SPEAKOUT

Phony value claims

ONCE AGAIN, we have a caller to Speak Out chastising our president for his adulterous behavior. Where are these conservative callers in regard to Newt Gingrich, Bob Livingston, Henry Hyde and Dan Burton? Isn't it fascinating that when the whole Lewinsky affair began that it was about moral conduct? After all of these Republican affairs became public knowledge, all of a sudden the focus shifted to lying under oath or whatever else they could find to try to manufacture a reason to impeach the president. The point of this call, though, is hypocrisy and phoniness of Republicans when it comes to making the moral values.

Tyrants aren't tolerated

CLINTON MUST have been in his Marxist glory with that turmoil in Seattle. That ideology preaches divide and conquer. His divisive actions since he has been president are proof of his Marxist beliefs. He and Hillary were students of that diabolical ideology and are practicing it here in America with their repressive, dictating policies into people's lives. They are out for total control. But tyrants will not be tolerated in America. We value our freedoms too much to allow totalitarianism. They might as well hang up their Marxist agenda, because America will not allow it. We'll vote them all out at the ballot box.

A building proposal

SOMEONE ASKED what Bill Clinton will build when he gets out of office. They compared his potential work to Jimmy Carter's building houses. My only hope is that Mr. Clinton can build a clinic to treat sexually transmitted diseases and teach safe sex. If anyone ought to know, he should.

What would you do?

MANY YEARS ago when I was in school, I had a teacher who used the "What if?" method to analyze things. My what if for you, Southeast Missourian true believers, is this: What if during the impeachment of Bill Clinton both Clinton and Gore would have resigned and the presidency would have gone to Newt Gingrich? Now that his adulterous affair with the young woman had come out, what would you do? It could have happened. Give me an honest answer if you can.

Stop buying goodness

I THINK it's wrong for parents, especially those who can't afford it, to think they have to pay their kids if they make good grades and graduate by buying them new cars or things that they want every time they do something good. Aren't they supposed to be good? I thought children were supposed to be good. I thought they were supposed to make good grades. For the future's sake, I think it's a little crazy for parents to do this.

A phenomenal individual

I WOULD like to commend Betty Dubrock on winning the Random Act of Kindness award. Betty takes care of children in our community and has done so for a number of years. She currently takes care of two of our children. Betty is a phenomenal individual. She takes care of her children with pride and with love. She's someone that you can depend on. I should know Betty's abilities since she took care of me many years ago. Thank you, Betty. We're proud to have you in our community.

It's all about race

WHY HAVE a Black Caucus? Aren't there any white or brown citizens represented by these congressmen? Would a white, red, brown caucus be OK, or would it be racist? I think this shows who the racists are. To these bigots, race comes first. One congressman admitted on TV he would vote for Bill Clinton no matter what his moral values are because of his stand on civil rights and that's what matters. I think his character is right with Bill's: no morals or values. They mean nothing to these politicians. Just racial views and goals.

Can I be a farmer too?

I HAVE a three-bedroom house in town, two baths, no finished basement. I have a relative who has a 120-acre farm, nice home larger than mine, cattle, new truck and equipment. I pay more taxes than he does. What's going here? Can I be a farmer and fence in my back yard and raise a cow? Give me a break. I've worked on farm equipment all my life. My job fed the nation too.

Just don't tell us

I JUST heard on the news about another school shooting. Why don't the media people keep their mouth shut about that around here? All the school kids hear that. That's what flares it all up again. Let that shooting go on somewhere else, if they want to announce it. They don't have to announce it here around this part of the country every time something goes wrong. People are getting tired of the news media doing that.

A matter of equality

ISN'T IT ironic that a Republican called Speak Out to accuse liberals of espousing hate and comes off looking like a hatemonger? First, it is completely logical to understand why the rich hate the poor. Those who have a disproportionate amount of wealth are naturally fearful of those who have less. This natural divisiveness is why equality is given equal importance to liberty within our constitutional democracy. Second, people also naturally fear anyone different from themselves. This is why education is the antidote to prejudice. Open your mind. Read a book. Get off the couch. Get out of the house. You will find it much harder to hate others once you get to know them. Peace and love.

