SPEAKOUT

Sweet dreams become nightmares

I'M GETTING ready to go to bed, and I feel so fortunate to live in a country where my great president has just released terrorists into the general public. And to add the icing to the cake, Janet Reno is still the attorney general.I know I shall sleep well tonight and dream good dreams of this great United States of America. God help us all.

Pranks shouldn't do harm

I JUST read your front page story on the prank, where the teenager was tied to the cross in Jackson. I am appalled and sick to my stomach at what I just read. These are not pranks. This is cruel, hateful behavior. My friends and I used to play pranks on each other. Our pranks were no harm. Anybody would be scared by what was done. I am shocked that no parents were charged. And there are all these people brag about Jackson having hometown values and how much better they are than Central High School. I have never of all my years living in Cape seen an incident like this.

Keep walkways open at games

I'M FROM Jackson, and I have reserved seats at the football games and help support the boosters. At the Friday night game, people were sitting in the walkway in the reserved-seat section, and no one could get to their seats. These are not reserved seats. It's the walkway to get to your seats. Someone is bound to fall if the walkway is not kept open.

Reputation is better than that

I HAVE just been reading the articles by Sam Blackwell about the Jackson youth. If this is true in any portion of it, I can't believe it. I'd certainly be let down in the reputation of Jackson. I always thought Jackson held higher ideals than this.

They all should be arrested

I JUST finished reading about the young boy in Jackson who was kidnapped and tied to a cross by his so-called friends and their parents. What kind of parent would condone, let alone help, do such an evil thing? The parents of the young man should have had them all arrested the night it happened. There is no reason something like this should happen with anyone. Arrest them all and put the parents' and the children's names in the paper. This is child abuse in the extreme.

This is just unbelievable

I JUST read the story in the in Saturday paper about what happened to the Venable boy in Jackson. I think this is the most disgusting thing that I have seen, and to think it could happen in a town like Jackson. And the parents of these boys approved and stood around and helped engineer the thing. I can remember my days in school and the punks who bullied me around. To this day I have never forgotten them. To pull something like this on a young man and for the girls to attend something like this is just unbelievable. This scars a person.

Actions leave you speechless

I SAT down and tried to think of something to say to Speak Out about the violence perpetrated upon the young man in Jackson. I am, however, so outraged and angered by the actions of the perpetrators, their parents and the other adults who learned of what was done to him that words simply fail me. All I can say is that we often test for intelligence. In this case, I think the perpetrators and the adults who took part, as well as the adults involved in the follow-up, should all be given stupidity tests. There can be no other explanation for their actions except stupidity.

Can't imagine anything like this

MY GOD, my God. I am not given to profanity, but the story in Saturday's paper about the Jackson football boys and their parents kidnapping a boy, tying him to a cross, grabbing his genitals and threatening with a chain saw and burning has made me angrier than I have ever been. I cannot imagine any responsible parent condoning, let alone participating, in this. I believe those students who participated should be barred from the football team and all other school activities including the girls who participated in this. If they are not, I would hope all responsible people would boycott the football games. I'm sorry, coaches, but if you lose every game this season because of this, so be it.

This would scare me to death

I JUST got through reading the front page of the Southeast Missourian, about that kid who I would say was tortured. All I have to say is one thing: the parents of the ringleader should be put in jail. The ringleader of the whole group should be put in jail. Maybe that would give them time to think before they ever do anything like that again. I don't know the kid or anything about the situation except what I read in the paper, but in my opinion I'd bet that kid is scared to death. I know I would be, and I'm almost 60 years old.

This it totally unacceptable

I LEAD a sheltered life here in Cape Girardeau. The first I heard about the incident in Jackson was when I read it in Saturday's Southeast Missourian. It shocked me that this kind of behavior on the part of teen-agers would be justified as a prank. What kind of parent would stand by while their children tortured another person? And make no mistake, this was torture. The kind of behavior that he was subjected to, with his face covered, being taped and hit and threatened, this was torture. Of course, the parents' excuse is that the leader told them that the victim's parents had agreed. Did these parents consider the possibility that their son lied? Did they think of checking with the parents to see if this was true? Would they tolerate their child being a victim of such behavior? This is totally unacceptable. I think the students and the parents should be punished to the maximum extent of the law and with the public criticism they deserve.

If these are friends ...

