SPEAKOUT

Abortion president

ALL YOU chest-pounding, righteous, church-going, so-called Christians: How can you vote for Bill Clinton when he stands for abortion from the time of conception to the time of delivery? He's willing to kill the baby if the woman wishes and make the taxpayer pay for it. He backs gays in the military, absolutely ruining the military. He backs women marrying women, men marrying men when the Bible speaks strictly against. Come on, folks, how do you get up there and sing "Oh, How I Love Jesus" when you're backing a man 100 percent against your so-called Jesus. Think folks. Think, think, think. Are you a hypocrite?

No warning siren

NO, CAPE is not ready for a tornado. The city council ignores the serious danger. They say sirens are too expensive although they discuss money for extra parks. Wake up, people. Devastating tornadoes do happen.

Gambling threat

I SEE the proposed Cape casino is back in the news. Also more about Boyd Gaming Corp. showing such concern and compassion for our community and its people. Sometimes I think I've took leave of my senses or else thousands of my fellow Missourians have gone mad. How can any intelligent person possibly think that gambling casinos would be good for any community or for our state in particular? It may give the governor more tax money to play with, even the community where the casino's located. People are taking hundreds of millions of dollars out of our state. These companies do not produce anything, and they bring no new money or goods into our state. This leaves hundreds of millions of dollars less to buy houses, cars and appliances, which translates to lost jobs and taxes from these products. In the long run, all Missourians lose.

Bigger Cabinet

WELL, WELL, well. Now we know why we're seeing all the public service messages. Mr. Clinton has elevated the Department of FEMA to a cabinet position. That's all we need is one more cabinet position in our government. You ever think how much this is going to cost us? Vote conservative. Whether Republican or Democrat, vote conservative, and let's get rid of this mess.

Parental choice

I WOULD just like to say I think the Jackson school district has stepped over the boundaries into the parent's control over children just a little too much. My child brought home a note saying, "During the past several months we seen an increase in the number of sodas bought by students to drink with their lunches. You are encouraged to send money for milk or a more nutritional drink. The caffeine and sugar in the soda only makes it more difficult for the students to concentrate in the afternoon. It also tends to fill them up, and they do not get the nutrients needed for their growing bodies. Your help with this matter would be appreciated." I think they're going a little overboard when they tell us what to let our children drink and not drink. They need to butt out.

Scott City record

BEFORE sportswriters start reporting that it's been 30 or 40 years since Scott City's won the high school district basketball tournament, they need to check the records. Back in 1977 or 1978 was the last time that they won it.

Gracious winner

I'M A fan of the Scott City Rams, and I'd just like to say congratulations to Scott City for a job well done. But come on, Coach McCord. After the game be a little magnanimous. You could have at least congratulated the Notre Dame Bulldogs. We don't want to become known as sore winners. Again, congratulations Rams.

School standards

MY KUDOS to the Cape Girardeau public school standards as revised by the Academic Standards Committee. I just finally had a chance to read entirely through the whole document as presented in the newspaper, and it looks pretty well done. I see many things that weren't changed from the original Show Me Standards, but there are various places where they added in and modified, and I can see probably the things that were modified. Especially in this day and age stressing the principles of physical-mental health, such as and including premarital sexual abstinence and also emphasizing high-risk behaviors such as violence, alcohol, drugs and avoiding pre-marital sexual activity. It looks like it's a well done document. Again, kudos to our public school system from my perspective at this point.

Basketball bigots

I READ where Jamie Hall was at the Central-Vashon game the other day. Looks like he ran into some big-city bigotry. In Speak Out the other day, a caller called in and complained how our accents here in Southeast Missouri are that of a bullfrog. It seems that the bigotry and narrow-mindedness of big-city people will never end. People in St. Louis have looked down their noses at us in Southeast Missouri as far as basketball is concerned. Anybody who knows about basketball knows that the basketball in Southeast Missouri is the best in the state.

Thinking about sin

I'D LIKE to respond to the individual who wrote in Speak Out about Leviticus and homosexuality. I am not a homosexual. I just wanted to say that the individual's comments did make me think. As a Christian who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ I read more of the scripture in regard to Jesus' teachings and his life. In reviewing as much as I could very briefly his word, I did not find anywhere where he condemned homosexuals or homosexuality. He does condemn sin, but he also challenges us and stresses us and mandates us as Christians to love one another. I would like to add that I now believe that we should spend more time worrying about acts, sins, whatever you want to call them, that harm other people such as murder, rape and robbery and abuse than acts which really are very private and don't harm me or others. They simply are choices by those individuals. I wish we would spend our time in issues that could make our world a better place to live in.

