SPEAKOUT

Don't blame Brady Bill

I JUST read in Speak Out the comment about the Brady Bill. It gave me a good laugh. With my great imagination, I could see going to school being taught by a pistol-packing Annie Oakley and having a shootout at the OK Football Field. Don't blame the Brady Bill for the violence in our school. Look at the sources of violence such as movies like "Scream I" and "Scream II" and video games that are kill, kill. I was raised on movies and TV where only the bad guys got hurt and the good guys left with a tip of the hat or a hi-ho Silver.

Home-run hitters

I WAS at a Chaffee game, and two Scott City girls hit two home runs, and it wasn't in the paper. Their names are Kristin Burton and Ashley Lynn.

Only in River City ...

ONLY IN Cape Girardeau could someone suggest that the Brady Bill is responsible for the tragedy in Colorado and that guns in schools are a good idea.

Send Clinton supporters

I WANT to comment about the question of whether they're going to have the draft and whether they're going to call up reserves. I have an idea which I think would be better than that, and you wouldn't be making anyone mad or upset. Just open the draft boards and take the people who voted for Clinton. Let them go over and fight. They didn't mind character or anything like that. It meant nothing to them. So here would be a perfect chance for them to prove that they really backed their leader. I want to see those people who actually support him go before the other people who don't support him. If they like Clinton so well, sign up and go. They've got plenty of places right over there in the Yugoslavian mountains. But don't ask someone else to do what you won't do yourself. Just like Clinton, he shouldn't ask anyone to go when he wouldn't go when it was his turn.

No more Monica

FOR SOMEONE who loves the children, the president has an odd way of showing it. He's disgraced the children of America with his perversion, and many children have died in the bombing of Yugoslavia. Mr. Clinton, we've changed the subject now from Monica and your perverted lifestyle. So let's get out.

Give parents their rights

JUST ONE comment in regard to more laws for gun control. As long as God is out of the classroom, as long as parents cannot raise their children by spanking them without being sued, more and more laws will not help. One bruise and the child has the right to sue the parents. Get rid of the laws first that pertain to child raising. And people wonder what is wrong with our children. The laws will not let us as parents correct their actions and behavior.

Superb high school concert

I WOULD like to commend Mark Ellison and his high school musicians at Central High School for the superb "Point of Impact" concert this last week. The wonderfully diverse program featured students of exceptional talent and dedication. Programs such as this do not simply happen. Hours of rehearsal are necessary to carry off a program of such musical excellence. Mr. Ellison is truly a remarkable teacher, and it is refreshing to see a group of teen-agers in these troubled times utilize their talents in such a positive manner. The admission price of $3 was a small price to pay for an evening of pure enjoyment. Keep up the good work.

Step-parent seeks advice

I'M CALLING to voice my opinion on those who have the rights of the biological mother, the rights of the biological father and the rights of the grandparents. But what about the rights of the step-parent? I am a parent who is involved in a litigation over a child who is torn between her biological parents and her step-parents. This little girl has been twisted and turned upside down. Are step-parents not as important as a biological parent? Do they not have as much a part in their lives as a biological parent? Is there are any organizations or anything like that out there? Would someone please call and let us know. I would really like to get involved in something like that, because I think it's a shame that I have no say whatsoever in the raising of this child. I can sit and watch her pain and her tears and her fears and listen to her, but I can do nothing about it. I know this sounds like it's the mom against the step-mom, but it is the child's right also. And the problem with the child is that the step-mother has tried, but the biological mother keeps pushing her out. Since I have no rights, I can do nothing to help this child with her rights.

There was money involved

OF COURSE, the Chinese didn't steal American military secrets. They paid for them fair and square.

Ban pipes and gas tanks too

THOSE TROUBLED teen-agers in Littleton used guns to commit a crime, a very heinous crime, a crime against humanity. As a result, I wholeheartedly support efforts to ban guns in the United States. I also understand that those boys used quite a few pipes to fashion bombs out of, and I also understand they used some LP gas cylinders to fashion a couple of large bombs out of. As much as I love indoor plumbing and barbecuing, I think we all need to come to the conclusion that barbecues and indoor plumbing are going to have to be banned in this country, because we can't have pipes and LP gas cylinders available for children to fashion bombs out of.

