SPEAKOUT

False prophets

THERE ARE too many so-called Christians. They read the Bible but don't understand correctly the meaning of the true Bible, so they use their own false interpretation of the Bible. They are false prophets. This is not Christian teaching.

Southside school

IT SURE looks like a new Smelterville has developed in south Cape. The new part of Highway 74 cuts off a large part of the south part of the city of Cape. A new Cape school needs to be built there as soon as possible. Perhaps in the next two or three years from now.

Not enough fans

HOW MANY fans were at the high school games this last Saturday in Cape Central's gym? Should have been at least 3,000 fans. The weather was not that bad. The games were played indoors.

Clinton was right

I DON'T feel bad at all because one of the best minds in this country -- I'm talking about President Clinton -- didn't jump up and avail himself of the draft. He was one of the few people in the United States at that time who was a Rhodes Scholar. I don't know if you people in Missouri know what a Rhodes Scholar is, but they just don't come up and pick them up and put them in the college over there in Oxford, England, where the Rhodes Scholars go. I spent five years in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and I don't envy anybody over there or anyone who was in the Cuban crisis like I also was or in Laos. Before all you people jump off and think just because Clinton didn't take himself out of Oxford and avail himself of the draft that makes him a draft dodger, why don't you think of some people who need to further their minds enough to be smart enough to run this country instead of having idiots up there like George Bush and people like that who didn't have enough sense to pour water.

I WOULD like to know the address or phone number of an agency so I can find out whether any complaints have been made regarding an insurance agent. I realize there probably is a state board of insurance but I don't know whether or not they would make complaints public record.

REPLY: The Missouri Department of Insurance has a Division of Consumer Affairs that might be able to provide some help. The department's consumer hotline in Jefferson city is 800-726-7390. You also my call the department's branch office in St. Louis at 314-340-6830.

Put woman first

SOMETHING I find relentlessly irritating and subtlety sexist is when 98 percent of the time society speaks of a couple consisting of female-male, they put the man's name ahead the woman's. Let's become aware of this and stop doing it.

Some fresh air

I THINK somebody needs to ease up on Jamie Hall. I don't think he is a negative sportswriter. In fact, I think it's the opposite. I think he writes a lot positive things, and I think Jamie Hall brings a breath of fresh air to the Southeast Missourian sports section.

Rush and Archie

IN MY opinion, Rush Limbaugh is a younger, better dressed, slightly smarter and fatter Archie Bunker.

More like Hoover

I'VE BEEN wondering about why Republicans nowadays, say in the last 10 or 12 years from Reagan's time on down, try to compare themselves with being Lincolns or with somebody who was a decent president like Abraham Lincoln was, which I don't have any qualms about that, even though he was a Republican, I know he was a good president. But the Republicans we've got here are more like the presidents that my dad remembers vividly back in the Depression. We're talking about the Calvin Coolidge and the Herbert Hoover type of Republicans. That is what these Republicans are really like. They're trying to hide under sheep's clothing, but they're really wolves after the old people and the sick, the young, the neglected and people that can't do anything for themselves. That's what this modern era of Republicans are really all about. So, people, open up your eyes and look. Do you want another bunch of Hoovers?

Respect for flag

I BELIEVE last Saturday's Central High School Shootout was a success. Members of the Central band did a excellent rendition of the National Anthem, but it was appalling when spectators, young and old, did not respect the flag as it should have been when it was played. I don't know if they don't know or don't care, but a little tip: Read the flag code and they will find the proper way to show respect to the flag and the National Anthem.

Mannerless snifflers

YOU CUSTOMERS who blow your germy noses and then lay your napkin on a table for us waitresses to dispose of is a disgrace. Have you no manners or shame? We are then exposed to your many germs of all kinds. Where were you raised?

Presidential nitpicking

I THINK it's wrong that they continue with this appeal and that someone can continue with the sex cases against a president. I think it's wrong for them to be to do this against any president. Who cares if they had sex with somebody? They all did, and they always will. I think this is nitpicking, and I think it needs to stop. They need to take care of the United States. Who cares how many people they had sex with?

Get speeders too

I'D LIKE to address traffic fatalities in Missouri. According to your newspaper, 36.7 percent of all fatal traffic accidents were speed related, whereas only 27 percent of fatal traffic accidents in Missouri were alcohol related. I don't understand why they lowered the penalty for speeding to an infraction when they are the major causes of death, more than drunk driving is. Why don't we have the speeders go to prison too?

Why balance budget?

WHO CARES whether they balance the budget or not? It's for the people. It's a political thing. How long do you think our budget would stay balanced? If all the people in the U.S. would pay off their debt, the U.S. would go bust. As far as the Gallup polls, the people don't express their opinions on this or tell them what they want. They tell them what they think they want to hear. And when they go to the voting polls, it's a complete different thing.

No apology needed

I WOULD like to comment on the person who said our government owes us a big apology for the generation of the 1960s for the Vietnam War. I'm a Vietnam veteran, and I spent my time overseas. The biggest slap in my face is to know that the president of the United States is a draft dodger who hid from his service to his country. No apology to me. Apologize to all the deceased servicemen and women who died for a country. That will tear your guts out. Apparently the person who made this comment in Speak Out must have been one of them who chickened out or ran to Canada too.

Driving too fast

WE'VE CERTAINLY heard a lot about state's setting their own speed limits. Our own governor wishes the raise the limit to 70 mph on rural interstates. What I haven't heard is a good reason that rings true why this should take effect. Why is it necessary when people are already busting the speed limit right and left, sometimes by great stretches of mileage? Why is it necessary to raise the speed limit? Do people think that the people going 70-75 mph now will not go any faster because that will be the legal speed limit and this is their preferred choice of speed? Let's talk about those rural stretches of interstate: I-55 from Cape Girardeau or Portageville. No where is this road unpopulated enough to warrant such speed. If the people of this state think Missouri's roads are in good enough shape to handle this type of speed, they need to go out and take another look at them.