SPEAKOUT

Praise for Gately

WE THANK God for Melvin Gateley. He's a true leader in Cape Girardeau, and he also helps the low income residents. Hang in there, Melvin Gateley. We'll see you in the next election. Hopefully, you'll run for mayor, and you can get it.

Give it to Oak Ridge

I LIVE in Jackson, and about the interchange: We don't need another one here. Give it to Oak Ridge.

Truth about Clinton

TO THE person who wants everyone to be proud of Bill Clinton. The truth of his past cannot be cleansed. The truth of the present cannot be hidden. The truth of his future cannot dictated. So you be proud of him. I can't.

Immigration reform

READING THE column on immigration reform in the Sunday paper, the thought came to me: National Review, Forbes and Mona Charen skipped or forgot some history. Until 1960, we only accepted professionals and skilled workers as immigrants. Kennedy promoted changes in the law, and Johnson finished by letting in just anybody. That started the immigration problem. Both problems, immigration and welfare, were started by Democratic presidents.

REPLY: How does this caller account for the hundreds of thousands of rich and poor immigrants that passed through Ellis Island? There were not all professionals nor skilled. But they all had a desire to make a better life in a new world.

Feminism and NOW

TO THE caller who was inquiring what a feminist is: I will quote some of the purpose of the National Organization for Women. It is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society, exercising all privileges and responsibilities in true equal partnership with men. This includes but is not limited to equal rights and responsibilities in all aspects of citizenship, public service, employment, education and family life and includes freedom from discrimination because of age, marital status, parenthood, physical or mental disabilities, racial and ethnic origins. Feminists speak out and sometimes march to bring all these issues to life and fight for their preservation.

Golf course fees

IT SEEMS that every time a raise is proposed in recreational fees, the majority of the heat is placed on the golf course. From the remarks I've read and heard, this is based on the supposition that the course is used by a bunch of rich people at the expense of the taxpayers. As Councilman Neumeyer said in his vast wisdom, "Golf is not a poor man's game." I have played at the Jaycee Golf Course since it was built approximately 40 years ago. I'm definitely not a rich man but I do like to play golf and every time I play at the Jaycee Golf Course. A lot of the controversy would be solved if the city would do just one thing, namely, each year publish a printout of the total revenue collected at the Jaycee Golf Course along with the total revenue from the rest of the recreational activities. At the same time, show the total amount of money spent each year on the golf course and compare it to the total amount expended on the rest of the recreational activities. I have a good idea of about how much the Jaycee Golf Course takes in, and I'm sure I can say without fear of contradiction that the past two years there have been more people played at the Jaycee Golf Course than the previous fours years combined. I'm there five days a week, most of the time. I do not play on Saturday and Sunday because it is too crowded for me.

Fantastic cleanup

I WANT to comment about the city and the cleanup after the storm. They did a fantastic job after the storm about a month ago and again after the one last week. I compliment the city work crew.