SPEAKOUT

Careers, children

THIS IS in response to the article in today's paper on career and children. Some of us do choose to have children and a career, and those of us mothers who cannot afford to stay home with our children hate having to go to work. But we go to work to stay off welfare. I am one who hates having to go to work and doesn't get the income tax cutbacks of those single mothers that go to work and then get a cutback on their child care. Those of us working parents need to get more of a cutback on our income taxes than those single-parent families that get all their money back at the end of the year. We choose to go to work and have a family to stay off welfare. Let's hear comments about that.

I WANT to address this to the person who spoke about careers and children. What does this person want someone to do, just up and quit their job so they can stay home with her kids? Sure, Marcia Clark can just quit her job and stay home and draw welfare. Why don't we all just quit our jobs and stay home with our kids? Who's going to pay that?

Deepest sympathy

I WOULD just like to say how sorry I am for the Sweet family that they lost their little boy. Four years ago my 29-year-old son had viral meningitis, and they couldn't find out what was the matter with him here. We took him to the Washington University School of Medicine. We caught him just in time, but he was very sick and missed seven months of work. I would again like to tell Mrs. Sweet how sorry I am, because I know what she watched her son go through.

No approval

I DO not approve of homosexuality. Neither does God. I do not approve of racial intermarriage. Neither did Abraham Lincoln. I do not approve of pornography. Neither do the Republicans. I do not approve of a photographer taking a picture of a man urinating into the mouth of another man and calling it art. Neither would Michelangelo.

Bailey's behavior

I THINK F. Lee Bailey has lost his mind. I thought he was supposed to be such a great attorney. I heard so many things about him for several years. To lose his temper like he does, to make the ridiculous accusations that he is making and has made, he made himself look utterly ridiculous. I can't believe that man thinks that everybody in this country is stupid. We all see right through him. I believe he is giving us absolutely no credit for having any sense at all.

Return of Democrats

GOOD NEWS for the labor and union members. The Republicans failed to block the president's bill blocking scab labor for government contracts during strikes. Next on the agenda, they'll block the minimum wage, more than likely. Then they're trying to get this bill to make it impossible for a working man to sue. Just keep up your good work, GOP. We've got a place for you come November. It won't be a victory, it will be a great defeat. The Democrats are coming back.

UCLA is No. 1

HEY, MARTY Mishow, how is picking UCLA, the No. 1 team in the country, to win it all in the NCAA going out on a limb? This makes no sense at all. While we understand that it's difficult for any one team to emerge the winner, last year's No. 1 seed, Arkansas, did in fact win it all. We understand it's long odds, but it ain't going out on a limb to pick the No. 1 team to win.

IRS is slow

THE IRS is sure pokey this year. I filed my income tax on Feb. 4. All it was was W-2 forms with standard deductions, and here it is over six weeks later and I still haven't seen my refund. Last year I had my refund in the bank already earning interest. Looks like they're dragging their feet again. More government waste in the IRS with your tax dollars at work.

Tuition response

IN THE Wednesday paper, Art Wallhausen, assistant to SEMO President Kala Stroup, gave a myriad of reasons why tuition at the college continues to climb while enrollment decreases. Well, here's one reason he avoided: The administrative bureaucracy at SEMO has too many people who are paid way, way to much. Hey Art, cut the paper pushers, cut your salary, and maybe my kid can get in.

Test food handlers

ONE OF the ways that we could cut down on transmitted illnesses is if they would start making the food handlers in the different restaurants go back and get that health inspection card, where they have the blood test and all that. It sounds like tuberculosis is coming back. It sounds like some of the other viral infections or bacteria infections are coming back. I do believe that it is because of the people that are handling the food that we're coming into contact with on a regular basis, because 90 percent of the American people eat out almost all the time. If the food handlers would have the blood test and have those health cards updated like every three to six months, I believe a lot of this nonsense would be taken care of.

Support for Carol

HANG IN there, Carol Keeler. You're the best thing that's happened to this Cape Girardeau area.

Lexington timetable

COULD YOU please inquire and see when the final phase of Lexington will be finished? The dust is terrible, and the traffic is a much higher volume, and we'd appreciate to know when the last phase will be started.

Patients first

I JUST wish that I could convey a message to the people who are building the hospitals and bringing the doctors: You're forgetting the most important of all is to not mis-diagnose a patient. And they are. I am one who was mis-diagnosed and am suffering very much from it. Your patients are the one reason that you build hospitals and you have doctors in the first place. So please, emphasize more the patient.

Let Barney pay

I WOULD like to comment on PBS asking for donations. I think that is a bunch of bull for the simple fact how the Barney stuff costs and the Sesame Street stuff costs and all that. I went to buy my son a Barney doll, and that stupid thing was $35. I know how many they sold, and if they can't keep the show on the air with that, then something's wrong. The money has got to be going somewhere else.

Too much basketball

I THINK the national networks and the local TV stations have finally gone wacky with all this basketball nonsense, as if we haven't had enough of this crud rammed down our throats all year. Now they're pre-empting everything else for non-stop basketball until April 4. Gee, their usual programming generally sucks eggs anyway. If we get relief from basketball, they bore us with stupid infomercials and endless reruns. How uncreative. And these programming nerds arrogantly disregard the millions of viewers who hate this boring sports junk. Oh well, I for one will dismiss these TV stations and their sponsors and give my TV a break for a few weeks. Besides, we all know what all this live sports is about. It's for betting purposes. Otherwise, they'd simply put together a special show with highlights of all the games and spare the rest of us all the aggravation. Besides, what moron is going to sit on his or her fat duff if they're not betting?

A black thing

I'M CALLING in reference to the "just act normal" comment. I'm going to put it to you like this: If black people have a black thing, why not? White people have had a white thing for many, many years. They're the reason we're here. I don't think that's really a good way to put it.

Cast member responds

I AM a member of the cast of the so-called vulgar play. Not only am I a member of the cast, I am also a drama club officer. I beg to differ with the statement that the play was "disgusting." I would have you know that this play came out in the 1940s and has been performed at the Jackson High School more than once. Not once has this play ever been call vulgar. I first ask you, if this play is so horrible, why is it a Pulitzer prize-winning play? As for your statement that questioned our drama teacher's values, I would have you know that she is one of the most decent people that I have ever known. So I say to you, maybe the blame doesn't lie with our teacher. Maybe it lies with you for wrongly accusing people of things that you know nothing about, and before you go making uneducated comments, I ask you to look before you judge.

The age question

THIS IS regarding the Speak Out caller who had the question of age. He said he wanted to know why the fetus is a person and that a person's age begins at the day of their birth rather than the day they are conceived. I just wanted to let him or her know that in many countries, such as Thailand and through out the Middle East, they do count people's ages at the moment of conception. It is very difficult to be precisely correct to the exact day that the child was conceived, but I know that when I lived over there, I thought that was unusual, but they do count their birth from the moment of conception instead of the time in which you happen to pop out, which is nine months later. Which means that you've been a living, breathing, growing organism already for nine months. So based on that, you have to add nine months to your age and figure out where your birthday would be if you want to use that type of calendar. But it is quite common throughout the world. Just wanted to let them know that.

Attendance policy

I am calling in regard to the Central High School attendance reports. My husband and I attended an attendance review board, and we had my son exonerated for his absences because he is diabetic. I just received another letter in the mail today stating that he was missing too much school. Excuse me, please, but the school system should know by now that my son cannot help being out for doctor's appointments and such. I think that the administrator who signs the paper is doing nothing but public harassment. I think that the school system wants all of the undesirable children out of the system. I thank you very much for listening to me.