SPEAKOUT

When the innocent become victims

THIS IS in reference to the "No sympathy for sexual misconduct" comment. The person who called in this opinion comes across as someone who places the blame of having AIDS on the person who has it because they didn't use a condom or abstain from sex. Apparently, this person doesn't realize that there are many innocent victims of sexually transmitted diseases. I had a monogamous relationship with my husband for 15 years. I saw no reason to abstain from sex with my husband or a need to use condoms. I would never in a million years have believed that I would ever need to be tested for AIDS or any other sexually transmitted diseases. I was stupid for believing that, and I found out the hard way. My husband filed for a divorce and gave me no explanation as to why. I found out why. He had been seeing someone else for months, someone he just picked up off the streets. It doesn't bother him at all that he could have given me a sexual transmitted disease as a result, let alone the possibility of him having one., I am an innocent victim. Not only do I have to come to terms with my husband's extramarital affair, I have to deal with the unknown of if or when something will show up on my medical tests. A cheating spouse can easily pass a death sentence onto the unsuspecting spouse.

A young person's cry for help

THIS IS a copy of a young person's cry for help. It tells a lot about our youth of today: That wind is chilly this evening. No, it can't be. The temperature is 90 degrees. But it is always chilly when I come to the cemetery. Hot or cold, it is always cold. Yes, that is my mother's grave. I find I can look right down into the casket. She is always looking up with her loving eyes. Why do you do that? Why do you look at me? You know what you did to me. I was the one to say I'm sorry! Well, I'm a big kid. It is your turn! Yes, I am a big kid now. I know right from wrong. You think you know everything. I will show you how I can punish you. A few well chosen words and stories to the right people will fix you. Don't look at me with your tired eyes. I know your day has been rough. But how about us going shopping? Isn't it about time I had more freedom? Then the caretaker is beside me. He is a kindly old man. His gentle voice urges me toward the gate. But on our way, he turns and says "Why don't you wash that hate, spite and fear form your heart?" Suddenly, I realize I have been wrong. I am swept with a feeling of remorse, feeling of guilt. When I turn to thank him, he is gone. In a wide open area? He has to be an angel. I drop to my knees, and there I truly meet God!

Takes a while for truth to come out

I HOPE everybody had the opportunity to watch the ABC special on John F. Kennedy. Everybody who thought he was such a great person and great president. Well, the truth has finally come out. And those of you who think Bill Clinton is such a good president, it's a shame that the truth about him cannot come out until 30 years after his death.

Compliments to Westwood decorations

I WOULD like to thank the people who live on Westwood Street. Some of you have the most beautiful lights I've seen in years, and you've obviously gone to a lot of work to make the holidays enjoyable for everyone, particularly the house on the corner of Westwood and Masters. It's gorgeous. Thank you for your time and effort. We enjoy it, and I hope you win one of the awards. You certainly should.

Game attendance is much lower

I SAW the game between Tennessee State and the Southeast Missouri Indians. It was a fair-to-middlin' game but pretty sloppy. For one thing, there weren't over 2,000, maybe 2,500, people there. Something's wrong with this paper. They're putting double the amount in there. The attendance is what you should put in there, not the paid tickets.

Slow progress on Normal project

AS I travel along Normal in front of Academic Hall on my way to church each Sunday morning, I look at amazement on what's going -- or maybe I should say what isn't going on -- with the construction project in that area. I can imagine one man with a wheelbarrow and shovel mixing bags of Quikcrete for the new street. Or did they just shut down to go build that much needed athletic complex on Sprigg? Anyway, what's going on in that area is not Normal.

Cutting trees saves on leaf pickup

I'M REALLY hopeful about the outcome of the cutting so many of the large trees in our fair city. The way I see it is, the fewer trees there are, the less leaves there are to pick up, so maybe they can pick up my leaves sooner. Besides, I don't need to cut my trees because I don't have sidewalks, just long, brown strips of dead grass created by the rotting leaves.

Paying taxes is like getting mugged

AS I prepare to write this check to the county which includes a 44 percent increase in my real estate tax, I'm reminded of the time I was mugged in St. Louis a few years ago. The feeling is very similar.

Message to kids: Life is cheap

I WANT to comment about the boy that shot his schoolmates over in Paducah. I just want to point out something. We live in a culture where you don't have any respect at all for human life. Christians all around, even the world, are under attack, and especially here in America. We've had millions of abortions in this country. How can you expect these kids to react in a different way than they've been shown that life is cheap? So if you can kill your own kids with no remorse, then can we blame a child like this when he simply reacts the way society is today? All we have to look in the mirror and we'll see who's responsible for this boy doing this.

Wonder if Clinton will resign

I WANT to comment on the person who says there's no proof that Clinton is a crook. Where has this person been? He probably still believes the world is flat. There have been quite a number of people around Clinton who have gone to the penitentiary over the dealings that Clinton was in. And his former partner, James MacDougal who's in the pen, says that Clinton was in on all this. It's just that there haven't been any prosecutions yet. And as they say, the fat lady ain't sung yet. Just sit back and watch the ride take place. Wait until this Paula Jones sexual harassment comes up. Wonder if Clinton will do like Packwood when he's proven guilty. Wonder if he'll resign.

A great SEMO volleyballs season

CONGRATULATIONS TO Coach Gannon and the Otahkian volleyball squad for bringing us another conference title. I know they were sorely disappointed in the tournament, but they did have an outstanding season and brought the fans many thrills. A special thanks to the two seniors for choosing SEMO. Nicole and Tuba will be sorely missed next year, and we wish them the best of luck.

Let kids use center on weekends

WE'RE TRYING to help the youth today in this town. I went down to the Osage Community Centre on Friday after school. Took eight kids down there. It's closed to wax the floor. So Saturday, freezing outside, I took the kids back down to the Osage building. It's closed. They've got maybe a dozen tables set up for some party that night. Why couldn't they have set the tables up at 5 o'clock and left the gym open for the kids and the community on Saturday? I think we've gone too far. I think it needs to be looked at. Saturday and weekend days should be left for the kids.

Parker column shows her ignorance

I WANT Kathleen Parker to know that her commentary only showed her ignorance. Thank God he didn't give her the opportunity he allowed the McCaugheys. The saying it is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought of as ignorant than to open your mouth and remove all doubt very much applies.