SPEAKOUT

Must forgive others

I'D LIKE to answer the comment in Speak Out under "The devil is waiting." What makes the devil happy is Christians not forgiving others, like in the Lord's Prayer, forgive me as I forgive those. If you don't forgive the sins of others, your sins won't be forgiven. Henceforth, the devil has you. That's what makes the devil happy.

Enforce speed limits

I WOULD like to know why the city of Jackson and the state highway patrol and the sheriff's department don't just arrange for all the speed limit signs to raised to at least 55 mph. When you drive down U.S. 61 going into Jackson, if you're doing 35 mph in the Jackson city limits, you get run down by other people doing 55 and 60. If you're driving out the country roads, there's never a state patrolman, there is never a sheriff's deputy out there. On Route C going through Pocahontas, which is 35 mph, they're generally doing between 25 and 80. Why bother to have speed limit signs when no one's going to enforce the speed limits?

Stop illegal taxation

IF YOU haven't seen your long distance telephone bill, look for a charge of $5.34. This figure figures out as $1.78 a month to be billed every three months. It's called national access contribution. Notice, it's not a tax. It's called a contribution. Only Congress can levy taxes. This charge is a brainchild of Al Gore and company supposedly to furnish computers to schools. This is a illegal tax. Only Congress can impose a tax. If we fail to get this moneymaking deal stopped, no telling how many politicians will come up with a similar deal for their use. I have sent notice to my senators and representative to get this Al-Gore-and-company tax canceled. I suggest you advise these folks you have enough taxes and don't want the giveaway deal.

Credit where due

I'LL GIVE Congresswoman Emerson credit where credit is due. Instead of doing as she is told by the higher-ups in the Republican Party, she thinks for herself. She is for Social Security and the elderly. Senator Ashcroft is batting zero on any vote concerning the older people. He is so tied up with the tobacco industry, I call him the Marlboro man.

Blocking the walkway

THIS IS about temporary stop signs in front of schools and crosswalks. I was sitting at Schultz School at 7:30 in the morning. I was letting my son out. This woman in this big, red, expensive car stopped right across the walkway and would not move. My son had to go in the street to get to the school. The next time I see someone do that, I'm going to start writing down license plate numbers, and I'm going to turn them into the police. They can do whatever they want with them. I'm getting tired of it. I've called the police. I've called the superintendent of schools. I've called the principal. And the woman in the red car: I'm going to be watching for you.

He's good for the GOP

I'M A lifelong Republican who thinks Clinton should not be removed from office. Sure, he's corrupt. Sure, he's a liar. Sure, he's a womanizer. But let's face it, Bill Clinton is the reason we Republicans control the House of Representatives. Bill Clinton is the reason we Republicans control the Senate. Bill Clinton is the reason we Republicans have the vast majority of governorships. And Bill Clinton is the reason the Republicans will make even more gains in November. So all of you Democrat Speak Out callers keep up the good work, because Bill Clinton is the best thing that ever happened to the Republican Party.

Librarians are hypocrites

I HAD to laugh when I read the article on the librarians displaying banned books during this whole week. I wonder if these same librarians are hovering over the little children trying to access the Internet's naughty sites. Yes, they are. They are hypocrites when they say that the printed word should be free speech but the Internet should be limited to their discretion. If they believe that parents are totally responsible for the accesses that their children have to the printed word or the Internet word, let them say it now. What is the parents' responsibilities in this matter, and what is theirs?

Call the White House

TO ALL the people who called Speak Out to defend Clinton and complain about the cost of the Starr investigation: Why don't you just call the White House and tell Clinton to keep his pants up? That would eliminate the problem entirely.

Schools and hospitals

I READ in the paper that the Cape Girardeau School Board has come out in favor of the merger of the two hospitals in Cape Girardeau. I think that's enough to turn me off completely on the merger. They can't take care of themselves, yet they are going to get into the field of medicine and influence people in that way. The hospitals ought to be asking them not to speak out in favor of them.

