OpinionJuly 21, 1998
SPEAKOUT
I WOULD like to know who can tell me who I would need to call to start getting things changed for children's safety as far as supposedly accidental deaths go. I just read an article about a judge in Marion, Ill., who threw the charges out of court about four children who died in a trailer, and I am furious. ...
Who can get things changed?
I WOULD like to know who can tell me who I would need to call to start getting things changed for children's safety as far as supposedly accidental deaths go. I just read an article about a judge in Marion, Ill., who threw the charges out of court about four children who died in a trailer, and I am furious. I cannot believe it. Things have got to change. There need to be tougher penalties and quit babying these stupid adults. I would like to know who to call. Please, please print this so I can help get things changed.
Walter Williams column hits the mark
I LOVED Walter Williams July 15 column regarding the victories of the black race in American society and how discrimination can no longer be blamed for poor personal choices of black Americans. They are no longer victims but can now enjoy equal, legal, constitutional rights if they choose. All Americans must choose whether to prosper and succeed legally as opposed to illegally. And Mr. Williams applauded our Constitution and equal rights available to the black American and that all Americans can gain the power to succeed through honest, hard, intelligent effort. By the way, I'm white. So what? I love people, black, Hispanic, Japanese, Indian. What earthly difference does skin color make? Superficial skin color should not determine success or create discrimination. Blacks do need to stop thinking they are victims of white men now, thereby creating their own anti-white discrimination.
Thanks for help at accident scene
I WOULD just like to thank everyone who helped after the wreck on I-55 where the children were involved. I appreciate everyone stopping and taking the time to help, because without them my children might not have survived, as well as my sisters. Thank you very much.
Watch out for government spooks
I THINK it is irresponsible for the Southeast Missourian to print information allowing readers to access syndicated columnists Walter Williams' Web site, because I believe Williams to be of the so-called militia mentality. Those who access his site will likely be monitored by government agents.
Good luck to Coach Randy Curl
I AM calling about the accusations against Coach Randy Curl. The public should know that this man is strictly a fall guy for the whole athletic program at Southeast. As a white athlete at Southeast in the mid-'80s, I had an athletic scholarship that included work study as part of the scholarship. I worked a total of two times in a four-year period and received hundreds of dollars in work study money during, and I was not the only athlete this happened with. More often than not, the athletes didn't work much if at all for the work study money. The coaches and athletic director gave money out at their own discretion with no one governing it. I feel sorry for Mr. Curl and wish him luck in moving on and away from this nightmare. May God be with him. He is in my prayers.
Suggested thoughts for young players
I'M A baseball coach, coaching a little bit older children than the woman who complained that her son was as good a pitcher as the other kids on the team but wasn't allowed to pitch. I have a suggestion that she might tell her son. I think she should say, "Son, I know I've told you that you're as good a pitcher as the others on the team, but the coach has to make some decisions on behalf of the team as a whole. He's probably playing you at another position because you're the best one on the team there, and the team will benefit most from having you there. After all, he may see some potential in you that I don't, and he's trying to cultivate it. If you're disappointed, it's really my fault for making you believe all along that the pitcher is the most important position on the team. Actually, what I should have been teaching you all along is that all positions are equally important. Have you ever heard of Mark McGwire, Ray Lankford, Tom Pagnozzi? And most important of all is what's best for the team as a whole. Last, since I can't devote the time and effort necessary to coach your team, from now I'll support your coach and his efforts to do what he thinks is best, because if he's like most coaches, he's spent dozens of years either playing or coaching, and he really does have your best interest at heart."
We need Democratic health-care plan
AS A retired person on Medicare and Social Security -- and I have to carry another insurance policy -- I hope the Democratic plan comes through in Congress. All the Republican Party managed to do is be against it. Better than that, if they're pinned down and have to give some kind of health care, they'll do something to make it easy on the insurance companies, their friends and their big contributors. The Democratic plan makes it a lot easier to sue this HMO if it pulls any foul play, which I think HMOs are capable of doing. I only hope the people don't buy their two-bit commercials on TV about politicians going into the insurance business. They managed to beat us out of the good health care the president had last time. People are without health insurance -- 40 million people -- and I think we need a national health care bill. I think the Democratic Party cares more for the people who need it.
