SPEAKOUT

Resents religious pressure

MY HUSBAND and I regularly pledge to Southeast Missouri Hospital. Both of us resent Southeast's appearing to cave in to religious pressure to prohibit needed services to area women. We go to Southeast exclusively for that exact reason. It's there to serve the needs of the community, including those who need and prefer a choice. Why should a religious leader in Springfield dictate what we in Cape Girardeau can do? If this goes through, our pledges, which total thousands of dollars, are over. Our major elective treatments would then be done in St. Louis.

Hospital should do legal procedures

THE PROPOSED elimination of some needed women's services at Southeast Hospital because of religious pressures from St. Francis Hospital infuriates me. If my wife was at Southeast for a C-section and needed her tubes tied, it could no longer be done at Southeast. It would call for a second operation, costing more money, pain, time and travel to and from St. Louis. Why must Southeast agree to stop a procedure that's legal in the United States?

Medical records are confidential

TO THE individual who is writing about the insurance companies and releasing the records: Let's start with his records, and let's publish those on the front page of the Missourian next week. Then we'll start with his associates and publish their's next. I think we should all be made aware of their medical history and anything else that affects them. The next thing we might like to see published are the rest of their patient charts. This man is in the medical profession, and he really scares me about confidentiality.

Angel is special, and fast too

EVERY MORNING, my running angel puts my paper at my door at Bordeaux Drive, which I really appreciate. But Friday I looked out, saw my trash can empty at the curb and slipped my coat on to go out and get it. When I opened the garage door, it was sitting right there. I looked up and down the street and didn't see anyone. That's what you call a fast angel. It really made my day to think someone cares. I hope other young people adopt a senior in their neighborhood. It makes me feel special. Thanks, angel, whoever you are.

Different standards for president

YOUR EDITORIAL asking for the president to talk about his private life is out of order. This is none of my business, and it's none of your business. This involves only the Clinton family and the Lewinsky family. This doesn't involve us at all. Don't try to put your standards on the president.

Don't throw trash along the road

I'M CALLING about Bloomfield Road. A while back, someone picked up all the trash, and it really looked nice. I'd like to thank them. I'd like to comment on all the people throwing their trash out. They should take it home with them or find a trash barrel.

Klaus Park should be developed, not donated

I'M CALLING in regards to the county and its consideration of a request to donate Klaus Park for use as a veterans cemetery. Seems to me this commission, for whatever reason, is on a mission to rid the county of this park. This land was donated in honor of a dedicated public servant. His family has had to face a battle ever since the beginning. Without a doubt this beautiful, shaded park could have been developed into our county showcase park. But we've never done so. Restrooms were never built, roads were never paved and now this administration decides every two or three years that it's going to try and give it away. I only hope that if any of these guys are in office long enough to be considered for some kind of a park or building being named after them that their families don't have to endure disappointment that the Klaus family has been forced to endure. I believe this park should either be further developed or donated to Jackson if they agree to accept and maintain develop it to its full potential.

Blue Cross protects confidentiality

BLUE CROSS has been our family insurer for 25 years. I am so thankful that they are confidential about our records and don't release them to individuals who believe things should be published in the Southeast Missourian. Again, thank you, Blue Cross for having been there for all these years. We hope you continue to be in our community.

Other hospitals resolved this issue

ON THE subject of Southeast Missouri Hospital no longer doing sterilizations if this merger goes through: In my hometown of Racine, Wis., our two hospitals, St. Mary's and St. Luke's, merged. The new corporation, All Saints Healthcare, has undeniably Catholic roots. I underwent tubal ligation at St. Luke's several years after the merger. I know now my problem is hereditary, and I've passed it on to at least one of my children. I don't believe God would have wanted another innocent child to live through this hell. Why don't the hospitals here contact All Saints and find out how they resolved this issue?

Teachers don't need a raise

I'D JUST like to say that I'm so tired of this old saying "we need to raise the teachers' pay." I'd like to see some of these teachers go out here and work like I do for half the money they make. We work all year long. We have to work when it snows. We sometimes get off at noon on Christmas Eve and get maybe a day and a half off for a holiday. They're overpaid now. We don't need teachers' pay raised. Some of them take videos to school and let the kids watch them and send homework for the parents to do. The kids are sitting at home three or four hours trying to do homework. They don't need a raise.

Pray for the president in time of need

I HOPE that all people who believe in prayer offer a daily prayer for our president in his time of need.

Teachers should tighten their belts

TO TEACHERS who may go a year without a raise, am I the only person who has ever gone a year or two without a raise? Besides, you teachers only work nine months out of 12 and usually leave work by 3:30, so we working people have to take off work to go see you if we have a problem.

Where have our freedoms gone?

MOST OF us keep dogs as protection against thieves. Without the dogs, the thieves will run rampant. We might as well put up the communist flag and take down Old Glory in Cape. We're told we can't have vehicles on our own property. We are told our dogs cannot bark. We're told we cannot do certain things. We're told we can't do this, we can't park here, we can't miss a certain amount of days in school without grades being withheld. Take down Old Glory -- for which many of us died.