Change the channel

THIS IS in response to "Take Springer off the air." My advice would be to change the channel. There are a lot of people out there who happen to enjoy the Springer show.

Alcohol is worst of all

I'M CALLING in response to the letter from Jim Maginel. I'm just wondering where he gets his information. Is it from that proven false EPA report or what? I can't believe the general public is so stupid that it would believe that tobacco kills more people that alcohol. That is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard, unless they didn't count all the people who are hurt and killed in car accidents because of alcohol. Alcohol is the worst that there is in the world today. It splits up families. It kills people. It destroys lives.

Excited about voting

IF YOU believe in honesty and truth, it's time to get out and register to vote. Get fired up. Get excited. One month from now we can vote. I can hardly wait.

Enjoyed that letter

I JUST read Mr. Esselman's letter in which he accuses you of being biased and one-sided. Oh, how I enjoyed that letter. That man is so right. This county really needs an independent newspaper, and I'm so glad to know there are others like me.

Not representative

A RECENT caller to Speak Out suggested that because 80 percent of the calls in Speak Out were for President Clinton to step down, that represented 80 percent of the general population in Southeast Missouri. I'd like to say that I hope Southeast Missouri is not represented by the callers in Speak Out. If it is, God help us all.

Only Republicans call

I'VE JUST got to call about the woman saying she wants to know who CNN has been polling about the Bill Clinton scandal. She says she's been reading Speak Out, and at least 80 percent of the people in this area want Clinton to step down. Well, that's not true. Think about it. Who calls Speak Out but people who are really wanting him to step down? It's all the Republicans who call in.

Discourse on pornography

WHO WOULD have ever thought that we have a president who would produce a situation in which the national discourse would go down to pornography? Congress, impeach Clinton.

For a decent country

THESE PEOPLE who say leave the president alone, don't say anything, let's move on, don't cast stone: Maybe you don't care about having such filth and perversion in our highest office, but I do. Maybe you don't care to have this sick creep as a role model for your children, but I do. Maybe your moral standards are in the gutter with his, but I don't have to agree with you. They always say the Republicans are bashing the president. I'm not a Republican. I'm an American who wants a decent country ran by decent people with character.

Party of perjury?

I'VE BEEN reading Speak Out for a couple of weeks, and the Democrats have become a party of perjury and obstruction. If this were a Republican president, would they still be the party of perjury and obstruction?

Don't read the column

THIS CONCERNS the letter to the editor headed, "At least column didn't slur Clinton." Joseph Esselman from Perryville is almost aptly named. He is deriding Joe Sullivan's column of Sept. 25, and I think unfairly. The column was somewhat humorous. It was pointing out the variety of vagaries that older people have to put up with. I thought it was a good one. If Mr. Esselman doesn't like it, let him stop buying the paper or quit reading that particular column. What I was referring to in his name, Esselman has one "s" too many. It should Eselman, then all German-speaking people would know that the man is a jackass.

Use common sense

I SEE the city has completed a traffic study, and it shows we need a four-way stop at Bertling and Sprigg. I think the city also needs to do a traffic study at the intersection of Bertling and North West End Boulevard. I never could understand why there needs to be a four-way stop there. How much traffic comes from North West End Boulevard? Having a four-way stop at that intersection is a safety hazard, especially when snow or ice is on the street. Have you ever tried driving down the hill and had to stop at the bottom when the street is covered with snow or tried to climb the hill from a complete stop? When placing stop signs at intersections, we need to use a little common sense.

List is from Internet

SURELY THE lady from Jackson is not implying that she authored the now famous list that appeared in her letter on the Opinion page. If she is asserting such, she is behaving like all the political cable yappers. That famous list was on the Internet weeks ago.

Divine forgiveness

IN REGARDS to Clinton, the Bible says the flesh is weak. Also it says to pray for those in authority. Yes, to err is human, but to forgive is divine.

Your money's worth

HERE'S A little quickie: Democrats or Republicans, we still have the best politicians money can buy.

