SPEAKOUT

Not a dignified act

WHAT DO you mean, Jesse Jackson, when you say it's one thing to punish a man and it's another thing to take away his dignity? Where was Dennis Rodman's dignity while he was kicking Eugene Davis? I say that was no act from a man with dignity.

Rodman's punishment

THIS IS in response to the comment about a case of extortion. Are you nuts? Dennis Rodman, in the heat of the game or whatever, had no right to kick that cameraman, and the cameraman should have sued him and Dennis Rodman should have been taken out of basketball altogether. I don't think the fine he was given or the fact that he had to miss a few games because he kicked this man was punishment enough. Just who does Dennis Rodman think he is? He is setting examples for the younger people. If these are the examples he is setting for our younger people, I don't want to have anything to do with him, I don't want my children to watch him or have anything to do with him. The fact that he just signed up with this new contract with the tennis shoe company, I won't be purchasing them because of Dennis Rodman. Get up and figure it out, buddy. Dennis Rodman got exactly what he deserves.

Hearing on cable TV

I WOULD like to see some kind of a public hearing with the cable TV advisory board. I know they can't do everything. People can control the programming if they complain loud enough. This is proof of that. But we're not getting all the facts, and I really feel that we are being treated unfairly. I don't want to pursue it any further but I would take it in my own hands to get a petition up and get something going.

Whimsical election?

THIS IS in regards to Peter Kinder's concealed guns bill. Perhaps Kinder is correct when he implies that his constituency votes on a whim. After all, he was elected. Watch out, Peter. We may not be so whimsical next election.

Sensible plan

CITY COUNCIL of Cape Girardeau, quit throwing money away. Run your own water plant. That is sensible.

Thanks for VH-1

THANK YOU so much, TCI for bringing back VH-1. That really made my day.

Support bridge lights

I HAVE driven over the Clark Bridge at Alton, Ill., several times, and at night it is a sight to behold. Please support the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce to get lights for our new bridge. You won't be sorry if you do.

Sports fashions

AT THE university, the boys basketball pants are getting longer and the girls' gymnastic suits are getting shorter. Neither is attractive.

Disturbing scenes on TV

I JUST saw a film of six people being shot in the head and then being shot in the back on the CBS Evening News Thursday night at 5:30. The story was covering human rights violations in China. What I want to know is, who is really violating the rights of humans when I can turn the TV on and see people being murdered? Is there a logic to that? It's very disturbing to me.

Tired of cable yo-yo

THAT'S IT. I'm tired of being TCI's own personal yo-yo. The company yanked our channels, switched our stations, literally toyed with all of its paying cable subscribers in this area. First, all of us Cape TV watchers were forced to endure the loss of some of our favorite programs over Christmas. There were no more Michael Jordan and Bulls games, no more laughter and applause from Comedy Central. Hey, we survived being the mere yo-yos that we are. We sprang back and tried to adjust. Now TCI is in a playful mood and has decided to pull the plug on our newly bestowed Animal Channel. After just a few weeks, many have grown attached to it. It has interesting and exciting shows. And not only is it suitable for children to watch, a rarity on TV today, but it's educational and fun. My younger brother loves the show "Crocodile Hunter." And you know, Cape cable subscribers, if you listen closely enough, you can actually hear the sound of our channels being sucked out of our TVs. That is if you can hear it above TCIs snickering in the background. Come on, TCI, what are you trying to do to us? Playing with our minds is one thing, but when you go around and mess with our remote controls, now that's getting personal.

Against concealed weapons

AS AN ex-correctional officer and as a gun owner and as a hunter, I'm very much for the right to bear arms, but I think Peter Kinder is nuts wanting a bill where you have the right to carry concealed weapons. What happens if you get in a traffic argument? You've got some nut -- and all it takes is one time -- he's carrying a gun and he gets in a hot argument over a traffic dispute or they come in an unemployment office and don't get their way and get enraged. They're leaving homicide wide open. You're going to have a lot of nuts free to shoot anybody they want in any place of business. I think Kinder has taken leave of his senses.

English under attack

I DO not understand why people are concerned that ebonics will destroy standard English. English is being destroyed. It's not from ebonics. It's from ignorance. Too many teachers are not teaching grammar, and as a result the students are not learning proper English.

Help with ice scraping

I WOULD like to thank the young man at Broadway Station who works in the morning for helping me scrape off my windshields whenever it was cold outside.

Lawyers and judges can help

JUST BECAUSE the chief of police orders aggressive enforcement to take aim at low-level crime in Cape won't mean a thing if the lawyers and judges do not crack down on low-level crimes too. The lawyers and judges can do more than the police can to stop the crime.

Clinton is a hypocrite

MOST HYPOCRITES wait a day or two before they contradict themselves. However this president does it in the answer to the same question. When asked about irregularities in Democratic fund raising, the president cautioned everybody not to jump to any conclusions without any proof, yet in his answer he accused the Republicans of being just as guilty as the Democrats. Where's the proof, Mr. President? Nobody knows. It's all in your mind. To call Bill Clinton a hypocrite is really an insult to true meaning of the word. This guy's got to go.