SPEAKOUT

Make the SEMO eagle a proud one

I AGREE, the eagle as our mascot is a perfect choice to go with the proud Indian. Indians were proud people and loved the land, took care of it and respected the eagle. I would recommend you consider drawing the eagle as strong, proud and deserving of respect, rather than as some clowny caricature that could not find his own aerie. In "Birds of America" I have read that in some ways the golden eagle is a nobler bird than his cousin the bald eagle. If he is to be a clowny eagle, to be laughed at and have fun with, then whatever. Who cares?

Two names would be confusing

NOW LET'S see if I've got this right. SEMO University will keep its Indians nickname, and the mascot might be an eagle. Sounds perfectly logical to me. In fact, I'm sure when the visiting teams and their fans see the eagle on the football field or basketball court, they'll automatically know our team is called the Indians. Why just the other Sunday, when Philadelphia's NFL team was on TV, the camera zoomed in on the eagle mascot, and I said, "Look, Mom, the Philadelphia Indians are playing today."

Make the mule the SEMO mascot

THE WHOLE idea of an eagle for the SEMO mascot is ridiculous. There are as many Eagles teams around as there are Indians. The ideal name and mascot for the Southeast Missouri State University is the mule. It is indigenous to this part of the state. It is, in fact, the state animal. It is unique. The mule should certainly be SEMO University's mascot. Also, they could have an actual mule for a mascot because it makes an excellent mascot pet. I think SEMO University's team should be the Mules. Let's get behind it.

REPLY: The mule isn't so unique as a college mascot. You don't have to travel far to see the Central Missouri State University Mules in action in Warrensburg.

Great -- now hubby can be gone all the time

I JUST wanted to say thank you to the gaming commission because I couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend my holiday than to have my husband gambling 24 hours while the children and I are at home waiting for him.

Stoplights should have timing sequence

THIS IS concerning the bad timing of stoplights on Sprigg and Kingshighway. Why is Cape the only city with such poorly timed stoplights? This has been going on for years. No one has ever figured out that maybe someone with a college degree may be able to figure out the three colors so traffic can flow with ease.

Try Eagles, then try Pretzels

ON THE story about the Southeast mascot, I think it's a good choice. I like hawks, but I think the eagle is a good choice too. Southeast Eagles has a nice ring. It's better than having a sun. Give me a break. But if a person has to use political correctness, they don't know how to treat people in the first place. If the eagle does not work, I think a good name would be the Fighting Pretzels.

Need to trust American jury system

TO THE outraged teen-aged baby sitter who hopes the parents of the baby who died at the hands of his nanny will not be able to live with themselves because the nanny was sentenced to life in prison. Shame on you. The baby's parents are living through the most unbearable pain a person has to endure on this earth: the death of their child. They have to live with this pain the rest of their life. They'll never know what he would have been like at age 5, or 15, or as an adult. They will never hear him say "Mommy" or "Daddy" or "I love you." He's dead. You say it was probably an accident. A broken wrist? A fractured skull? Blood in his eyes? Some accident. America is far from a perfect country, but I have lived in many others, and I invite you to do the same and then tell me you still do not want to be a citizen. We need to stop second-guessing our juries. Justice cannot be doled out according to public opinion. People who are not in the courtroom every day, who have not heard every word of evidence, who have not observed all the witnesses, cannot know what the right decision would be concerning any trial, including O.J. Simpson or the nanny. Soon, no one will want to serve on juries. I think it should be against the law for the attorneys in any case to make public statements concerning the jury's decision to try to sway public opinion.

Looking for balance in opinion pages

TO THE people who keep griping about the editorial policy of the Southeast Missourian, I have a very good idea. I have always read at least three daily newspapers every day. I have found that is the only way you're going to get any kind of balanced opinion. Sometimes you can't even tell until you read into the article that they're talking about the same thing because one paper slants it one way, the other paper the other way. You know when you get it from the Southeast Missourian it's going to be the red-necked, Republican rebels' opinion. So if you don't want that, you're going to have to get your news from someplace else.

