SPEAKOUT

Involve more students in activities

I READ with interest the Speak Out from the person who had trouble with the disparity among pictures of students in the Notre Dame yearbook. Hear! Hear! When our student first brought it home, his comment was that the members of the cliques whose friends were on the yearbook staff had their pictures taken more often and had their pictures selected more often. This is just recent evidence of the bigger picture of some kids never or seldom being included in most things. However, I don't look to Brother David. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful, spiritual man as our leader. And he is new. Instead I look to the faculty, parents and students who are not new. Students should ask themselves what they are doing to correct the problem. For example: How often have you called someone, who usually sits at home, to do something with you and your friends? The parents and faculty should stop praising as leaders those who inflict pain on others.

It was textbook case of hazing

COULD WE all please come to an agreement of a definition of terms on the Jackson hazing incident. What occurred was a textbook example of hazing, and we should no longer refer to it as a prank.

Thank you for stating the point

I WOULD like to say that I agree with the heading, "Don't blame all for a few." I think this Speak Out caller did a very good job of stating his point, and I'd like to say thank you.

Don't make taxpayers pay every time

I WAS noticing the damage that the hurricane caused in North Carolina. It looks to me like they could have done a lot better job than they did. When you see a whole schoolyard full of school buses with water up to the windows, and you see airplanes in airports that are completely flooded out, why weren't those vehicles taken inland to keep them from getting destroyed? It seems like people just want the federal government to bail them out. And they let their insurance take over when they should be doing some of those jobs for themselves. If I was the insurance company and the federal government, I'd be looking into some of that. These people live in hurricane-prone areas. They should take care of themselves. They don't have to live there in the first place. If they want to live there, they're on their own. The taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for everything all the time.

Look to lifetime role models

THE TROUBLE at Jackson High School has people talking about the coaches, teachers, even Bill Clinton as role models. What about mom and dad as role models? Coaches and teachers and the president are temporary figures. But mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, they are lifetime role models. Let's expect parents to be the proper teachers of character.

Pastors: Stay the course

I'D LIKE to encourage all pastors of all religious denominations to stay the course and stand firmly on the teachings of Holy Scripture. You will not be loved. No one will praise you. Some of you will be hated. But remember Jesus Christ, our Saviour, perfect and without sin, was hated, spit on and nailed to the cross. Do you have the courage to stay the course, to fight the good fight and fearlessly face our God, our heavenly Father?

Some thoughts on the parade

TO THE person was concerned about the children getting hit by the police during the parade. When the police motorcycle comes, my child is expected to be sitting in a chair. I think it's just common sense to teach your kid that. We were sitting somewhere near the end of Kingshighway. Yes, the police patrolled, but it was no big deal to us. The only big deal to me was that people didn't stand for the American flag. Yet my child and I stood. I am teaching him to stand. Also, I think it would be sad if no one in the parade threw candy. In some cities parades can no longer toss candy out because it's considered a liability. But without the candy, it's not as much fun for the kids.