SPEAKOUT

Paperwork is held up

CAN SOMEONE please tell me what the holdup is with child support when they can't get a letter mailed out that stays on their desk for weeks collecting dust. It's already filled out. When a person can't collect the child support that is due to them, what is a person to do? I'm fed up with this. I've dealt with child support enforcement, and they give me the runaround. It's taken months to collect. Then I find out the reason is because the paperwork is laying on a desk. The paperwork is filled out, ready to be mailed, and it just stays there for three weeks.

Was she elected?

I WANT to comment about Hillary Clinton. I see she's overseas giving all of our money away. I wonder if this is what the people elected her to do.

They are good programs

AS AN Independent voter I've noticed with increasing interest the people calling in and calling Democrats ignorant and stupid and saying Republicans are against Social Security and Medicare. I think what they're trying to say is it's encouraging to see that Republicans do see the value of Social Security and Medicare now. But I think what you're pointing out is that when it came up, Social Security under Roosevelt, the Republicans said no, it's not any good, don't do it. When the Democrats came up with Medicare, the Republicans said the same thing. At least now, you do understand that it wasn't such a bad idea after all. So welcome aboard. They're some good programs.

His voice is needed

I'D LIKE to thank Alan Journet for his letters to the editor over the years. I feel our community desperately needs his voice.

Memories clouded by eyesore

I ALSO agree that something should be done about the Buckner-Ragsdale building. It has so many lovely memories, and now it is such a disgrace. Surely other people have noticed what an eyesore it is.

No right to sue

I'D JUST like to say that I just heard that there are a lot of hospitals that are going to sue tobacco companies for cigarette smokers. I'd like to say that I'm a smoker, and no one forced me to smoke. No one at all forced me. So I would have no right to sue. I think it's a shame and a disgrace that everybody is out suing somebody. I think before you sue you ought to be sure you know what you're doing. The Bible says that we're not to sue. Why take your brother's coat away from him? And God invented tobacco. We didn't put it here. God did.

Gore in Malaysia

KUDOS TO Vice President Gore for delivering a message advocating democratic reforms to a hostile audience in Malaysia.

School buses are safer

I JUST saw another child get hit by a car on his way to school, and there is no reason why these little children have to walk to elementary school just because they live within a mile. They need to have school buses for children no matter how close they live. This is ridiculous. They need to do something about this. I have lived a block away from school and have had my kids picked up before. Kids are walking across Independence, West End -- this is ridiculous. Little kids! They need to have school buses picking up these little kids.

Teachers more important

AS A teacher in the Cape public schools, I think I am speaking for many of my co-workers when I say that we would like to see more attention focused on teacher benefits and the teacher pay freeze than the naming of a new elementary building. My idea for the elementary building: River City Elementary.

A lousy military leader

I WANT to comment about this little crisis in Iraq that we just went through. Bill Clinton got his bacon saved again. I'll say one thing for Clinton, he's the luckiest politician I ever saw. But the truth of the matter is this: Our military has been gutted. We don't have any of the military we had during Desert Storm. Clinton hates the military. The military is demoralized. They make jokes about Clinton. He even has to threaten to court-martial them. Clinton is a joke. He's a good politician, but he's a lousy military person.

Shocked over character

IF WE had a Christian-valued moral culture, Mr. Clinton would have been dropped like a hot potato, not praised and revered. I feel shocked at the character of most of our citizens who look the other way and compassion for the decent people of America and their children.

Starr made him do it

IF PRESIDENT Clinton did lie under oath, I feel that Kenneth Starr forced him to do it. Therefore, I think Kenneth Starr should be fired or sent to prison for irregular tactics. Where is Janet Reno? Can't see do it?

Lying when appropriate

THE LIBERALS thinks lying to a grand jury is OK in certain circumstances. If this is true, the laws must be changed so that you can lie when you feel it's appropriate. Maybe you can swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth -- except when I lie -- so help me God.

Anonymous candidate

I WOULD like to use the Speak Out forum to announce my candidacy for the Missouri State Senate in the year 2000. If a professional wrestler can be elected governor of Minnesota, I figure a pro-active Speak Out caller can at least be elected state senator. The way I see it, the only hurdle I'll have to overcome it in order to get elected is how to run while remaining anonymous.

A positive view

MR. STIVER showed that many Civil War white families respected the rights of former black slaves and took care of them than they asked and made their lives much, much happier.

Drop losing football

I'M CALLING about the Southeast Missouri football season. May I ask why are they spending so much money on the football at the college when all that money could be spent on education? Discontinue the football program and use that money on education and to better the quality of some of the teachers. I think it's disgusted, very disgusting to spend all that money on a losing football team.

Respect must be earned

TO THE person who wants you to have respect for the president: You earn respect, you're not given it. You earn it with your performance, character and values. You can forgive him, but to respect a sex pervert and liar just because he's your party leader is what I expect from a liberal Democrat.

Negative campaigning

JOE HECKEMEYER'S letter to the editor was a gracious one. However, I think it's important to point out that Joe's comments on negative campaigning fall on deaf ears in the Sikeston area. It's important to point out that it was Joe Heckemeyer who ran some of the meanest, negative campaign ads in the Sikeston paper in his first campaign some years ago.

He meant well

I TAKE exception to the comment "Treatment of freed slaves." I know Charles Stiver. Charles Stiver is a good person, and he meant well by what he said. And this comment took exception to it. My father had me work under a black foreman back during the start of the Depression. We had two men there from Bollinger County who said they would not work under a black foreman. My father said, "That's just fine, you just stay home." Next day they showed up and wouldn't talk to anybody and kept working.