No mention of human-rights problems

I LIKE an honest man. In his recent letter to the editor plea for so-called fast-track negotiations with China, Procter & Gamble CEO John Pepper didn't mention one word about human rights abuses in that country. Not one word. Some might criticize Pepper for failing to make at least token reference to the pitiful state of human rights in China, but I won't. To me, it was obvious from the tone of his letter that the alleged economic benefit of fast-track trade negotiations was the only thing with which he was concerned. To have made even a casual reference to human rights abuses would have made his letter seem phony and insincere.

Save lives by observing signals

I READ about the accident on Highway 74 and Kingshighway where the lady got killed. I understand the gentleman was going through, on what we call around here, the "orange" light. Now a lady is dead. I was just wondering: The next time you're tempted to run a red light or charge on through a yellow, ask yourself, is it that important to get where you're going? Are you that important of a person? Is it worth someone's life to get through that light? Would you kill for it? I don't think getting through a light is that important for any of us. We are not that important. If you think you are, get over it. Please, have some respect for people and try to save a life. Stop on the red and don't zoom through on the yellow. Think about what you're doing.

Telemarketers: Show you numbers

TO ALL you people and telemarketers who block your number on caller ID, you may as well take our number off your calling list. If you have our number, why can't we have yours? A little respect and courtesy goes a long way. We don't answer "unknowns."

Time to start looking at the truth

MOST PEOPLE believe that the president has done illegal things while in office. He probably obstructed justice when they removed files from Vince Foster's office. He probably took in illegal campaign contributions from overseas, including the Chinese, then gave the Chinese a shipping base in California. He probably has based a lot of the decisions he's made on political donations, like the Indian tribe's donation. These things are wrong, and illegal, but can anyone prove it? And if someone did prove it, would Congress vote to impeach, or would they follow party lines and vote all Democrats against and all Republicans for? I don't know if our Congress is strong enough to vote for the truth. I don't know if anybody can prove the truth. But it's time we start looking at it.

Where were they when we needed them?

I NOTICED that 17 House Republicans have introduced a resolution to impeach President Clinton. Well, that's interesting. Where were those 17 when we had need for -- and grounds for -- impeachment? If they didn't impeach Ronald Reagan and George Bush for their dealings in the Iran/Contra hearings, then they certainly have no grounds to impeach President Clinton.

Don't rake, burn leaves in streets

ONCE AGAIN, folks, fall is here. Please don't rake your leaves into the street, and please be aware that it's illegal to burn them in the street. I wish the police would enforce this. Maybe people would start to get the idea.

Remarks fail to recall Nixon era

WELL, I see Peter Kinder is at it again. He's opened his mouth and showed us how dumb he is. First he says he doesn't believe the president should be impeached. Then he turns around and says, "I believe he and his wife have probably been involved in obstruction of justice, corrupting the FBI, the IRS, and other abuses." He also says that this president is the most appallingly corrupt president we've ever had. Well, I think Peter has forgotten that in the 1970s there happened to be a Republican president who wasn't impeached, but the proceedings were going forward when he resigned. That man's name was Richard Nixon, and I repeat, he was a republican. Folks, let's wake up. Do we need somebody this dumb in the state Senate? Next time around, let's elect somebody who has some brains.

Homes are invaded with noise

CAN ANYONE out there tell me what legal recourse one might have against car stereos that rattle one's windows? Personally, I see it as an invasion of privacy. What's the difference between someone physically invading my privacy and someone invading it with noise?

Should we impeach all who disagree?

LET'S JUST impeach Clinton and get it over with. I voted for Reagan, Bush and Dole. However, I'm sick and tired of hearing the hate that keeps oozing out of a large number of people ever since Clinton was elected. It won't stop until that group gets even with the Democrats because of Richard Nixon. I still remember the statement made by some of the so-called conservatives: The only thing Nixon did wrong was get caught. Remember that one? Bull! I voted for Nixon too. I thought he did a lot of good things as president. Having Attorney General Mitchell and others obstruct justice was wrong and dictatorial. The man became power-hungry and felt he and the group around him were above our law. The law was for us, not them. Impeach Clinton and maybe we can get that element of our so-called society happy. Maybe we can get back to priorities that people need to get solved instead of spending so much time and money and energy on hate and getting even. Have we really lowered ourselves into hating anybody who disagrees with us or is not of our party -- and call it democracy?

