SPEAKOUT

Spirit of Christmas found in Cape Girardeau

THIS IS a comment on the spirit of Christmas which I feel is almost nonexistence in society. The week before Christmas I witnessed two events that changed my feelings toward the spirit of Christmas. On the 17th, I was pulling into the Schnuck's parking lot. I noticed an elderly lady who ran her cart off the curb, spilling her contents. Before I could get out of my car to assist, two people, one white and one black, ran up to help her. I am currently in the military, stationed in Cape. I spent the past 14 years in San Diego and hardly ever saw people caring about others. The last event took place during the week before Christmas. On December 19, I was approached by the principal of an elementary school, where my daughter attends. An individual or individuals saw my daughter walking to school with her mother and contacted the principal. The person wished to give Christmas gifts to this little girl and her family. These same individuals appear to do this every year. I agreed to pick up the gifts on the 22nd. To my family's amazement, the gifts included toys, shoes, clothes, and coats. This was indeed a merry Christmas for my family. In today's society, all you hear is about the evil people do to each other. God bless these individuals.

Police need more money

I WAS quite appalled at the salaries of police officers listed in the paper. Why is it that most needed positions, the ones we really cannot live without, are the lowest paid? I am not always 100 percent happy with the services, but as a general rule, police officers are dedicated and caring people. They put their lives on the line. We don't see the worst of crime up close like they do. It is dangerous work.

IT IS easy to spend other people's money to look good.

Coyotes or singing bird dogs?

HELLO to the person from Arizona who called about the coyotes on Perryville road. I live on Perry Avenue before it ever turns into Perryville road. I am from Texas, and yes, those sure are coyotes. I heard them Thursday night. We have heard them for about a week now. We live next to a small patch of woods. Amazing. We have deer, possum, raccoons, foxes, and now coyotes. Pretty strange.

I AM calling in response to an inquiry in Speak Out about coyotes. I live in the middle of Snake Hill and we hear them frequently. Across from our residence is a wooded area. We hear them howling a lot.

WE WERE interested in the article that came out about the coyotes. We have also heard the coyotes. We live in the Northeast part of the city near the end of new Sprigg street. We have heard the coyotes in the evening. They seem to be near the new school property at the end of Sprigg street. Very interesting that you also heard them.

TO THE person from Arizona who thought he heard a coyote singing, welcome to the Alma Schrader singing bird dog. He makes beautiful music and we all love him very much. Neighbors can even hear him blocks away. He is no coyote.

IN REPLY to "Did you hear coyotes?" Yes. But not only did I hear them, I saw them. Not only did I see them, there is one less in the pack. Seems it could not outrun a 12-gauge slug. Yes, there are a lot of coyotes in Cape. All you got to do it sit back and listen. This is a common occurrence I have run into out here where I live on the North side of the county. Apparently there are not too many other people concerned with the coyotes. We just live with them or shoot them. There are plenty of coyotes out this way. If you would like to hunt and trap them, I am sure plenty of farmers would let you do so. All you have to do is ask before you come on to our property.

Wayward children not the only ones to blame

I HAVE been around for quite a while. I have seen generations after generations grow up. I know young people don't start out mean, but look at the environment now. Babysitters raise them, drugs are all around, and no one is home with them. It is bad when women have to work and can't be home with them. Mom was always there for us when we got home from school. We lived on a farm. We walked about 2 1/2 miles, but Mom was home. There is nothing that can take place of a good mom. We can't put all the blame on our youth today. They have their side of the story, and we have to listen.

The GOP and the working man

ABOUT DECEMBER 21 or 22, someone wrote Speak Out and said the Republican Party was against the working man. I don't know who this man was. I don't know if he is a Democrat, Socialist, Liberal or Communist. I am just shocked by that remark. If he is not happy with the way the workers are being treated in Cape, I suggest he go to Chicago. There they have a Democratic regime. They, along with the special interest groups, control everything including who holds what office. The salaries are pretty good. There is one problem. The average home has a real estate tax of $4,000 or $5,000. Of course, they still run out of money. In that case, they go to Springfield, and they want money for education and housing. I see Clinton has approved some extra money for Chicago and Kansas City. This fellow can help the group in Chicago.

THE 1992 presidential election unleashed the forces of political correctness. Those who are pursuing the revisionist agenda of history no longer bother to conceal their great hatred for traditional history. Nobody dared cut the multicultural part, and what got left out was traditional history. After the 1992 election, the American Historical Organization, an academic organization, became particularly aggressive in its opposition to grant privilege to the west in historical treatment. There is every reason to believe that the certification process put in by the Clinton administration and the Goals 2000 program will lead to the adoption of the proposed standards more or less in tact, with the result that much that is significant in our past will begin to disappear from our schools. As it has been said, as students graduate now without being able to read or write, soon they will graduate without having any idea of the history of this country. This is pathetic.

No to transportation tax

I WAS reading in the paper about the tax for the transportation one side has proposed for the city of Cape. Since I have heard a lot a people say if they are going to add a half cent they would just shop somewhere else besides Cape. The mayor talks about the widening of Broadway, Clark, West End Boulevard and Lexington. Why should the people from out of town pay for the people up in that part of time when they don't travel there? Let the people who are going to build out there pay for their streets. The people from out of town shouldn't pay for the city streets up there. These are state roads like the one going into Route K and business 34 across town. I am afraid they are going to lose a lot of business.

I AM calling about our new mayor. It seems like he can't keep his nose out of everybody's business. I think he is up to something, when he wants to raise sales tax again for building the streets. Look how much money they wasted on Lexington and all these streets they build out on these new additions. We are paying for that with taxes right now. I don't think we should be raising taxes when they can't take care of the streets here in town. They are in bad shape. I think he should keep his nose out of the tax business, and take care of his business right where he is at.

Let's find players who love the game, not money

I AGREE with the lady who commented on the salaries. I wish they wouldn't have renewed any of the contracts, and they would just get new players. It would be a lot more fun to watch some of these players not get their salaries. They are real cocky, and they think the game can't be played without them. It would be a lot more fun watching the amateurs play for a good time, instead of these guys who just want to make the big bucks. They don't think of the poor people who have to pay to see them play. They think the owners have to meet their demands, but the owners have to make a profit. I just wish they would fire every one of them.

Give Newt the same chance Clinton got

ABOUT GIVING Newt a chance, and how they gave Bill Clinton a chance, they have been against Bill Clinton since he won the election. They have been after him, hacking him and blasting him all the way through. He in no way got a fair chance. About Newt getting a chance, what about the things he says about blaming the Liberal and the Democrats for the drowning of the two boys, plus several unkind statements he has made about putting children in orphanages? Also, I think he is the one that sets an example by serving his wife divorce papers when she was near death. I think we gave him a chance when the people voted Republican. We certainly are giving him a chance, more than he deserves.

I WANTED to know why KFVS is not showing that new Delta Burke show next week. It looks really funny.

Don't abandon POWs

THIS IS concerning the American pilot in North Korea. These men are good enough to serve but not enough to save. That is our government concerning all men who have been lost as POW's since World War I. American generals in charge of military affairs of this nature: Where are you and your strategies? God love these young men, their families, and their friends.

Clarification

I THINK you misunderstood me. I didn't say the St. Louis papers referred to us as sloppies Missouri. I said they refer to us as Swampeast Missouri.

THANKS FOR being honest. I want to thank the person who found my purse in Walgreens Thursday afternoon and returned it to the cashier. May God bless you.