I WAS outraged when I read the story about the Jackson high school student and even more so when the parents stood by and watched and even took pictures. If these are friends, give me Cape Girardeau's Good Hope street. At least I know who the enemy is there.

Ringleader needs help too

AFTER READING that article Saturday in the Missourian about the seven boys who traumatized another boy so terribly, it is very evident that although the victim needs help because of the trauma, the leader of the gang needs more help than a term of probation and is crying for some professional help, more than high school counselors are trained to do. His cry should be answered now so that he can live a worthwhile life.

Using a cross was blasphemy

I'M CALLING about that incident with those Jackson kids and what they did to that boy in their class. I'm a youth group leader here in Cape Girardeau, and I am appalled that they would use a cross and the parents would think that it's OK to use a cross in such a manner and a prank. What they did was blasphemy. It was disrespect. It was a mockery of what our Savior did for us.

And we wonder why kids are in trouble

IN JACKSON, the so-called prank was very scary. We wonder why kids are in trouble. The prank these kids did will lead to more serious things as they get older. And the parents approved of it! If that was my son, there would be real problems for those kids and parents who have been doing this since they started to drive. What parents they have.

Actions compared to hazing

IT AMAZES me that after all the hubbub around here on college hazing that Jackson teen-agers and their parents think it's all right to pull such pranks.

This was a horrible thing to do

IN RESPONSE to the front-page article of the prank at Jackson High School, this was not a prank. This was a bunch of criminals perpetrating a crime. A prank is something that is fun and kind of cute. This was a horrible to have done to a child. From what I have heard in the past, this is not the only time something like this has happened. It seems like these incidences are escalating, and the parents involved should be prosecuted. That was a horrible thing to do to any child. I think those of us who have children realize this, and I feel very sorry for the child and his parents. I also feel sorry for the families of the people who were involved, because anyone who would allow these things to be done and has that kind of mentality has a hard row to hoe in the life ahead of them.

At least call it hazing

IN RESPONSE to the so-called prank on the front page of Saturday's newspaper, I'm calling to voice my opinion, which is that there is another word for this. If it's not going to be a criminal action, then it's at least called hazing. On most university campuses this can now be prosecuted. Those involved are generally kicked off campus, and there are a lot of repercussions. I don't think anyone involved in this should be allowed to play sports. They should make some restitution to the boy they perpetrated these acts against.

Blame sports for what happened

CONCERNING THE Venable incident, this is appalling. I blame parents, schools and sports. The coaches are teaching that so long as their boys are winning games and the coaches are winning games, then they are above the law and gossip. They are egomaniacs. The coaches need to set better moral examples.

This could lead to worse things

JUST A word about that Jackson youth who was tied to a cross and tormented. One of the parents said it was just a prank. I'd like to know when kidnapping turned into a prank. It looks to me like some kids who could start up shooting like they've done at other schools. I think the authorities better really look into this.

Take them off the team

IF THE paper's description of what some football team members did to one of their members is true, it was not a prank or bizarre antics. It was an assault, which is a crime. The principal should or at least remove all players connected with this crime from the team.

Adult supervision is needed

MY HEART is very sad for the people, the parents especially, of these youths in Jackson who are so neglected. There is no supervision. When more than two are gathered, an adult or responsible guide should be present. Then to have absolutely no clue as to what a friend is. With friends like these, what is an enemy? You see, you don't always need a gun, just a participating parent who believes in pranks on somebody else. God help them. Don't try to lay this on the school board. They're responsible during school hours and activities. The rest of the time, it's the parents and the law. This is my community, and I want to be counted for something else beside taxes. So parents, love your children and help the schools be an asset of the community by doing your part in building the character of your child.

Turn it around the other way

I HAVE a comment to the parents of the students who carried out the prank in Jackson. Would you consider it a prank if it happened to you or one of your children? I don't think so.

Hurting others hard to understand

I HAVE many emotions concerning the Jackson youth who was traumatized, including anger at the youth and parents who were involved with the assault on the teen. I refuse to call them friends or responsible parents. I refuse their definition of "jokes" and "pranks." I cannot understand how people can hurt others physically and emotionally. How can these people call themselves Christian parents and allow such actions? I cry for the victim. It infuriates me that these teen-agers and parents were not and have not been held accountable for their inhumane actions. I pray to God that there are appropriate actions taken. I pray even more for the victim of such unnecessary and cruel acts.