SPEAKOUT

President's home is historic

I WOULD like to know why SEMO needs the space at Wildwood for offices when they've going to have all the extra room if they get the River Campus put in. I think the president's home is a historic, wonderful place and shouldn't be wasted on office space.

Irregular postal schedule

I'M DISABLED. It's hard for me to walk, and I have to walk quite a ways to get the mail of the morning. I live off the road. I don't know what's happened to the post office. You used to could set your clock by when the mailman came. Now it's nothing for it be three hours late.

Need public transportation

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION is at a critical stage for those who depend on it. I waited two hours to go after medicine. Another time, the dispatcher couldn't guarantee to get me to the doctor although I called an hour ahead. As a possible solution, could the Cape County transit system be greatly expanded for service in Cape and use coupons and pay the same?

Prayers for Christians only?

I WAS wondering if other religions such as Muslims or Buddhists could attend the annual observance for the National Day of Prayer. Is it appropriate for us to pray also? All I keep hearing is that Christians will come together. I wonder if the Jewish people wouldn't like to pray on that day. Is it strictly for Christians?

Keep the fact straight

I AM calling Speak Out about the fact that time and time again we all hear a fact stated as a truth, but it is not a true fact at all. If I am incorrect about this, I stand ready to be corrected. The stated fact I'm referring to is that President Clinton is a draft dodger. All I have ever seen in print is that he secured a draft deferment. Now does our Selective Service authorize these deferments? If so, it is not correct to call someone a draft dodger who would use such a deferment. I had a teacher in high school once who had a saying: "Keep your goats on one side of the fence and your sheep on the other." Let us be straight about facts, if they are that, and don't tell them if they're not actually facts.

Fee for paying a bill

MY HUSBAND went to the utility company to pay our bill and was told that AmerenUE does not accept payments there anymore. You either have to go to Schnucks or mail it in. So he went over to Schnucks, and there was a lot of people there paying their bill and grumbling. They're charging 25 cents for the privilege of paying a bill. I think this is wrong. I think AmerenUE better do something about it. I suggest to everybody who pays this 25 cent fee that next month they take 25 cents off their bill. Maybe the utility company will get the message.

Stop talking about it

WHEN IS everybody going to quit talking about these shootings in these schools? Don't you think that's what these people want that are doing this?

Keep liquor out of Capitol

I AM in complete agreement with Bill Foster about the Legislature's having beer and alcoholic beverages with them when they are working in the Capitol. I'm especially concerned about Peter Kinder, who seems to be so thoughtful about the children and setting such an example for the children about the drinking during working. How many places when you're working are you allowed to have liquor, wine and beer? No wonder the kids get messed up. Let them have their beer and wine after they go home at night. Sounds like we have a bunch of party makers representing us at the Capitol. I've seen what liquor does. Of course, I'm just an old woman, 82 years old, and I believe in trying to protect my mind. I don't believe in drinking and eating a lot of stuff that could cause something to happen to it.

Homebound schooling

THE CALLER who complained recently about the student who was suspended for six weeks following extremely troubling behavior doesn't know what they're talking about. This student was not suspended. He's on homebound schooling at your expense.

Show your support

I SURE hope everyone in Cape Girardeau reads Jim Drury's letter in the May 5 issue. Citizens of Cape Girardeau, get out and support him. Get behind him. He is right.

No public crusader

IT'S SICKENING to hear Jim Drury to describe himself as a public crusader in his letter to the Southeast Missourian. He didn't mention in this letter the vote regarding the increase of the hotel and motel tax which passed. He also failed to mention the fact that he's been lobbying legislators in Jefferson City to kill the River Campus project. He tried to hold up the building up the Show Me Center with a frivolous lawsuit and lost. He's going to lose this one too, and maybe this time he'll finally learn his lesson.

Killing is always wrong

HOW CAN you piously call yourself pro-life if you're for a law that says, in those rare cases where the pregnancy will kill the mother, to heck with the mother, let her die. What if she has two or three kids at home? You say, oh well, she's had 20 or 30 years of life, let her die. And you're pro-life. You're a mother killer.

Only discovered recently

MR. LIMBAUGH mentioned in his column about the Chinese stealing the military secrets and blaming Clinton. I read here in the Missourian the other day that the FBI says it started in 1983. I believe Mr. Clinton was down in Arkansas at that time. The more they get in to it, the more they find that it went on probably from 1983 and was discovered under this administration.

What about the bracelet?

THIS IS in response to the comment in Speak Out about the bracelet at the pawn shop. I'm wondering if you're talking about a bracelet that was lost on Valentine's Day. If so, how am I supposed to know which pawn shop it is and how much it is going to cost me to get it back? Seems to me like that's kind of a chicken way out instead of trying to put another ad in the paper to give it back to the original owner. I'd like to know, on this particular bracelet, was it found inside or outside the Bavarian Hall. That would also help me clarify if it was my bracelet or not.

Apples don't fall far

IF WE wonder what's wrong with the children, I believe the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. From a little luck, we're either molded by godly examples or twisted and tormented by the ungodly.

Thanks for music program

THE SEMO Choral Union and Orchestra 125th anniversary celebration concert was a wonderful credit to our community. The patriotic music was stirring and well-performed. Thank you, singers, musicians and SEMO professors for an enjoyable music program.

No publicity for some weapons

I'D LIKE to make a comment about a story in the paper. On page 5 there was some guy who injured seven kids and killed two of them. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. I didn't hear Clinton come in with his counselors. I didn't hear anything about this. And the only reason was because he killed them with a Cadillac and not a gun. If he had killed them with a gun, it would have made front page. But since he killed them with a car, nobody even noticed it.