Use sitters instead of strollers

I'M ALSO complaining about the baby strollers that are at the public events. If they can't figure out that they need a baby sitter instead of bringing their baby to these events, then they need to stay home. We don't look at our feet all the time to see if there is a baby stroller down there, so all of a sudden we run into them. I think parents of small children should get a baby sitter.

Stop paying taxes until we get refund

I'M CALLING about the $700 million that's in the state of Missouri's excess taxes because of the Hancock Amendment. I think that shouldn't be tied up in court, and every taxpayer needs to stand up and do something about this. We're the ones who paid our taxes. We should be receiving our money back. We already, through our taxes, pay welfare recipients. I don't think we need to pay any taxes until we get our money back.

Face it: Country better off with Clinton

I CANNOT believe the headline about impeaching the president. Who are these Republicans who are calling for impeachment? Are they so afraid of President Clinton that for over six years they have leveled accusation after accusation at this man, and to this date have proved nothing? Good grief, he will not even be running for president in the year 2000. What would they accuse him of if he were eligible for another term? Republicans, admit it, the economy is great. The people are happy with their jobs and their lives. President Clinton has dramatically brought down the deficit which skyrocketed during the Reagan regime. Also, President Clinton is not giving anything to China. He is trying to keep the peace and keep that powerful country as our ally.

Observing speed limits equals safety

I NOTICED in the Missourian about so many automobile accidents on the streets of Cape Girardeau. I think I may be able to shed some light on that. Nearly every time I get into my car to go somewhere here int he city of Cape, I try to stay within the speed limit. But always there's someone tailgating me, trying to push me to go a little faster, which I refuse to do. I think this might solve a lot of our collision problems if people would obey the speed limits and drive carefully.

Another dangerous intersection

I'D LIKE to address all the automobile drivers who cross the intersection of Lisa Drive and Delwin. There are lots of children out here, and for some reason drivers think it's a racetrack. There's only a yield sign, not even a stop sign for the cross traffic. One of these days, one of these children is going to get hurt or even killed, and someone's going to have to live with that for the rest of their life.

Children are responsibility of parents

IF THE City Council of Cape Girardeau or Police Chief Hetzel managed to implement into law the new provision prohibiting the possession of tobacco by minors under the age of 18, and if anybody ever arrests one of my stepchildren, who are under my control and authority by way of the Constitution of the United States, for possessing tobacco on the streets of Cape Girardeau, I will not only challenge the city of Cape Girardeau, I will sue the city of Cape Girardeau for usurping my parental authority. If I give permission to my children under the age of 18 to possess tobacco and to smoke, it is not the business or the authority of the city of Cape Girardeau or its police chief to tell me what to do with my children. You can tell me that they can't buy it, but don't tell me that I can't give it to them.

Strong support for Jackson team

I'D LIKE to say that the Jackson Indians right now are the greatest thing to ever happen to Southeast Missouri. I think they have a great team. A lot of the credit, besides the coach and all the team, goes to the people who support them. Jackson has always been a football town. The fans are always out there to support them. I'm glad you won it, Jackson. I'd like to thank all the sponsors and fans who support the Indians whether they're winning or losing.

Help them to help themselves

I WANT to comment about the person who said they didn't like Jo Ann Emerson because she didn't want to help the poor. I contend that she is helping the poor. Think about it. We've had these social programs for 50 to 60 years, and people were in worse condition than they are now. I was raised poor. We didn't even have electricity until I got out of high school. I certainly don't want a big socialist state taking everything I've got. Look what happened in Russia -- everybody's poor. No, it's better to try to help these people, not make them dependent on the state. Make people self-sufficient. Democrats measure compassion by how many people you are helping. Republicans measure compassion by how many people can help themselves.