SPEAKOUT

Punishment plan

I'M CALLING in regards to the cemetery damage in Old Lorimier Cemetery and the man who has pleaded guilty to damaging the monuments there. I hope Judge Seiler gives him the most stringent punishment possible and, in the event he does not have the money to pay the maximum fine, I think the judge should be creative in his sentencing. Perhaps considering working the fine off by having to take care of that cemetery for months and months, regardless of what has to be done. He deserves to put some time back into keeping up what they have so maliciously damaged.

Fireworks sputter

PERSONALLY I couldn't care less about what kind of fireworks displays they're having in Taiwan. I couldn't care less about what's happening in England, in Australia, in Africa, in any place that's so far removed from this country. I'd much rather hear about on our national news what's going on in this country and if we are involved in any other country. But to hear about fireworks in Taiwan, I just don't believe that's going to capture my interest at all.

School choice

SINCE MARY Kasten co-sponsored a bill to help fund private schools, I say good for her. My kids go to public schools, but here's the way I see it. All the private schools, whether religious or not, are saving the taxpayers astronomical amounts of money. Think about it. What if every private-school parent would just for one year say to our government, "OK, you win. I can't afford this anymore. I'm going to send my children to public school now and let the taxpayers pick up the full tab for my children. No longer will I sacrifice an enormous amount of money. The taxpayers can 100 percent for me too just like they do for all the other citizens out there. I will no longer be penalized because I want my child to be able to pray in school or be taught certain moral religious values." Just what, dear voter and taxpayer, do you think would happen then? Well, my darling, let me tell you. If you think you pay taxes now, just wait until all those good taxpayers who pay double their share. They pay taxes for your child's education, and they pay again for their own child's education. When the day comes they decide to lay back, you'll see the biggest mess on your hands such as this country has ever dreamed of. The education system in this country would go broke. And, my friend, you'd be wishing you could put all those kids back in private school so you could give them a voucher or a little bit of help. Can't you see the trees for the forest here? These people are being cheated just because they want some choice about their child's education. So what if these schools teach religion and morality? This country would be a lot better off if we had a little bit morality. This is a classic example of citizens being penalized because they exercised their right under the First Amendment to practice their faith in a most basic way: the education of their children.

Opportunity knocks

THE PROPOSED juvenile detention home in Klaus Park will not house killers. Even people 14-17 can be certified as adults, and will be prosecuted as adults and will be incarcerated as adults if they commit serious crimes. The people down here will be repeated shoplifters and petty criminals. I don't understand the opposition to this. There is a tremendous benefit for Cape Girardeau County involved in this project. People are so backwards. We're going to end losing a good opportunity for our community, and it's going to go someplace else. Other communities are clamoring for this type of thing because they understand that jobs are important to them. People in Cape Girardeau are a bunch of hicks.

Taxes are taxes

I SEE once again that somebody in Jackson has it backwards. People who live in apartments do not pay taxes, this is true. However taxes are paid on that building by the owner. So it doesn't matter if a person lives in a $50,000 duplex and rents it and the owner pays the taxes or if they live in a $50,000 house which they own and they pay the taxes. Tax money is still paid on that property.

Honk if you hurry

I CAN'T call him a man, just a male person. He just left the grocery story in such a hurry blowing his horn because an elderly lady was in front of him and not driving very fast. Don't worry, buddy, your day is coming. Then we'll see how fast you drive.

Adultery question

IT SEEMS that a lot of people get a lot of their answers from the Bible. I have a question I'd like for somebody to address. What does the Bible say about divorce, especially when you divorce somebody and they're still alive. Does that make you and your new spouse committing adultery?

Credit for Clinton

I'D LIKE to make a comment about President Bill Clinton. I don't think he's really gotten near the credit he deserves. The economy's good, the interest rate is down, people are working, everything is looking fine. All you hear about is Whitewater, which is strictly political. Things have been a whole lot better under President Clinton than they ever were with Reagan and Bush. Of course, you'll have most Republicans saying this is not true. But the average working person out there today knows that they're a lot better off. And I voted Republican the last election.

Jackson is thriving

I READ with considerable humor the person who called saying the people who live in Jackson in duplexes and apartments don't support the city and schools with their taxes paid. This is true, but the owners of these duplexes certainly pay city and school taxes. These duplexes are a needed addition to Jackson. People from all walks of life want to live in Jackson because of its many positives. It looks to me like while many smaller towns are stagnant and dying, Jackson is driving and moving forward. Keep it up.

Charity scam?

I JUST received a telephone call soliciting a donation for underprivileged children's camping. As soon as I asked them to send the information in the mail, they clicked off. I don't know if this is scam or not. I thought I'd call and warn people. If someone calls about this charity, check it out before donating.

Clinton will win

I READ Speak Out quite a bit, and I really enjoy the paper and the Speak Out. And I enjoy our President Bill Clinton, and I'm glad to see the Republican Party call each other crooks and thieves and everything else, because Bill Clinton is going to win this election. You Republicans, grab the seat of your pants and hang on. I get a big laugh out of your jokes.

Question of location

IT IS not the juvenile home that I am opposed to. It is the location. To give away even part of a beautiful park that in the future will grow increasingly more beneficial is a disaster plan for citizens of Cape Girardeau County.

Cleaning house

EVERY AMERICAN wants to rid Washington of politicians. But when threats to his family from politicians ran Ross Perot -- an honest, fair and wealthy businessman -- out of the last presidential race, we lost that chance. Politicians will sell their souls to get votes. This election, fortunately, we have another chance to rid the White House of another politician. That is, of course, if Americans have any voice at all in their government. A legitimate popular vote is the only answer since we are one nation with one president. The electoral college is obsolete and not a true representation of all Americans. Either Pat Buchanan, Steve Forbes or Ross Perot is our only hope for a true democracy.

Praise for coach

CONGRATULATIONS TO Coach McCord of the Scott City Rams basketball team. You are the force, man. You are the force behind that team, and we are so proud of you. The coach doesn't get the glory, but you deserve it. You are the inspiration.

Great job, Rams

HEY, ABOUT the Scott City Rams. Congratulations to the boys and girls and to Derek McCord and Coach Randy White. You've done a great job. Go Rams.

Presidential flash

I WANT to comment about some of the people calling in and think Bill Clinton is going to re-elected. I've got a flash for you. There's never been a president re-elected in the middle of a recession, and this is the seventh straight month that the GNP has nosedived. People are losing their jobs, and interest rates are starting up again. The recession is getting worse. It's not a depression, but it's turning into a pretty bad recession. Look what happened to Bush. People are caught between the Clinton crunch, rising taxes and lowering wage scale. There have been government jobs created but none in the private sector. The way to get your job back now is for Clinton to lose his. We've got to get him out of there and end this recession so that people will have growth and the country can move ahead.

Late start

I WOULD like to hear from any parents who found it very difficult to get their kids to school two hours late March 7 because of the snow and ice when they had to be at work themselves at 8 a.m. Maybe if there were more parents who would respond to this, they would either start the school at 8 or open the school early enough that you could drop your kids off and they could use the library or either go to their rooms so that working parents had an option. It's very difficult to put your kids first all the time whenever you have a job that you're responsible to be there for on time yourself in bad weather conditions.