SPEAKOUT

1925 tornado was probably F5

I WAS reading the editorial about preparedness, and it said that an F5 tornado had not hit Missouri. On March 18, 1925, the tri-state tornado first touched down in Missouri, and then it continued over into Illinois and finally dissipated in Southern Indiana. It travelled 219 miles and was one of the longest uninterrupted paths of any tornado. It was up to one mile wide and killed 689 people in three hours. This would have been an F5 had we had that classification at that time. I just wanted to set the record straight.

Put God back in the classrooms

I JUST read an article in SPEAK OUT, Put God Back in Classrooms. I agree with that whole heartedly. When I was growing up, in school, we had God in school. We said a blessing before we went to lunch. I wonder, we said the pledge of Allegiance to the flag everyday, I wonder if they still do that in school. That seemed to help our morals a lot to. The part about God, I believe, the best concept I ever heard of God, I'm an alcoholic myself, was put to me by another alcoholic. He said God is a good, orderly direction. I found as long as I keep a good, orderly direction, everything seems to work out. So, I agree with putting God back in school. We need him there.

Governor sends mixed signals

I'M CALLING in reference to the recent anti-abortion legislation. I find it very interesting that Gov. Mel Carnahan will protect the life of a cold-blooded killer, but he will not protect the lives of innocent, unborn children. I just find that very interesting.

Teachers need to inspire children

I DISAGREE with the caller who responded to Falling In Between the Cracks. Sometimes teachers deserve what they have to put up with in school, because they don't inspire the kids to be better or to be the best that they can be. There has been so much talk of homework. It seems it's just drudgery for kids. It seems like the teachers don't care how much they pile on each evening. Whether you live in one state or another, it's the same script that the teachers are coming out of college with. Many times it is pro-homosexual. No longer are there values in the family. So, is it any wonder that kids don't have respect for teachers in their so-called profession?

Just do it

TO THE man who is complaining about the person in the store parking lot trying to sell them windows. All they need to do is go in and report it to the management. The store doesn't want them there anyway because they want all of your money. So, things like that can be taken care of if you desire to.

CIA needs closer scrutiny

IT'S NOT how stupid are we, it is how stupid is our CIA. My dad, when I was visiting him last year, showed me a New Yorker article where our CIA was actually trying to hit Sadaam Hussein, and how they botched that in Iraq. They hit, I guess, a residence with his mistress there. Now our CIA goes botching things again by hitting the Chinese Embassy. It doesn't matter what our government is trying to do on one hand, because the CIA is meanwhile cutting off the whole arm.

Pension increase is wrong

I DON'T always agree with Gov. Carnahan, but I hope he blocks the pension increase. I hope he is successful. They slip those things by us. Everybody doesn't get an automatic pension increase just because their cost of living goes up. The pensions stay where they are based on where they're invested. Why should our legislators be treated any different? Stop it Carnahan. Don't back off.

Pro-life is for mothers, too

IN THE May 13 issue of SPEAK OUT, someone asked the question, is it pro-life for mother too. You are darn right we are. That is one of the reasons we are opposed to partial birth abortions. To perform this procedure the baby must be delivered breach. Everyone has ever had, or knows anything about having a baby knows this is very dangerous to the mother. That is why c-sections are performed on mothers who have breach babies. Also, the American Medical Society found there is absolutely no case where performing partial birth abortions is good, necessary, or healthy for the mother. When we say pro-life, we are pro-life for everyone, including the mother. Playing God, is deciding that an innocent baby should die, so that we as adults are not inconvenienced. Furthermore, murder is a sin, and a crime.

Movie causes concern

I'M CALLING to tell Cape Girardeau area parents that there is a tragic movie on at the local theater called Idle Hands, which glorifies violence and ends with a high school shooting. I think we should boycott this movie and complain to the movie owner.

United States is war happy

THE UNITED States is already occupying Bosnia and South Korea and trying to get a toe hold in Yugoslavia through Kosovo, but had to give up Vietnam in their last occupation. The United States has been very war happy. It's no wonder the taxpayers have been so overburdened having to support all of this war activity. American people are a peace-loving nation. But, look what our politicians have put our country through. It's a crime.

Pro-lifers for mother and child

THIS IS to the person who called SPEAK OUT, and said that pro-life people are mother killers. Are you serious, or just trying to stir up controversy? People who call themselves pro-life care very much for both the mother and child. When you have to make a choice between a pregnant woman who will die if she continues her pregnancy, the womens' life has been given priority. The problem with nearly all of the abortions being done today is that the woman's life is not in any danger whatsoever. She may be emotionally overwhelmed, scared, coerced, embarassed, or feel it is not the right time in her life to have a baby, but she is not going to die. An unborn baby should not die for these reasons. What if it was legal to kill you because of these same reasons? On the partial-birth abortion issue, there are no documented cases where a woman's life was at stake. Usually a woman is too scared or in denial about her pregnancy, so she doesn't say anything until she's five months along. Then, a partial birth abortion has to be done. She gets up and goes home two hours later, her life was not in danger. These abortions should not be allowed. We should encourage these women to carry their babies to term. They'll feel better about that choice in the long run. Someone once said, "I'd rather have a baby on my lap than on my conscience."

It takes courage to criticize Clinton

MRS. WILLY was on Larry King Live, and she said that the White House had trashed her, Linda Tripp, Ms. Flowers, and others, as liars, backstabbers and Judases. I praise them for their courage. They had enough nerve to come forward. It is amazing to hear these Clinton worshippers to hold up for this no-morals liar who has made a mess of our country's foreign policies, values and the honor we used to have. How do you explain this character to your children?

No more Star Wars, please

ORDINARILY I love Sam Blackwell's column, and I never miss one, but already I am so sick of Star Wars that I couldn't even read his column Thursday.