SPEAKOUT

It's pettiness

I'M CALLING regarding the comment about the Reagan and Bush administration and the way the GOP is knocking Clinton's family and has been ever since they heard of them. I want to tell you, I lived through the Hoover administration, and we almost starved. I think they're being petty, and it's political, and I think it should stop. I am a Democrat and always will be.

Pick up trash

I WAS just reading the comment about the trash in front of the library. I think it would have been very nice if that person had also been compelled to pick it up in front of the public library that we all own, and it would not have been a huge thing for them just simply pick up the trash.

Cart before horse

IN RESPONSE to Southeast Missourian's editorial of Jan. 31, regarding abortion counsel, it seems to me that the main point in the battle over preventing unwanted pregnancies by the use of abortions should be preventing the pregnancies in the first place. In other words, birth control, so there would be then no unwanted pregnancies or abortions taking place. They put the cart before the horse in trying to find a solution to unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

Pulling together

IN RESPONSE to the person criticizing the Southeast Missourian for putting a picture of an abused dog on the front page and suggesting a picture of an aborted fetus: I'd like to say this, it's people like you who give the citizens of Cape Girardeau a bad name. How dare you or anyone else compare dogs and puppies with human beings? How could anyone take a situation like the puppy mill and turn it into a political argument? Literally hundreds of individuals banded together to do something good, hearts were touched with compassion, and people's eyes welled with tears when they read about it. People reacted with some kindness. So few things in life bring out the good in people today. So few things bring the community together like this did. I say bravo to the person or persons responsible for bringing the situation of the puppy mill to the attention of the proper authorities. And to the individual who felt pornography would have been more appropriate as a headline, shame on you.

Working days

THIS IS the old 80-year-old man that the yellow dogs have been hounding the last few days. Yes, I remember Hoover, I remember old Roosevelt. And I also remember him on an old battery-powered radio promising the mother's of America that their sons would not set foot on foreign soil if they elected him president. It wasn't just a few months that they were dying. The only way Roosevelt ever brought the economy back was to start a war, and we had a good one. I also remember working back when times were tough flying mules when I was 7 years old. I worked for my food and clothes. People don't work now, but these liberal socialist Democrats have got everyone on a pension and Medicaid. Nobody works anymore. We never did want their food back during the so-called hard times. We killed hogs and chickens. Worked, worked, worked, and we were happy.

Need names

I WOULD like to speak about the drug raid. It would be nice if they put the names of the people arrested. They put the names of everyone else in there. They need to put the names of the people arrested so we will know who those people are if they're let loose in the community again or if they're out on bond or bail, whatever the case may be. It would be nice so we can avoid those people, those of us who don't deal with that type of thing.

REPLY: Authorities didn't release the names because of the large amount of paperwork that had to be processed following the raids and arrests. The names were published Thursday, and more details will be published as they become available.

Enforce parking

HOPE WHEN Southeast Missouri State considers increasing enrollment student parking is enforced. Off-street parking is now horrible. Hooray to Sam Blackwell's column Feb. 1.

Budget balance

BALANCING THE budget does not mean getting out of debt. In fact the debt could get larger. That's according to a very good editorial on the governor of Missouri's budget for fiscal year 1997. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that all of Congress is lying to the American people.

Trim the trees

TO ALL the who are silly enough to try to get rid of birds by making a big banging noise, just trim your tall trees like you should. This is a way to get rid of the birds.

ANIMALS and children are important and shouldn't be abused, because children can't talk and neither can animals. So this woman says it's more of a problem for children. It's about 50-50, because I know exactly what you're talking about. I've seen animals abused, and I've seen children abused. Furthermore, I was a abused child.

The good news

I'D LIKE to comment Jay Eastlick column on an angel. I'm the mother of one. And also the column on dogs and babies. Keep telling it like it is, Jay. So a few are very uncomfortable, and maybe that's what it will take for us to see the error of our ways and start being what God created us to be. We Christians have every right to spread the good news on the editorial page, in Speak Out and anywhere else we please. It's called freedom of speech, and we have and will exercise our freedom to do so every bit as much and more than the heathens can spread the bad news. Hallelujah.

New school needed

THE CAPE Girardeau School Board needs to address building a new school for the May Greene area now. It should be No. 1 on the improvement list.

Arresting lovers

REGARDING THE policing at the park. For years, Klaus Park has been a lovers' lane. I guess it depends what kind of lover you are, whether you're going to be arrested or not.