Look deeper

JUST READ the article about the young lady from the Jackson Middle School. I think it's time to dig into this thing deeper. These children who are causing this girl to be scared to go to school should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Innocent town

THE INNOCENT town of Jackson finally made the front page, thanks to Cape. I live at Jackson, and I know firsthand what goes on here. It's amazing what is swept under the rug. I know at least two instances at the schools that happened last week. Nobody in town ever heard anything about it unless you were involved. I believe the Jackson police are scared of these young punks, because you hear they pick them up and they turn them right back loose. I just think people ought to be warned about Jackson before they consider it the innocent town they think it is.

Not good growth

I CALLED in earlier about Jackson's growth and commenting on the fact that it's not really good growth, because there are too many apartment and duplexes and the people who live in them don't pay taxes, yet it's filling up our schools and it's also causing a lot of lower-class type people to move into town. The prime example of that is on Sunday's front page. That's the kind of things that are going on in Jackson, and a lot of it. It's these newcomers who aren't really good-quality people. My daughter goes to the middle school, and I've been hearing stuff like this all year long. There's trouble there.

Support for Lindsay

I'M A 10th grader at Jackson High School. I must admit I was a little surprised Sunday morning when I woke up and saw a Jackson student on the cover of the paper. But after reading the article, I was appalled and angry. All Lindsay Siebert did was stand up for what she believed in, for what she believes is right. All she did was do what teachers have told her. She said no, and then she did something about it. Now she's be scrutinized for something that she believed in. I'd like to tell Lindsay that I stand behind her 100 percent, as many do, and I'd like to tell her thank you. Thank you so much for setting the example.

Drug dog needed

ONE THING we can do to keep the growing drug problem in the Jackson schools at bay is to help the police department raise money to buy a dog. They are currently accepting donations to acquire a drug-sniffing dog. Walking the dog through the hallways and locating any drugs in lockers is a perfect way to help keep drugs out of the school. Please support the Jackson Police Department in this quest.

Adults must act

I WOULD like to comment about things that are going on at Jackson school. I realize that it's not just Jackson that this applies to but to all the schools in the area. The incident with the Siebert girl and reporting the drugs. There's no reason why that girl should have to go to school and be afraid to go to school. The kids who are intimidating her and causing her trouble ought to be the ones who are threatened by adults or by people who are superiors. These kids cannot be allowed to do that to people who are doing the right thing. I was told of a similar incident where a child was beaten by five gang members, and nothing happened to these five gang boys. Then the child is told to be careful where he goes, he shouldn't go anywhere alone because these kids are going to get him. Kids should not have to fear to go anywhere. I am sick and tired of these kids getting away with it. If they get away with it now, what are they going to be doing when reach legal age? This is ridiculous. Adults have to put a stop to these kids ruling this world.

Today's hero

I AM troubled and shocked to read in Sunday's newspaper that a young student at Jackson Middle School has been treated so badly for reporting a fellow student for bringing drugs to school. By reporting the violation and signing the note anonymous that was given to the principal, it would have given him a clue that she was fearful of retaliation. The utmost support should be given by school administration for her courage and good citizenship. The short suspension was not the lesson normally learned for going against school rules. Did his parents condone his behavior before or after the suspension? His influence on others who made the threats and even after school violence should never be allowed. Instead of forcing this young lady into a home teaching program, maybe the hoodlums should be the ones to have to leave public school. If the drug awareness program being taught in the schools is to be a success, then maybe the school should have the awareness to back the law-abiding students. I hope that other concerned students will not let this incident change their minds or values if they see such things occur. Lindsay, I salute you for what you have gone through. Today you are my hero.

Pro-life Pat

GO PAT, go. It's obvious that you are the only pro-life candidate in the Republican primary selection process. The Christian Coalition should be behind you 100 percent. Ralph Reed is doing a disservice to his membership by allowing it to endorse Dole. Dole is a pale shadow of you when it comes to the pro-life cause. Thank you, Mr. Buchanan, for standing up and speaking out.

WHAT KIND of spineless wonders do we have operating the Jackson school system when they refuse to bring discipline let alone suspension against thugs and intimidators while they punish the little girl who simply is trying to do what is right? No wonder Americans are disgusted with the public school system.