SPEAKOUT

Madam secretary lacks modesty

WHAT A disgrace to America that our secretary of state, who deals with male leaders of other countries, sits with her skirt up to her rear. What a mockery of our nation. She has no respect for statesmanlike diplomacy or herself. Clinton's cabinet is all a big joke. All his appointed people are a big mockery.

Get rid of the ugly old bridge

THIS IS to Mayor Spradling. I would love to say what I think about him wanting to keep that old bridge as an expense to the taxpayers of Cape Girardeau and the county. We don't need that old bridge. We're getting a beautiful new one. Tear that old one down so we can see the new bridge. It would be more for the taxpayers than just for Al Spradling. That is an expense that we do not need. And as far as for playing golf, let him go out to the golf course and play out there. I sure don't want to have to put money into that old bridge. It's ugly in the first place. Get rid of that thing. The old bridge would just be another burden. Taxpayers, let's not allow him to do this thing. He's not the boss of Cape Girardeau. He may be the mayor, but he is not the boss.

GOP attackers are on their high horse

I'M CERTAINLY bemused by the Republican attackers who attack Bill Clinton viciously and continually for his maneuvering to avoid service in Vietnam. Then you turn around and back Bush, a chickenhawk who maneuvers his way into the National Guard and who would have been willing to play fighter pilot if the Vietnamese attacked Texas. Get off your high horse and recognize that Bush ain't what we need for president.

Enough of omnipotence already

I'M CALLING in response to a comment regarding George W. Bush. I don't know what the caller's talking about. We already have a president with an immature personality who thinks he's omnipotent. His name is Bill Clinton.

A warning to telemarketers

JUST A little tip for all you telemarketers out there. I put in my telephone service for my personal use, not for yours. So get a job. Get a real job. I do not buy anything over the phone. The only thing you're going to get when you call my number is a dial tone.

Sports article was insulting

I READ with absolute disgust your Sept. 4 article by Rus Baer. In the first paragraph he talks about how simple the Columbia Hickman team kept its program in the game against Cape Central. Then he goes on to say it wasn't simple enough for the Cape Central Tigers. We're talking about a school on the top end of the 5A designation and a school at the bottom of that designation playing against each other. Of course it was a mismatch from the beginning. But did Baer have to be insulting and crass and crude? Mr. Baer, you need to be objective and not so hateful. And please, Southeast Missourian, don't print anything else by him. We're better than this, and we don't deserve this kind of treatment in our home town.

Candidates have all the answers

I'D LIKE to share something with the readers of Speak Out that I got out of a paper in Australia. It says, "All politicians know how to solve the problems of the country until they get elected. If the country was governed by opposition parties, all our problems would disappear." I think that applies to U.S. politics as well.

Let's get our priorities straight

I CAN'T understand, for the life of me, all the hoopla about the law they've put in effect now for respecting funeral processions. As long as we stand for abortion, the murdering of unborn babies, we sorry Americans are going to hell in a handbasket.

Where did life come from?

YOUR RELIGION page had a wonderful story about evolution and creation. Dr. Andy Pratt was quoted. Dr. Pratt was talking about how the Bible and Genesis explain why creation happened, and science can explain how it happened. Those are wonderful words, and Dr. Pratt is very good at these things. But I still don't think science explains how it happens. Evolution explains how all life changes but does not explain where life came from. I think life came from God.

Big drug problem in Cape

CAPE GIRARDEAU, you have a bad drug problem, and the police are aware of it. There is a lot of crack cocaine and a lot of heroin.

Vouchers are bad for education

AS USUAL, the Swampeast Missourian has an editorial opinion that is indicative of its rebel, redneck approach to things. The school voucher plan is not mainly a way to improve education, it is a political ploy to aid those who do not want integration and who in many places in the South have used private and parochial schools as a way to avoid integration and to have the vouchers pay for their educations. The public school system of this country must serve all people, not just those who can't afford to use the vouchers. And as usual, the attempt to try to avoid the constitutional rule for the separation of church and state by having the government give vouchers would not be legal or good for the country. Those who do not use the public schools will try to do anything they can to cut down the funding of them.

Other places saved old bridges

IN CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., they renovated an old bridge into a tourist attraction, and it sits alongside their new bridge. They put an 8-foot fence on the outside so no one could jump from it. They replaced the floor with wooden planks and placed benches, large flower urns and trash containers on it. People use it for jogging and walking. Business people take their lunches there to eat, and everyone enjoys it. We did too, spending several hours there watching the boats and barges go up and down the river. We talked to several people who were from other states. They all wished they had something that nice close to their own hometowns. It was worth the expense to have a peaceful place to enjoy the river. There is also a bridge at the old Chain of Rocks near St. Louis that is just like it. People think it is very nice.

First, answer the question

I'D LIKE to comment about Hillary Clinton out campaigning. A reporter asked her how did she take a thousand dollars, invest it and make over $100,000? Her response was, "We need to put this behind us." I think the reporter should have commented, "How can we put it behind us if you refuse to answer?"

No savings for the consumers

I'D LIKE to comment on Florsheim and many other industries taking jobs overseas. Sure, they get the work done cheaper overseas with slave labor and such. But I want to point out that not only are jobs lost here, but not one single dime is passed on in savings on such products to the consumer. I think the government needs to step in and put a stop to all this.

Buyers have efficiencies too

WITH REGARD to the closing of the Florsheim factory, I completely understand the assertion of the Florsheim executive who was quoted in the story and said that by moving shoe-making labor and moving its plants to India and other foreign countries, it helps the company create operating efficiencies. This is an excellent idea. It's similar to the way I intend to create operating efficiencies in my own household in the future. I intend to create operating efficiencies in my own finances by buying as many shoes as possible from Florsheim's competitors.

We need to keep our city clean

I WAS surprised to see in the September issue of the Conservationist that David Klein of Cape Girardeau talked about how dirty and trashy our roads and streets are in Cape. I agree with him. I wish we could get together on this and get them cleaned up. Some other places are so clean. Let us keep our city clean too.

Need later mail pickups

IT IS ridiculous. A postal truck cannot go around and make a last mail pickup at all the postal boxes at 8 p.m. I can't believe this is too much to expect. The way it stands now, if a letter is not in the box by 6 o'clock, it may not be picked up. Despite what it says on the box: "Last pickup at 6:30." This is wishful thinking.

He's stayed sober for 15 years

A RECENT caller said that we should not make George Bush president because he was once an alcoholic. I think that gentleman should reconsider because of the fact that Bush has been sober for 15 years now. The person who has a real problem does not remain sober for that long.

Junior high open house was excellent

THE OPEN house at Central Junior High School was excellent. Everyone did such a wonderful job. It was organized and energized. It was a real delight to be a part of that.