Blame it on those milking machines
I FEAR our modern-day cows have been milked so long by electric milkers that they have evolved into switch hitters, and they probably don't know Mr. Gateley is milking from the wrong side.
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
Milking cows and other good memories
I TOO got a laugh out of milking a cow on the wrong side. My parents taught me to milk on the right side of a cow, and I'm also 60-plus. And as far as getting up before daylight to milk so they could board the school bus, well, I didn't do that, but my brother and I milked the cows, then ate a country breakfast and then got ready for school. I put one foot in front of the other and trotted on down the road, carrying the books and my sack lunch two or three miles to school. I wouldn't take anything for the memories of walking to and from school with my friends from our one-room school in Egypt Mills.
President should always tell the truth
YOU MAY criticize Ken Starr all you want, but he is only doing his job. I applaud him. We Americans should be able to believe everything our president says. He should utter nothing but the truth, and his personal life is not his own. He's a public servant, and he belongs to us. Now if he asked Monica Lewinsky to lie about their relationship, he is a liar. If he had sex with her, or anyone other than his wife, he is an adulterer, a cheat. If the man is a cheat and a liar, do you really trust him to do what is best for America? God help us all.
Officers need to be commended
WE HAVE a farm along County Road 318 in Jackson. While we were returning to our farm, we met a police roadblock. I want to thank the park ranger for checking out our trailer and our buildings so we could stay there and do some work. The state patrol, sheriff and park ranger had long sleeves on, and it was hot Sunday, and they need to be commended for a job well done. I'm not speaking out for the victims of local authorities, but I sure hope they punish these guys. They could have killed someone shooting in people's houses, plus the mental anguish of knowing someone was in your house with all your belongings. I pray that I don't read in the paper that the judge will let them off if they say they are sorry or that he doesn't want to send them to jail because it might ruin their lives. What happened to justice and the victim's rights? What about the life of the officer? He or she puts their life on the line to apprehend these guys just to have a judge let them off on probation? And if you decide to give these guys probation, put their butts to work. Make they pay back the victims by working the fields in 100-degree-plus temperatures picking up square bales, tending to farm animals, helping to prepare tractors, or better yet, push a lawn mower all day. I guarantee you, if you work like this for a while, they will be too tired to go out and commit crimes.
Monitoring could produce Democratic sweep
I HOPE Woody Cozad and other Missouri Republicans get their way. Readers of the Southeast Missourian are quite capable of understanding that the thorough federal investigation into alleged voter irregularities in Mississippi County, for all intents and purposes, failed. Now Republicans are trying to cover their tracks by calling for federal monitoring of this fall's Bootheel elections. If that occurs, I predict the law of unintended consequences will kick in. The result will be a Democratic sweep of massive proportions.
Doctors, teachers are different
TO THE person who called in and said doctors and school teachers are bashed. I would say that it's not the same group of people who bash both of them, because teachers are what I consider really underpaid and really overworked. They're denied raises. Now a doctor: Let's face it, that is a high-paying practice, I don't care what they say. They're the biggest instigators to get any national health care beaten. They're against any group like that. I really think that most of the time doctors and the insurance companies are hand in hand. We have some wonderful doctors. Don't get me wrong. But the two professions are altogether different. Let's get that little aspect straight.
High praise for police officer
I JUST wanted to call and say that I work at a local convenience store here in Cape. Recently I was nearly robbed. The police, fortunately, intercepted the robbers before they got to me. The robbers were armed. There was one policeman who got to them first. His name was Rodney Barker. He laid his life on the line for me and kept those armed robbers away from me. I just wanted to call and say how much I appreciate all the police in Cape and especially Rodney Barker.
Visit to doctor's office is expensive
TALK ABOUT doctors and prices. About an hour office visit, no medications, no injections, just a little time on the treadmill. One office visit: $600. What do you think about them apples?
Theater is more than good articulation
I'M CALLING in regard to the article on the summer theater workshop that will be held by the Arts Council. I understand they are going to do nothing but readers' theater, and I wish to express my opinion that to teach these children nothing but articulation is not what I call theater. Theater includes costumes, sets and everything else that goes into putting a production on. Leading children to believe the only important part of theater is being on stage and in front of the public is doing a great disservice to all the people who put on the productions and don't get to be on stage to have their faces recognized.
Story Tags
Advertisement
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.
Related
Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