Rudest towns around

I'M RESPONDING to the comment about "Rude motorists in Cape." I agree. I am not from this area and moved down here several years ago. I think of all the places I have ever been, Cape Girardeau and Jackson are about the rudest two places I've ever been, not just driving but the people as well. I've been to Chicago, and the people up there are nowhere near like this. I don't know what this town would do if they had to band together for a crisis or an incident, because there are too many different classes and levels of people. Some think they're better than everybody else, and it is not supposed to be like this. It's a beautiful town, but they ruin it by being rude.

Reasons to oppose GOP

THIS IS what keeps me from voting Republican: I deplore the right-to-work law or any part of it. I deplore a party or person that's against any national health care for people who cannot afford insurance, the working poor. I'm against anyone who's against raising the minimum wage when he knows the prices and when the people need every penny to make ends meet. Also, I deplore anyone who backs a president that vetoes the employment insurance extension like Bush did. So if the Republicans want to denounce all that, I would consider voting for their candidates. Until then, in no way, shape or form could I ever vote for the Republican ticket. Any working man who votes for the Republican ticket, particularly the working poor, he's like a slave being loyal to his master.

There are honest people

WHILE SHOPPING, I lost a valuable diamond and ruby ring. After checking at the four different places where I shopped, I learned it had been found at Aldi's Store. Paula, the checker, found it, but she refused a reward saying she was only doing her job. I am most grateful to her, and I wrote her employer telling them what a valuable employee they had. There are honest people in this world.

Tough love and prayer

I'M HOPING that people read the April 29 letters letter to the editor by Tim Quigly and Lee Roy Keller. Let's practice some tough love and save our kids and our country, and let's pray. Boy, we need it.

News media making it worse

I THINK if the news media would quit broadcasting for 100 times a week and 40 times a day about these school shootings, a lot of that wouldn't be going on like it is. We're not interested in having to know about the funerals and all that. When the kids hear it, they think, Well, they did it there, so I can do it too. Why don't they quit broadcasting that so much? It's about time they realize that they're making things worse instead of better. They can sure find something more different to talk about than all these sad shootings at school.

Democrats go too far

I READ all these Democrats from Speak Out who are so down on the Republicans and how mean and cruel they are and how good the economy is. How could any decent person support an adulterer, liar and pervert and a party that wants the gays in their agenda, pro-choice, to heck with God's laws, who pushes for the ACLU on every perverted group issue, let's get God out of the schools, let's pass out condoms. It shouldn't be yellow-dog Democrats. It should be scumbag Democrats to fit their agenda and their president.

Different tastes in music

I READ the Speak Out comment that asked why no more attended the Widner Big Band sound that was at Academic Hall auditorium. Maybe not everybody enjoys big band music. I personally enjoy country and western music, and that's where I go. Some people enjoy this, and others enjoy another kind. That is probably why they had poor attendance.

Help folks here first

I AM empathize and sympathize with what happened at Columbine High School, Littleton, Colo., but to establish a fund for the shooting victims is kind of ludicrous. Does anybody realize that community is very wealthy and that all those children were from very wealthy families? I think they need to establish a fund for me and my family and maybe some families here in town and not be worrying about what happened in Colorado.

Wrong to promote paganism

I WANTED to comment on the pagan article on the religion page. I just cannot believe this was printed in the newspaper. Yes, this religion is a cult. And with the mayhem going on in our country today, we need to return to God Almighty, not encouraging paganism. It's no wonder our kids are so confused.

Starving for attention

I AM a grandmother, and I wish the American people would wake up. Our children are not taught the values of Christianity. They took it out of the schools. They took it out of everything that would teach our children where the great values of life are. Instead, they have turned to wild music on radios and TV. That is what caused it. When you took it away from our Heavenly Father, you might say that you turned our children over to Satan.

Teach the young

YOU KNOW, it's very bad (Speak Out, "Punish threatening students.") You don't wait until they get to junior high or high school. Spare the rod, spoil the child is when they are young. How can you punish children after they are juniors and seniors in high school? Most of these things that happened, no one even knew it was going to happen. It's very sad someone wants to start punishing juniors and seniors in high school when they're the ones getting blown away. I suggest you start teaching the children when they are young. You don't wait until they get to be juniors in high school or seniors. You bring these children up in school and you take God out of school. That the real problem in itself, when you can't even salute the flag, when you can't even have a prayer before lunch. God help everyone, because it's not juniors and seniors. They grow up in these environments, and they become what they see. Let's please start loving our juniors and seniors, not punishing them. It's sad that schools cannot have prayer.