOUR spouse had cheated on you as many times as Bill Clinton has cheated on Hillary, would you still be together? And if you're still together, someone has an ulterior motive for being there, because it's impossible for the love and respect to still be there.

MSTA takes right stand

I AM proud of the Missouri State Teacher's Association. It is running ads saying that collective bargaining for government employees is a bad deal. It'll just mean spending more money on lawyers, on arbitrators, and waste more time that should be spent on our teachers and our students. I'm all for the Missouri State Teacher's Association. You've got the right idea.

Raise taxes, cut debt

I REALIZE that many people will not agree with what I'm about to say, but I think our lawmakers in Washington should consider raising our federal income taxes slightly over the next few years for these reasons. While the economy is in such great shape, we have an excellent opportunity to sharply cut back on the national deficit. There is too much money being spent on interest, thus causing the government to need more and more income. We need to think of future generations of Americans and be willing to sacrifice more of our income to reach these goals. Along with raising taxes, while we can afford to pay them, the Congress should be careful not to increase spending very much.

Congratulations to teams

I WANT to congratulate the SEMO Indians, the SEMO Otahkians and the Jackson Lady Indians on a great season this year. It's nice to have all the fan support like we did this year. Keep up the good work, girls and guys, and we'll be ready for you next year. Congratulations again.

Lobbying for support

THE ADMINISTRATION of SEMO has gotten the support of the Black Caucus by making a number of promises. The university administration should read its mission statement, a statement that would cause them to lobby for the support of their own faculty. There are needed repairs and equipment shortages on the current campus that I'm sure faculty would like to see addressed before they might consider supporting the River Campus dream. The university administration seems to reflect the same posture as those in Washington: If you want the vote, promise the electorate anything, because after the vote, you can forget your promises.

Recalling Cook's first days

I JUST read in the newspaper that Secretary of State Bekki Cook is not going to run for re-election. She had a very nice statement. She is very gracefully going to get out of office after serving her term and go back to private life, living under the laws and government that she has helped create. I think that is wonderful. I'm also reminded of her first few days in office, when she was called to preside over the election of a new speaker of the House. The wrong person was winning the election for speaker, and she kept the election open for four hours to allow enough time to get the correct person elected. Afterwards, when she was asked about it, she said she really didn't know who was winning the election, she couldn't see the voting board in the House. Any of us who have ever been in the House chambers in Jefferson City know that there are two huge voting boards up in the corners of the room. They're put up like scoreboards in a basketball gym. She saw those boards, but she told us she did not see them.

Give a good Democrat credit

THANK YOU, Bekki Cook, thank you, thank you, thank you. Great job. Come on back home and relax. We love you. You don't have to have that job to make a good living. Besides that, you don't have to have Mary Kasten and David Schwab run you down. Those Republicans are always negative, anyway. They won't even give a good Democrat credit. So come back and relax and enjoy your family.

Taking more of our money

OUT OF every pack of cigarettes sold, the tobacco companies receive 28 cents, the lawyers who negotiated the tobacco settlement receive 9 cents, and the government gets a whopping $1.61. Do you really believe the politicians were worried about our health, or were they eying that $1.61 per pack when they negotiated that tobacco settlement? Now Slick Willie wants to tack an extra 55 cents tax on each pack of cigarettes. Wow! He must really be concerned about our health! Smokers and nonsmokers alike need to be concerned about these tax measures pushed primarily by Democrats. To propose general tax increases would political suicide for these Democrats, so they're attempting to get their money in other ways. Not only through cigarettes, but also through firearms, fuel, environmental scams such as global warming, and any other scare tactic they can use to pry more money from consumers. Taxpayers need to take a stand and vote these parasites out of office.

I'll vote my way

THE UNION I belong to, the Republican party, the Democratic Party, and now the Christian Coalition all try to tell me how to vote. But none of them is going to tell me how to vote. I am going to vote my way.

Democrat-women conspiracy?

IF THERE is such a thing as a right-wing conspiracy, I don't hear about it for the simple reason that all the women who came out against Clinton are all Democratic women.

Get honest people next time

TO ALL the TV and other media: please stop glamorizing Monica Lewinsky. She and the president started all that scandal. Now she has written a book, and the public is buying it. Haven't we had plenty of her? Now she is getting after Kenneth Starr. I am sick and tired of hearing about her. She and the president disgraced the United States. But the Democrats and his lawyers saw to it that he got off scot-free. Just like Senator Kennedy got off when that girl drowned in his car. He had to call his lawyer first. I just hope we get rid of some of the Democrats in the next election and get some honest people to occupy the White House.

Want satellite stations

THE RECENT cutting-off of CBS and Fox stations in other areas to my satellite dish is something that concerns me. These local stations do not carry all the national programs. By having the other stations to view, I am able to get the programs I want to hear. I'm not always interested in sports and children's programs carried on these local stations. I'm 85 years old, and I like to get to the other stations. I hope that this is changed.

No map needed for altitude

I'M AN old Air Force wife. The pilot of that plane that killed all those people should certainly have been able to tell that he was flying way below 1000 feet, with or without a map. Therefore, not only he but the U.S. government are responsible for all of those deaths.