We make those choices

TOO MANY people will not accept responsibility for their own actions. We all, at one time or another, blame someone else or some circumstances and even God for the position we are in when in reality most time the reason is because we have made some unwise or wrong choices. Think about it. The choices we make today do effect what happens tomorrow.

Smoking statistics questioned

I CERTAINLY don't wish to promote smoking. I realize that tobacco use an adverse effect on one's health. What I do question is the accuracy of all the statistics and figures thrown out by the anti-smoking crowd. If a smoker dies of lung cancer or heart disease, I'm sure this death would be recorded as smoking related. Unfortunately, thousands and thousands of non-smokers also die of lung cancer and heart disease. So did tobacco actually cause the smoker's death, or would he have gotten the disease anyway? The bottom line is this: The politicians, health organizations and now even our hospitals see that billions of dollars of legally obtained assets accumulated by the tobacco companies, and they have decided they want this money. The way to get this money is to make a harmful product look even more harmful than it actually is. Remember, it's the consumer who eventually pays these billions, so this amounts to even more of the working person's earnings going to the government. Even non-smokers should be worried about tobacco legislation because if it passes, the politicians would have learned that they can tax anything that's perceived to be unhealthy. Our money is these people's top priority, and they're using health concerns as a means of obtaining it.

The real Republicans

NOW THE people are going to find out what their good old right-wing Republicans really are. They gave Ken Starr two hours to outline these charges before he testifies against the president of the United States. They won't give the president that same chance. They say, why doesn't the president answer the charges? You know, he's the accused. In this country, the accused is supposed to have every legal right to either remain quiet or else defend themselves. He gets all the benefit of the doubt, and he's completely innocent until proven guilty. I mean, he is not guilty of perjury. Lying is not perjury. He lied about sex. That's all it was. The Republicans lost seats. We gave them fair warning. We won't tolerate it. Now they won't heed the warning. Now we know the Republicans, what you've been told for years and years and years. Give them a chance, and now you find out how they are. They don't even like each other. They got rid of Newt Gingrich.

Seeking medical care now

I USE the emergency rooms a lot of times for colds and sore throats. But I feel that they think that I'm just running in. I called my doctor's office because I have bronchitis and a sore throat, and I can't get an appointment for a week. What do they expect people to do when you can't get into see your doctor? The hospital emergency rooms don't want you in there. It's very intimidating.

Draw on river heritage

IN REFERENCE to the naming of the new Cape school, I think it would be a great idea to incorporate the city's heritage of being located on the river. There are many important educators, and I think using one of their names makes the other educators seem less important.

A matter of proper upbringing

THIS IS for the person who called in and said another caller showed disrespect for the president by calling him a pervert. The caller said the person certainly lacks the proper upbringing to not only have disrespect for the president, but also for the office of the president by calling him a pervert. Excuse me. The man holding the highest office in this country is the one who lacks proper upbringing and has shown disrespect for that office and the White House and the people and his wife and daughter by having oral sex in the Oval Office. I will never forgive him for bringing such disgrace and shame to the highest office. I cannot even bring myself to call him president. He is just Mr. Clinton, and he is a pervert. He should step down.

A test for our times

ARE WE living in a moral stone age? I somewhat believe we might be, because we must add deep moral confusion to the list of educational problems we have today. Increasingly today's young people know little or nothing about the western moral tradition. This was recently demonstrated by the "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno. Leno frequently does man-on-the-street interviews. One night he collared some young people to ask them questions about the Bible. Can you name one of the Ten Commandments? he asked two college-age women. One replied, freedom of speech. Mr. Leno said to the other, complete the sentence, But he who is without sin ... . Her response was, have a good time. Mr. Leno then turned to a young man and asked, Who according to the Bible was eaten by a whale? The confident answer was Pinnochio.

Make me look good

IS THERE a Mafia don with mind so dead that never to his men has said: Be like the Democrats and make me glad. Make your leader look good and the law look bad.

High praise for hospital care

RECENTLY MY husband was a patient at St. Francis Medical Center. He was on floor 3A, and I have never seen such compassionate nurses. Although he wasn't able to speak to them, they treated him with respect and great kindness. Each time they would leave the room, they would say to me, If you need us, call us. When I did need them, they came. They grieved with me when he passed away. Linda, Bonnie, Leela, Stephanie, Hazel, Lillie and Joyce: The way you all worked together and helped each other was a pleasure to see.

Wider need for toys

THIS IS a comment about Toy Box. I am all for this program, and I think it's great especially for the children of low-income homes. It shows how well our community cares and comes together for those in need. But what I don't understand is why it is only for Cape Girardeau residents. Why not Jackson, Scott City and other area towns? They have needy families also, and I'm sure people from those towns contribute to the Toy Box program.

REPLY: Toy Box is a program of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and is limited to helping children in Cape Girardeau.

Highway hazard

IF THE highway Department is looking for a place where they can make the roads safer, they ought to look at Route AB at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The northbound entrance ramp onto Interstate 55 from the airport goes immediately onto a two-lane bridge across the Diversion Channel. Cars trying to get on northbound Interstate 55 have to merge with the other traffic or immediately stop before they hit the end of the bridge. It is dangerous. It needs to be fixed. The southbound bridge is essentially three lanes and has enough room where in an emergency a car can keep going on the shoulder. But the northbound bridge is too small and it is dangerous.