SPEAKOUT

Concerns about tobacco

THIS IS something that is kind of bothering me. It's those in power who take it upon themselves after Election Day to cause such a hardship upon people who are dependent upon tobacco and claim it will stop children from smoking cigarettes and pay for medical expenses for those who contract illnesses. I can't understand why in 1968 I and many other soldiers of Vietnam were sent cases and cases of cigarettes provided by cigarette companies and transported by the U.S. government and CARE to us who were barely 18 years old along with condoms as readily as salt tablets. Now our leaders are punishing the tobacco companies for something that I think truly helped us all during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and all the other conflicts. If Camels, Winstons, Marlboros and especially the Lucky Strikes hadn't been sent to all the soldiers, airmen, seamen and Marines, we might have not won what we did win in combat. Some people say cigarettes are a crutch and they may be right, but it can also be a cushion after hours and days of hostile fire from someone smoking opium and feeling no pain. What most concerns me is all the young couples -- some in the military and some in college and especially a young man and his wife -- who by choice become dependent on tobacco and have or soon will be having a child. Should they be dependent on tobacco and their income is in the poverty level, they will naturally try to give the baby everything essential for the well-being of the child. But what will happen to the relationship of the baby's parents when they decide the mother stays at home to care for baby and the daddy brings home his minimum-wage paycheck? Will the baby have all that is needed? Or will mother have to go to work to pay for the new expenses? As bad as it may seem, it is harder for some people to quit smoking cigarettes than it is for a heroin addict to quit using heroin. If the U.S. government is taking so much money from the tobacco companies and the tobacco companies are raising their prices, should not the consumers have some voice in where his or her rights stand? Oh, I forgot. The election is over for this time.

Others could be censured too

I WONDER, now that they're talking about censuring Clinton, if maybe they ought to do that with John Gotti. Just censure him or the Walkers who sold defense information to the Russians. Maybe this is a new way with America. Just use censure instead of putting them in jail. Gotti didn't do anything that Clinton hasn't done, and neither did the Walkers. They betrayed their country, but so what? It's a new America now. I don't see how you can put one person in jail and not another one. Clinton has done a couple things. He hasn't done anything as far as legislation. Every time he tries to do something, people don't like what he stands for, like his health debacle. But he has shown that the law is worthless. Law doesn't mean anything. If you're rich and powerful, you can get out of anything, and that's what I've said a long time. Plus, he's gutted the military. Those are the two things he'll be known for. He's done some other things. He's made a laughingstock out of the legal system. Believe it or not, I'm kind of glad. I wish he'd gut the military some more so we'd stay out of these foreign countries. I don't care if he cuts the military. Just don't go over in these foreign countries. Don't make other people do what you wouldn't do when it was your turn.

Parents have control

I READ Charlotte Craig's letter regarding Central High School's attendance and finals policy and couldn't help but call in. I have two teen-agers and one grade-school student myself, so this subject is of interest to me. I am not opposed to the existing finals policy, but I do trust the school board and administration to study this issue and do what's right. My two older children have both been able to skip finals and have had to take finals in the past few years. Neither child was greatly affected either way. What concerned me most about this letter was her reference to her co-worker's freshman daughter absolutely insisting on going to school and then doing so against parental wishes. Who is the parent in that household? I think there is where the problem lies. It's not the policy at fault here. It is the students' abuse of the policy and parents' refusal or inability to bite the bullet, bear the anger of their child and make and stick to a parental decision.

Direct from above

I WAS really encouraged the other day when I realized that someone in our area called Speak Out that's so close to God that they knew that God would not forgive Bill Clinton. Now that really impresses me. I just wonder how they got this information. On the fax machine or telephone? Surely it wasn't on the Internet along with Ken Starr's detailed, pornographic report. I wouldn't think God would do that. But that is great communication to know in direct word that God would not forgive Bill Clinton. This must be some kind of person.

They'll try anything

THIS IS in reply to the caller who said that if President Clinton did lie under oath, he feels that Kenneth Starr forced him to do it. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. I didn't know whether to throw up or laugh. God gave us all our own free will, and if Kenneth Starr forced him to lie under oath, he would have had to use a gun or knife, and there's been no evidence of anything like that. He thinks Kenneth Starr should be fired or sent to prison for irregular tactics. These Clinton supporters will try anything, won't they?

He's no role model

I THINK the liberals should stop using God's word as a defense by saying use your Christian values to forgive the president. They don't have any morals or values and don't have any in their agenda, but they want you to be sympathetic. To forgive someone doesn't mean you want him to continue as the role model for your children. His legacy will be his sex scandal and flawed character. His name will probably end up in the dictionary under the meaning of the word scumbag.