SPEAKOUT

Callers should listen first

THIS IS to the called in Speak Out who commented on Rush Limbaugh's remarks regarding the death of JFK Jr. It is obvious that this reader did not actually hear Rush's comments, for if he had he would know that what Rush said exactly was in no way vitriolic nor offensive. Mr. Limbaugh merely spoke to the fact of JFK Jr.'s limited experience in flying. It was then the listeners of Rush's program who misunderstood the content, which led to further discussion. In the end, if you were listening, you would have understood the meaning of Mr. Limbaugh's observation. If this caller really listens to Rush Limbaugh, he should know that one thing Rush does not lack is understanding. Besides, what our country needs to be flushed of is Bill Clinton -- not Rush Limbaugh.

Three acts of kindness in one day

ACTS OF kindness are alive and well in Cape Girardeau. My husband and I were stranded at the mall. The battery in our 1978 Chevy pickup died. A young man working behind the courtesy desk at ShopKo graciously tried to jump start our truck. When that did not work, we were allowed to use the store's phone to call a neighbor. The neighbor came to our rescue and was successful in starting our truck. Being a mechanic by trade, our neighbor knew that the solution was to purchase a new battery. By this time most businesses that could meet our need were closed. Our neighbor followed us to Walmart, which was in the process of closing down the garage for the day. One employee there agreed to stay over to install our battery. We were certainly blessed in one evening with three acts of kindness.

Emerson and Bond liberal to the core?

EMERSON AND Bond want to spend $20 million of taxpayer dollars yearly to educate the public about the virtues of folic acid? Sheer lunacy. Call it the folic-acid folly. Why not $20 million a year to inform the public about vitamin E? How did vitamin C and calcium and niacin get left out? And what about B6 and B12? Emerson and Bond have so little to do they must now fret that some women don't know enough to eat balanced meals while pregnant, so they must be educated, at taxpayer expense, to take folic-acid supplements. Emerson and Bond, suddenly liberal politicians to the core, conclude that doctors and friends and the media and county health departments and other sources aren't good enough, that people can't think for themselves, that our diets are now of such government concern that the Congress must appropriate $20 million a year to teach us to take folic-acid supplements or to eat more spinach or whatever. I had thought, in voting for U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson a couple of times, that women couldn't make a worse mess of government than the men have. Now I don't know. As for U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond: Has the man no shame? Just think of the logic evident here: The federal government has the almighty power to cure every aggravation, every illness, every defect in human life. All it takes is an endless supply of our tax dollars, and a certain kind of politician to appropriate them.

How you're brought up plays a role

I THINK it's good that Hillary comes to the defense of her husband, and I'm sure that the way one is raised does play a part in what they become as a person. I think you should lay out what people are like and let us make our judgment. I like to see everything and decide for myself. I'm sure the way you're raised plays a part. I know my parents didn't raise a whoremonger. I'm in my 40s now, and I've never cheated. It was because of the way I was raised and the values my parents had. They never divorced. It was tough to stay together, but they did it. Now I can say I'm glad I don't have two sets of parents to visit when I go home.

The truth would have had consequences

TO THE truth-shall-set-you-free person: If that were the case, Franklin Delano Roosevelt probably would never have been elected president. Unemployment insurance, Medicare and public assistance are there thanks to Roosevelt. If the truth sets us free, then we would not have that. We'd be a nation starving to death. The farmers probably would be broke, worse off than they are now. Also, Thomas Jefferson, one of our greatest presidents, would never have been elected either. If the truth came out about many of our great presidents, we would have been robbed of one of the people who wrote the Constitution. Bill Clinton committed a terrible sin, but he has been forgiven. He has been completely forgiven, I feel, if your a Christian person, you'll put it behind you. This name calling of "pervert" I have never read it another newspaper. This really shows what we've come to.

Put all the records on the table

I WOULD like to comment about the latest dealings with Iraq and George Bush's alleged use of cocaine. It goes to show what kind of white trash Bill and Hillary have taken to the news media. And the media is covering it like it's a big story. I think George W. Bush ought to stipulate that he will announce if he's done cocaine only if Bill Clinton releases his medical records. That's the only way to take the white trash out of it.