SPEAKOUT

A job well done

CONGRATULATIONS to Sen. Kinder on a job well done.

Plenty of insults

I WOULD just like to know: If it is wrong for Southeast Missouri State University to be the Indians or to use the name Otahkians, how can the city dare to name their community center the Osage Centre? That seems to be an affront to the British as well. We are just insulting people all over the place.

Mishow reports the facts

THUMBS UP to Marty Mishow for his honesty and integrity in reporting the events in the dismissal of Coach Ron Shumate and for his efforts to remind the public of all the good Coach Ron Shumate has done for the community and more importantly for his players. Coach Shumate is one of the few coaches who, while fighting desperately to have his teams win, always remembered that the players were people who needed their education. This sentiment is reflected in the numbers just as the wins are. Coach Shumate deserved far better than has been handed to him by Southeast Missouri State University. At least, Mr. Mishow is attempting to remind the public of Coach Shumate's records.

Too much micromanagement

THE COURTS in our society today have unilaterally reversed the historic position of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, especially the First and 14th amendments. And reading on that recently, I ran across the writings of Samuel Adams, who was a founder of this country and signer of the Declaration of Independence: "The Bill of Rights was created because the people wished to see a line drawn as clearly as may be between the federal powers vested in Congress and distinct sovereignty of the several states on which the private and personal rights of citizens depend. Without such distinction, there will be danger of the Constitution issuing imperceptibly and gradually into a consolidated government over all the states. The population of the U.S. lived in different climates with different education and manners and possessed the different habits and feelings and under one consolidated government can that long remain free." I will simply say that the purpose of the Bill of Rights was to keep the education, manners, habits and feelings from being consolidated and micromanaged by the federal government like it is being done today.

A day in court

THANKS TO Marty Mishow for telling it like it is in the Shumate affair. Even most vicious criminals are given their day in court and presumed innocent until proven guilty. The critics calling about Mishow don't even give him credit for being able to read.

Remove cemetery trees

WE CAN relate to the person who doesn't approve of new trees being planted in Russell Heights Cemetery. We would like to have older tree removed. It has given us continuous problems with bird droppings and green molds on the stones plus twigs and branches falling.

Indian history

I THINK Mr. Timex Rainwater Seabaugh had better read the history of his family somewhat better. At the time Lorimier was invited to come to Cape Girardeau to be the commandant, he was invited to bring the Indian tribes, the Shawnee and the Delaware, with him and have the right to trade between the Missouri and Arkansas Rivers because there were no local groups. And the Cherokee at that time, if I know my Indian history correctly, were still in North Carolina.

Some avoided the draft

IN THE early 1950s, there were quite a few World War II and Korean veterans in the Missouri National Guard, but there were also a lot of Guard members that joined exclusively to avoid the draft. I don't think that any of those people have any business being on any memorial plaque such as the one in Scott City. I'm a veteran that served in the Marines in peacetime, and I sure don't feel like I'm worthy.

French or Spanish?

WHY WAS Don Louis Lorimier portrayed in the recent celebrating French in Cape Girardeau activities? Wasn't Lorimier Spanish?

REPLY: Lorimier was French-Canadian, but he received land grants from the Spanish government and served as a regional governor in this area for Spain.

Special person, good neighbor

THIS IS to Kenny Swan who is a special person and so willing to help someone in need. He is indeed a special person and a good neighbor.

Special treatment

I JUST wanted to call in and say that the staff of Dr. Diane Hall's dentistry office was extremely kind to me last week and gave me extra special treatment.

Neighbors serve dumplings

I WOULD like to recognize a Random Act of Kindness. I know it's a little late, but special thanks the Rennicks of Stoddard Street for the chicken and dumplings. What wonderful neighbors.

REPLY: It's never to late to say thank you or to recognize an act of kindness.