SPEAKOUT

Judgment has already been passed

TO THE Christian who called and said only God should judge homosexuality: He already has. Read your Bible.

Need better ratings for movies

SOMEONE NEEDS to be in charge of the ratings for movies, because it seems like there is no rhyme or reasoning for the ratings. For example, Anthony Hopkins in "Instinct." I would give that a PG-13 because it's a pretty intelligent movie, which is kind of hard to find these days. And Anthony Hopkins is an outstanding actor. I don't think the movie would hurt the average 13- or 14-year-old. Maybe they need to raise it a little bit to PG-14. On the other hand, "Austin Powers," which is a very sick movie, I'd give an R rating. The bathroom and anal humor makes it totally inappropriate for a 13- or 14-year-old. Whoever's rating these aren't doing a good job. Attacking violence isn't the only problem with movies. If you go to video stores, you see that videos are very sexist. The women have most of their clothes off. I think it's time we get a lot of the nudity out of the movies. If you see the name Gwyneth Paltrow, you immediately know it has nudity. There should be less nudity and cursing as well as less violence in the movies.

Just a wee bit of skepticism

THE FOLLOWING poem expresses my skepticism over whether Houck Stadium will draw larger crowds or better athletes.

Rebuild It and They Won't Come."

They're giving a new veneer

To old Houck Stadium.

I'd still rather sip beer

At the Paladium.

Don't just post signs

I WORK in a place that prides itself on being very religious. One of my friends came in with me the other day. There are signs up that say "We care about you" and "God bless you." But it is not a Christian place to work. The only thing the employees experience worse than administration are each other. Don't believe everything you see. It would be a lot better if administrators worked on actually treating their employees in a Christian way rather than putting up signs that say God ought to do it.

Traffic tickets for stupidity?

IT'S A good thing our cops in Cape and Jackson don't have to write tickets for stupidity, or they'd be busy 24 hours a day. I see people pulling out in front of other people, flipping people off, driving like idiots. These are the same rednecks who will stop for funeral processions. Let's give some of that respect to the people that are living, not dead.

Leaders teaching youngsters how to lie

LIARS. WE have some of the best liars in this country that I've ever seen. The president of the United States has lied to the people. It's no wonder that the kids lie. It's no wonder that the kids are in trouble. They've got good teachers teaching them how to lie.

Please explain the national debt

I'D LIKE someone to explain to me what the national debt it. I may be dumb, but if it means that our country owes money to other countries, I don't understand, since all the world's other countries owe us money. How is it that we owe them money? Will someone please explain this to me?

Cemetery needs better mowing

I'D LIKE to comment on the mowing at St. Mary's Cemetery. It's the poorest job I've ever seen. If there's a three- or six-foot space between stones, they don't mow it. They don't mow between stones. It looks like some 5-year-old kid got out there with his toy mower and mowed. I think they need to supervise that closer and do a better job. Then I went to Lorimier Cemetery. It's very neatly mowed, and it looks beautiful. It's trimmed, and it looks good. I think they need to get someone new to mow the grass at St. Mary's.

Thanks for letter about park

THANK YOU, Ella Jean Pleasant, for your letter to the editor June 22. It was a great history lesson on Klaus Park. It was entitled "Bill Ford made park dream a reality." I'm sure a lot of people enjoyed learning how our beautiful park came about. I think it would be the right thing to do to honor your dad's memory with a plaque. We will all remember Bill Ford when we pass by the beautiful park. We also owe your brother, Joe, a vote of thanks for his hard work.

V-chips, but no decency on TV

HOW STRANGE and tragic that the government can mandate V-chips on television, but it can't mandate decency on programming for television. Priorities are all screwed up in this country and are leading to our nation's destruction. Politically correct liberal trash that is spewing out in all directions in America is the root of our country's problems. It's causing violence, troubled teen-agers on the rampage and sexual orgies unbridled with no parental supervision or control. Then the government wants to take away decent citizens' rights to protect themselves from these rampaging troublemakers by more gun control and leave only the criminals with the weapons to terrorize us.

Some just become Democrats

YOUR EDITORIAL epithet, to the effect that one-time revolutionaries eventually settle down and become part of the mainstream establishment, is not always true. For example, I was a 1960s revolutionary and will always remain a Democrat.

Give every taxpayer a break

THE WEALTHIEST Americans are the ones who paid the most taxes. They are the ones who keep the federal government going. I am retired. My husband is retired. We haven't paid a tax except for our Medicare, which is another socialistic program, for over 10 years, either of us. It is wrong to give that money or have a tax break for just those who make $75,000 or less. It's right to give a tax break to every taxpayer in this country.

Thanks for new elementary school

THE PICTURE of the new Blanchard Elementary School was on the front page. What a wonderful new building. Thank you, taxpayers~!

Police should have continued search

TO THE Cape Girardeau police: Two wrongs don't make a right. 911 was called twice the night Debra Poch was murdered in cold blood. If they would have stayed in the area and looked, she might still be alive today, and her family wouldn't be grieving, her mother, two children, two granddaughters and numerous other relatives. If 911 was called you'd think they would have stayed in the area and searched it well if they thought the serial killer was on the loose. So that's no excuse.

Four shots seems excessive

THE WOMAN who was shot trying to get into the house: To me it seems ridiculous that the person fired four shots through the door. I mean, what was the person still trying to get in after the first shot? I would think one or two shots typically would make the person stop trying to get in.