SPEAKOUT

Get Bible quotes straight

IF PEOPLE are going to quote the Bible, then they must quote it correctly. In a recent comment, someone said the Bible says "Spare the rod and spoil the child." It doesn't say that. It says "If you spare the rod, you will spoil the child." So let's get the Bible quotes right.

That's my grandson

WE APPRECIATED the supplement with the paper a few days ago with pictures and schedules of all the area high school football teams. All the boys train and play very hard, and we're proud of all of them. But we did notice one error. Chip Nenninger, manager of the Jackson Indians, was misidentified. He's been the manager all through junior high and high school. If you look closely in the third row, you'll spot him. I'm especially proud of him since I'm his grandmother.

Thoughts about Web access

AFTER READING the editorial concerning the Woodland student who has the Web page that was not in good taste and suffered ramifications from it from the school district, I have an opinion. I think we're missing the point here about free speech. If this student or his parents are paying for a private Internet provider, then it's his business and not the school board's, no matter what he says on his Web site. But if he is accessing his Web site through his school's gateway to the Web, then the school certainly does have the right to interfere with his expression. Any server that you pay for or local Internet service providers have the right to kick any Web site off their access if they choose to do so. But I think that should be up to the Internet service. But if it's any way accessed through the school, they have the right to censor this young man.

Safety on the old bridge

I THINK I know why they're having so many wrecks on the bridge going from Cape Girardeau to Illinois. You know, when you look to the right, you tend to steer to the right. When you look to the left, you almost always steer to the left. It's a close clearance there. I think people are looking down at that new bridge to see what they're doing down there. In just a moment, they're up against the side of the bridge, and they jerk back over. Nine times out of 10, they pull into the other lane. You don't have much clearance on either side of the car there. So I think they need to quit looking right or left and look right straight down that bridge. It's narrow there anyway.

Plenty of critters

WHEN YOU consider all the independent counsels being appointed, doesn't that tell you that there are plenty of critters in the wood pile? Clinton really only has one choice. He should resign before he's indicted, impeached or maybe imprisoned for his corruption.

Recommended safety checkpoint

I WAS calling about the safety roadblock they set up in Whitewater. That's really nice, but if they would like to make some money on safety checks and help lives, tell them to come to County Road 255 intersecting Route A. They'll see a lot of safety concerns there.

Take Clinton to court

IF CHARGES were brought against you, if there was a warrant for your arrest and you were arrested, you would not be given the opportunity to see whether or not they were true. You would not be given the opportunity to respond. You would have to go to court. And I expect Bill Clinton to go to court to face these impeachment charges.

Practicing what you preach

BEING A Baptist, I don't believe some of my fellow brothers believe what they preach. God forgives, and so does Hillary. Why can't they? They're the ones who are unwilling to forgive, but still they say God does forgive.

Against cockfighting

I HAVE a strong objection to cockfighting and to the letter by Marcia Norris. This is one of the reasons we have children taking guns to school. They have no respect for life. I feel it imperative to start at the bottom when displaying and teaching kindness and compassion and responsibility. Cockfighting is none of the above. It is a so-called sport where an animal is used -- and most of the time abused -- for people's pleasure. Come on, that is not my idea nor any idea of a good time that I would want to teach my children. Marcia Norris says it's OK to do what she wants as long as it's legal. But at whose expense? A defenseless creature, not put on the earth by God to be turned into a sport. To me it is sick, and whoever does not see that needs to look inside. It would be very interesting to see how they treat other forms of life. If a person cannot be kind and compassionate to a defenseless creature, how will they treat a human being?

Big question is home runs

CAROLYN POOLE of Jackson recently offered the view that whether or not President Clinton should resign seems to be the question of the month. I don't mean to disillusion the diminishing number of obsessed political animals out there. However, the truth is the truth. The question of the month is not at all what Ms. Poole assumes it is. Without a doubt, the question of the month is as follows, "How many home runs will Mark McGwire hit?"

We've had enough

I FIND it outstanding that Clinton supporters would have the gall and audacity to complain about how much the Clinton investigation has cost and that Kenneth Starr is to blame. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised, because it displays the same backward, self-serving, denying thinking that Clinton himself displays. The man left no stone unturned covering up his deeds, not just for the last seven months, but for the last six years. He even went so far as to make complete and total fools out of those closest to him, even sending his wife out to stand in front of this country and brag to us how much she believed in him and how everything was just a conservative conspiracy against the president. Well, look where our president has left us now. We are the laughingstock of the world. We elected this man the first time, even though there was some clear signs that his character was in the toilet, but this country gave him a chance anyway. Chance after chance after chance. Well, enough, I say. What has he taught our children at a time when we desperately needed our leaders to help us turn this society around? Now our children are being taught it's OK to be a bald-faced liar, character matters not one iota, whatever it takes as long as you get what you want, that women are something to be used for your own selfish, sexual impulses. And Hillary isn't much better. Why is she showing the women of this country that it is acceptable to put up with this kind of emotional abuse from a lying, cheating spouse? I ask you: Why was I forced to explain the meaning of oral sex to my innocent 11-year-old boy because of a repulsive behavior of our president? He should resign. But of course he's too selfish to do that.