SPEAKOUT

Strings to Indonesia

DOESN'T IT frighten you that we have a president who appointed John Huaing to the Department of Commerce, an executive with the Indonesian Lipo Co. which had given huge sums of money to Clinton for many years. He did not receive clearance but was given access to top-secret information. Then, he became a top fund raiser in the Democratic Party. Against all regulations separating political fund-raising organizations and our government, he made more than 65 visits to the White House, some visits being two hours in length and late at night. It turns out that this Lipo company has strings for many years in Arkansas with both of the Clintons' associates. Strangely enough even though Indonesia has broke every human-rights rule, it has received many trading advantages with the U.S. Of course, the type of individuals who run Lipo don't do anything unless they will receive double in return. Makes one thing we have a puppet in the White House with long strings leading directly to Indonesia.

Is seminary doomed?

WE ATTENDED a very wonderful show presented by the Sweet Adelines at the old seminary auditorium. The acoustics were wonderful, and it's such a nice place for the audience of 200-225. This is the kind of place this town needs for small functions like that. Is anything more being done to try to preserve this landmark, or is it doomed to a bulldozer? Are the people of this area going to allow it to go down like that?

Unions donate services

WE WOULD like to thank the Pipefitters and Plumbers Local 562 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1 for generously sacrificing an entire weekend to provide very desperately needed services at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. These services directly benefit all residents of our local community.

An election of lies

THIS IS the dirtiest election I've ever seen, and I am 76 years old. I never in my life saw so many lies being told by the people of the United States on TV. I think that is a disgrace to our nation. I just can't believe that people can put out messages on TV and on radio like they have done in this election. If God don't punish the United States, I'll be the most surprised person in the world. I know all that money was spent for ignorance, just blown out of necessity, of everything that we really work for in this world. I'm so sorry that the United States has to have people in this world with all those lies. If God don't help us, I don't know who should.

Hypocritical endorsement

I'M CALLING in reference to the Missourian editorial endorsing Jo Ann Emerson. I find it a little hypocritical that the Missourian says they don't endorse political candidates when in fact that's all they've been doing for the last three months.

REPLY: As was stated with the editorial, an endorsement of a candidate is a rare thing for the Southeast Missourian. The newspaper's editorial board felt the 8th District race for Congress deserved special consideration.

Notebook was returned

I WOULD just like to say thank you to the person who found and returned my little blue notebook to the Wal-Mart courtesy desk. It may not have meant much to anyone else, but it meant my life to me.

Thanks for sane view

JUST A word of appreciation to the editors of the Southeast Missourian for stating your point of view on Jo Ann Emerson and what that means for the election. I applaud you for that. After having to put up with liberal media both through TV news and papers for years, it's just wonderful to see someone state a point of view that's sane. Also, appreciation to the community for the prayer vigil that was held in Cape Girardeau the day before the election. I think we should do that more, and I think it's time that more of us get down on our knees and start realizing that our politicians need our support through prayer and support.

Bad neighborhood situation

WE LIVE on a corner downhill from a neighbor, and they are up all night long doing all kinds of stuff. They've got little kids, and they don't watch them. Sometimes these kids are up to 5 a.m. They keep us up at night. That's not the main problem. The main problem is they are drinking, and there are underage kids drinking there. They're doing their drug deals and stuff, and they park in my yard. My yard is full of beer bottles and beer cans because of these people. I'm sick of it because I got a citation for it and I'm not really happy about it. I just wish these people would move. As a matter of fact, the whole neighborhood wishes these people would move. We have talked to the landlord, and the landlord said "Well, as long as they pay their rent we can't do nothing about it." Well, I wonder what he'd think about looking at the inside of his house considering that the windows are all missing and it's November and the weather's has been down to 28 degrees and there is a young child in there, around the age of 5. Maybe welfare should look into it.

No liquor on Election Day

I'D LIKE to comment about the totally stupid ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages until 7 p.m. on Election Day. I'm having friends over tonight to watch the election returns. I went to my regular grocery store today and could not purchase beer and wine. I then went out to another store to purchase some film. While there, I also purchased about $50 worth of beer and wine. Not only is the law stupid, it isn't even enforced. This isn't the Old West when saloons were shut down to prevent gunfights between opposing factions and to prevent votes being bought for booze. The law is anachronistic. Besides, considering the choices we ordinarily have on the ballots, going to the polls dead drunk might make having to make a selection less painful.

Voters need to be informed

WITH OUR right to vote comes the responsibility of informing ourselves of the issues. Many voters go to the polls not even knowing who their current elected officials are, let alone who is the challenger. Mr. Rust recently had a column commenting on these facts. How can the uninformed to make choices that effect so many people spout it as their right and still sleep at night?

SEMO teams need support

I'M WRITING on behalf of all athletes of Southeast Missouri State University. I think it's a shame that more students of the university and citizens of Cape can't offer anymore support to the athletes than they do. These men and women work very hard at what they do. They practice every day, play their best on the field or court and still study to keep up good grades. They deserve a lot more support than they're receiving right now. I attended a football game last Saturday, and the amount of people there shocked me. It was a beautiful afternoon so where was everybody? Get up off your couch, bring your blankets if you have to, and show these athletes who are trying so hard to bring success to our school and our town, a little support. So what if they don't win every game. They could win the next. You should be there.

Thanks for sawing logs

I WOULD simply like to thank the person who came behind my house and sawed up some logs for me. I do not know who it was but I appreciate it very, very much. Thank you.

A matter of balance

CONGRATULATIONS, President Clinton, and I'd like to say that even though we live in a Republican district, I wanted Emerson to win and I wanted Clinton to win to counterbalance each other.

Losers and Rams fans

SINCE THE people of America have voted wisely and Bill Clinton has completely slaughtered Bob Dole in the presidential election, the loser Republicans can always feel at home and root for the St. Louis Rams.

Unbiased news channel

THE FOX News Network is a breath of fresh air. I'm so sick of watching the main networks and having them make biased political reports and innuendoes about one party or the other, depending on who they're for. It seems like it depends who the broadcaster is. Fox, so far, has been very unbiased, and I appreciate that and I encourage people to watch it if they want a true news channel.

Glad Clinton won

I LIKE Cape Girardeau a lot, the conservative attitude and everything like that. Fortunately, Clinton won because I believe that Dole would have been authoritarian in his executive orders, so I'm glad that Clinton won tonight, and I'm glad he won Missouri. Eleven electoral votes went to Clinton from Missouri. Congratulations, Gov. Clinton.

Better place to vote

I LIVE in Precinct 17 and want to comment how much I appreciate voting at the Arena Building this time rather than Clippard School. It was much safer. We didn't have to dodge children or school buses, and there was plenty of parking.

Leaves going into storm drains

I'M CALLING in regards to the leaf pickup program. I notice in the paper that there is only one pickup per area. A lot of citizens have raked their leaves two and three feet high into the street, and the pickup is four to six weeks away. Heavy rains will wash these leaves into the storm drains which will cause stoppage. I have also seen a lady raking into a storm sewer while it was raining. This should not be allowed, and the city of Cape should enforce this leaf program before we will need additional taxes for more improvements in the sewer system. Thank you very much for your Speak Out.

Not all patients wait

I JUST want to comment on the callers who are making comments about waiting a long time in their doctor's office. I'm a patient at a clinic, and they are very efficient. I never have to wait, and neither do any of the other patients. So I just want to say that not all doctors are like that, and the ones who have doctors that aren't are lucky.