SPEAKOUT

Mule on coin kicks up support

THE MULE on the quarter: I like it: I like it.

CONGRESSWOMAN EMERSON, what do you plan to do about those millions of people who are without health insurance? You're pro-life. Take care of them when they come here. What about those minimum-wage people who work for employers that don't have health insurance? Ignoring them is not going to make them go away. I mean, after all, you didn't like the president's plan. We need a national health care. We need a government national health care. That's the only way to do it. Social Security has worked and it's not on its way out, I don't care what you say. So, I don't know how you get elected. I surprised those people without health insurance doesn't vote more than they do. They mustn't because I don't think you'd be there.

Good for farmers, good for schools

I JUST heard about the disparagement law that the agriculture interests want to pass in Missouri, the one that's the same as the one in Texas. I think it's a great idea. I think we ought to pass that law also so that no discouraging word, nothing disparaging, can be spoken of the school system. If it's good for agriculture, it's good enough for education. Could that be called bashing them?

Curious about moon landing

I'VE RECENTLY heard a lot about the moon landing, which I witnessed. I can't remember what year it was. My almost 40-year-old son was just a little kid then, way back then. But I've heard a lot about the moon landing being staged, a farce. Why would NASA or the federal government fake a landing on the moon? When you stop to think about it, however, I've never heard another word about the moon. Nobody else has ever been there, and they only put down on one spot. How can they know what was on the other side of the moon? I'm just a little curious now.

REPLY: The first moon landing was by American astronauts on July 20, 1969. There were five more lunar landings, all by Americans, with the sixth occurring on Dec. 11, 1972. After that, NASA devoted most of its attention to work stations in space.

New name for town: Pothole

I GUESS all the readers and everybody in this area know where Pothole, Mo., is. Well, in case there's somebody who doesn't, it was formerly known as Scott City.

An intelligent comment on wrestling

I'D LIKE to know how the comments are picked that are put in Speak Out. It seems to me that there's something drastically wrong when cogent and intelligent ideas are ignored and things like the wrong Kennedy are blamed in a comment. And then you get these stupid people who believe television wrestling is real. How can you put stuff like that in the paper? Anybody who knows anything about wrestling knows that TV wrestling is a joke, and it's nothing but glorified tumbling.

Give up eating for insurance?

I WAS just reading the paper about Clinton's picking up people's Medicare who are 55 years old, and he will let them do this for $400 a month. I would like know when you're 55 and you get laid off from your job, where are you supposed to get $400 to pay for your insurance, unless you give eating?

Singles parents have to go to work

SOME OF us don't have the privilege to stay home with our children because we are single parents, and we have to work. That was a choice I made instead of getting an abortion. If the caller who wonders where the mothers are can pay my bills for me, I'll stay home at night and give my child a kiss good night.

Blame voters for gambling problems

IN YOUR story about the gambling cash flow, you didn't use the word lobbying once. I did not vote for gambling in Missouri, but what the gambling companies are doing is just lobbying, just like the politicians, just like the corporate juggernauts. The people you need to blame are the voters.

Headline was in very poor taste

THIS IS in regards to the front-page article on Kenny Stone. I believe it was in very poor taste to put the headline "Convicted killer dies in mental hospital" the same day of the obituary. Regardless of how he died and where he died, there are many, many family members who love him very much in this community, and no one appreciated that. It was in very poor taste, and you owe the family an apology.

Headline was offensive, disgusting

I'M CALLING in reference to an article you had in the paper recently, "Convicted killer dies in mental hospital." I just want to relate to you that as a mother of children and a resident of Cape my entire 32 years of life, I find that to be both offensive and disgusting and completely inappropriate to put in the paper. That young man had family and friends who loved him despite his obstacles in life, and I just find that to be completely inappropriate and think that you owe the family an apology.

Dr. King was an American hero

THIS CALL is in reference to Southeast Missouri State University's advertisement in Sunday's paper. In SEMO's ad, they use a silhouette of the African continent in their announcement of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. I'd like to remind SEMO that Dr. King was a citizen of the United States and a hero to all Americans. This unpatriotic ad comes as no surprise from a public institution that does not recognize Veteran's Day.

Rostenkowski has the answers?

DON'T YOU think it's just wonderful that Dan Rostenkowski, the ex-chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee and a convicted felon, was within a month of getting out of jail and was called to NBC to tell us how this country should be run?

Longtime Sunday school teacher

IMA SEYBOLD of Jackson passed away Jan. 6. How many people saw the short line in her obituary? She taught Sunday school 70 years. All those years, she probably prepared 3,640 lessons. She was 96 at death, so probably some of her students have preceded her in death. But for all her pupils, I am sure she would wish that they have or will have followed her teachings of the Bible.

Family members were affected

I AM calling in regards to the article about Kenneth Stone. I thought this article was in poor taste. I don't understand the need for the front-page article or the interview with his grandmother. He also had many well-standing family members who were affected by this article. It amazes me that the news that should be published never seems to be seen.