Historic or modern?

I GUESS now that I wish some historic group would have got the old St. Vincent's Seminary. I'm afraid they'll tear down the historic trees which have been there for who knows how long and then build a new building, which I don't think they need because it will destroy the historic look of the old seminary which Mark Twain saw last century. So I just wish that money could have gone to some historic group. They could have preserved the seminary just the way it is now without building a lot of new modern buildings. Then it would be worth something to see and keep.

Still opposed

I'D LIKE to voice my opinion on the hospital merger. I read Gary Rust's column in the paper where he says his family never had to check the difference the cost of the hospitals. Well, if I had all those newspapers, I probably wouldn't worry about it either, but right now I'm strictly opposed to it.

Americans first

CONCERNING Clinton and everything that's going on, I wish there were more Americans in Congress rather than Democrats and Republicans, and I wish these Democrats and Republicans would take on the real issues instead of the issues that will keep them safely in office.

Starr went too far

WE'RE ALL caught up in this situation in Washington, which is a bad situation and should have never happened. I'd like to ask one question of all the men and women who are calling and are so worked up about this thing. Would they have told anybody where it would hurt the mother and the child like this has Chelsea and Hillary if they knew that someone in their family or neighbor had done the same thing? I think if we stop and reflect, Mr. Starr is the one who has caused this mess. Clinton is the guilty bird, but Starr should have never, ever revealed this when he ran across this. This is not what he was sent in there to find out. He went way beyond his call of duty.

Big price difference

COULD SOMEBODY tell me why the top ticket price to see "Lord of the Dance" at SIU is $20 and at the Show Me Center here in Cape the top ticket price to see "Spirit of the Dance" is $36.50. Why such a drastic difference in price? It would be cheaper for me to drive over to SIU at those rates. I wish somebody could tell me the big difference in price.

Putting politics first

SOME PEOPLE put their political party loyalty before decency and God's laws.

Public over politicians

REGARDING the planned Highway 34 and Highway 72 upgrade: I'm glad that Missouri Department of Transportation has the safety of the general public in mind instead of listening to local politicians.

Impatient examiners

MY SON turned 16 years old. All 16-year-olds look forward to taking their driver's tests. The only available place to take the driver's test On his birthday was in Charleston. He lives in Benton. My wife takes him to Charleston, takes him out of school. It's 3:10. They have a sign that they will no longer accept anybody after 3:15. They still would not let him take his driver's test. They were more concerned about packing up their supplies or whatever and going home. I think the driving inspectors should devote a little bit more time and effort to help these kids. I think this is a terrible injustice.

Listen to our voices

PLEASE, AMERICA, concerning our President Bill Clinton: He lied under oath in a civil deposition. He lied to a grand jury. These are felonies. Criminals are sitting in prison right now because they did the very same thing. Our president thinks he is above the law. He abused the power of his office and then begged forgiveness to do business as usual. His sex problems are not the issue here. America's future is at stake. Our next generation is depending on us. The real issue is, will we let a felon occupy the Oval Office? If we let it happen, this will set a dangerous precedent. It will put one man like a king above the law. If that happens, America will reap terrible consequences. Congress must hear our voice.

Alarming position

AS A devoted member of the Roman Catholic Church, I would just like to say that I am extremely appalled by the comments that were made by the bishop during his recent interview concerning the merger of our two hospitals here in Cape. When answering the question brought up by many Catholics about whether Southeast would still do sterilizations and tubal ligations should the merger go through, the bishop stated, "Well, we found a way around that." The way around it is that Southeast and St. Francis both will mislead patients, telling them that the nursery unit is not affiliated with the hospital, that it will belong to the doctors alone. That way they can still do sterilizations and tubal ligations as they are presently doing. As a Catholic, I would think that the bishop should be aware that just because they turn this unit over to the doctors, the practice is still being conducted under their own roof. I find it very alarming that the bishop would support something of this nature, which is clearly against our Catholic beliefs and practices.