Trash men do great job

I'M CALLING in regards to the lady from Jackson who was complaining about the trash pickup. Those guys do a tremendous job. They go out of their way to do a good job in the heat, cold, sleet, snow. They don't deserve to be condemned. They deserve a pat on the back for a job well done.

Bands should parade at home

I AM calling regards to an comment in Speak Out that seemed to say the Jackson band should participate in the Cape Christmas parade. For the caller's information, the Jackson band participates in the Jackson Christmas parade, and we kind of feel like over here if Jackson can take care of Jackson, Cape can take care of Cape. So the Cape band should be in the Cape Christmas parade, not Jackson.

Use radar on busy street

I'D LIKE to know what kind of police department we have in Jackson. They could make the city a lot of money if they would run radar on Greensferry Road. They go 40 to 60 mph in a 30-mph speed limit. They used to work the radar every couple of weeks. The traffic was under control. The last three years I haven't seen radar run. The people could cross the street to the mailbox and back out your drive without being afraid of being hit. I also would like to know what two police cars do visiting with each other when they should be working. They park two or three different places, and I'm not the only one who sees this. All the people on Greensferry Road deserve better than we are getting from police. We're getting tired of paying taxes to the police for their salary when they're not doing no good job.

We owe a lot to liberals

IN THE late 1700s, the liberals in the colonies wanted to separate from Great Britain. They performed some disobedient acts like dumping the tea off British ships into the Boston harbor. After enough disobedient acts, war started. During the Revolutionary War, the liberals fought the British, suffered and died. The conservatives stayed comfortably at home. It seems to me we owe a lot to the liberals.

Another vote for George

I'M GLAD someone else besides me thought that George Woods from Sikeston should have been on the top 25 list of sports. I think the Southeast Missourian did a great job, but George Woods was a good one. I remember watching him play football. He was a good fullback.

Let teens use the park

I WOULD like to know how the Jackson Police Department can run the teen-agers out of the Jackson Park during normal hours. When they are playing ball or just sitting around talking, they are doing no harm. Shouldn't the ones who did the vandalism be punished? But you can't punish them all. Isn't that what we all pay our taxes for, the use of our parks? What would you rather have our kids do?

Wonderful church program

I'M JUST calling to Speak Out about the Cafe LaCroix at LaCroix United Methodist Church this past weekend. I just want to say what a wonderful program it was and that I hope next year as many people can get out to see how God is working in that church and among those people there at LaCroix United Methodist Church.

Clean up this planet first

I'D LIKE to send a beacon or signal to the NASA program and tell them that most of us American taxpaying citizens are sick and tired of them burning and blowing up our tax dollars, trying to find life on another planet. We need to clean this planet up that we're on before we think about making it to another one.

Fiberglass for the bubble

I JUST saw the new bubble over the swimming pool at the Cape Central High School. It's looking good. While we've got this bubble up and before it starts tearing up, maybe we ought to do something special. Maybe we ought to go out to the pool with a lot of fiberglass and fiberglass resin and fiberglass the bubble. That way it won't blow down, and we'd have a bubble that would last for years and years. Then the swim team could practice every day. What do you think? Let's get some fiberglass out there.

One teen is a hero

EVERYBODY ASKS what's happening to children today, what's wrong with our teen-agers. I want you to know that one stands out from among the rest. There was an accident, and Mindy came to the rescue and took everything in stride, called the emergency room she was asked to call. She may have saved a life. So here's to you, Mindy. You're the exception, and there could be a lot more.

Some wouldn't pay at all

THIS IS in response to the caller who thinks everyone opposed to government health care is a dumb redneck. I guess I'm a dumb redneck with a master's degree, because I'm definitely opposed to government health care because all taxpayers would not pay for it as you stated. Over 40 percent of households pay no income taxes, and this same group would pay nothing toward the cost of this massive program.