SPEAKOUT

Editor's note Because so many calls have been made to Speak Out concerning the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, we will not publish any comments on the matter after today. Tuesday's column was dedicated almost solely to the subject and so is today's. We have selected comments that most represent the nature of the calls received.

NOW, LET ME see if I have this straight. I think my teachers have been telling me wrong. I think I have it. If I am a Republican, then Thomas is telling the truth; if I am a Democrat, Hill is therefore telling the truth. If I publish a Republican newspaper, then Thomas is a saint. If I publish a Democratic newspaper, Hill becomes the epitome of virtue. My science teacher, the poor sap, tries to tell us that we should collect our information first and then make our decisions. Boy, is he out of it.

ON THIS THOMAS hearing, Bush has been quoted as saying that in the future, FBI reports are to be restricted from the press. This man is not of the people or for the people; he is of and for big money interests and CIA tactics. The adolescent nature of Bush's comment truly frightens me. If Bush is allowed to restrict us from events as they really happen, and substitute these news conferences of political rhetoric, then we're no better off than the communists. Having TV for instant information is what makes us a true Democracy. The free press is what allows us to decide for ourselves if the government we are supporting is the kind of business we want spending our taxes. This is a great system in America, but it works best when we, the people, want and get at least our freedom to know what is really going on. Thank you.

IT APPEARS ABSOLUTELY ludicrous in watching the Senate judiciary hearings on Clarence Thomas that Edward Kennedy was sitting in judgment of Clarence Thomas when Kennedy has Chapaquidick to his account. Also, his nephew is accused of a crime in which he seems to have some involvement. And, it's absolutely ludicrous to sit there and watch that man and his supercilious attitude. It looks like voters in all areas where these men on the Senate Judiciary Committee are sitting would take some closer look at the senators from their area and do something about them come next election. Thank you.

NO WAY DO I believe that Thomas is not lying. Those who say that he isn't are just saying so because they don't want to go against what Bush wants.

WHY DID PROFESSOR Hill wait 10 years to come forward with this information on Judge Thomas? At that time she was protecting her job. Now, putting Thomas in the job is not fair to women. So all you women can thank her for speaking out for you. That's way I see it.

AS A MALE, the Clarence Thomas case is extremely distressing to me and it should be to every other male as well. What is being seen in the Thomas case is that anything said to a female can be both career threatening and damaging to one's integrity. Along the same lines, this parallels the charge of rape against former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Is a male safe to do or say anything with a female anymore without the threat of being thrown in jail or losing all of his dignity? The feminist movement has given the power in these cases to the women, which I find very dangerous in today's society on the basis of potentially false allegations.

I AM SO tired of all these conservative do-gooder Republicans whining and crying about the confirmation process and allegations against Clarence Thomas. We all know what their reactions would have been if Mr. Thomas had been a liberal Democrat trying to become confirmed with all these allegations. Both parties are guilty of dirty politics and it will never change. Thank you.

I HAVE BEEN watching on television Orin Hatch, a senator from Utah, the most two-faced person in the Senate. This man praised to high heaven Professor Hill when she testified against Clarence Thomas. Then he did the same for Clarence Thomas. His display of stupidity is ugly and sickening. He is almost as bad as Danforth, the senator from Missouri, who followed Thomas around for quite some time, carrying his suitcase for him. It was disgusting to see these people frantically backing a person who, according to the American Bar Association, is minimally qualified for a job which calls for a person to be superiorly qualified for the job. When a president nominates a man who is minimally qualified, the Senate should go no further than that and refuse to confirm him to the job. Thank you.

WE WILL PROBABLY never know who is telling the truth, Ms. Hill or Mr. Thomas. But did people really think Mr. Thomas would go before the Senate committee and say, yes, I did all those things? The man is not stupid. If there is the slightest doubt of his innocence, I do not think he should be on the Supreme Court. Thank you.

THE SENATE HEARING on Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court was ridiculous. Some of the questions they asked that man were ridiculous. If I were Judge Thomas, I would do a Johnny Paycheck on these people; I'd tell 'em to take this job and shove it. No man should have to go through the questions that this man went through for two days straight in a row. I would like to get my sports back on TV. These people sit there and question this man, and they are no worse or better than he is. I don't imagine Judge Thomas has ever written any rubber checks. Thank you very much.

IF JIMMY SWAGGART can preach the word of God and continue on in his sin, why is it so hard for us to believe that Clarence Thomas sexually harassed Anita Hill? Think about it.

I JUST WANT to say I felt sorry for the woman who wrote a letter to the editor in response to the article in the paper about the life chain at Capaha Park. She says she will not let the government or the church tell her what to do with her body. No one wants to tell her what to do with her body; only that she may not kill the precious baby inside her body. So many couples are looking for a sweet little baby to love. She also says she was the result of failed birth control. Well, if her mother felt the way she does she would not be here today. Thank you.

I'M CALLING ABOUT the recycling pickup. I agree with the people who have been saying that picking up trash once a week is not enough if you have a family. Most people who want to recycle can take the stuff to the recycling center like they've always done. I think it is ridiculous to pick up trash once a week. We have a family of seven and we need ours picked up at least twice a week and sometimes three. Most of the people here in the neighborhood have the same feelings. The recycling thing should be a voluntary program. If they're going to cut our trash pickup in half then they need to cut our trash bill in half. Thank you.

I WANT MY second garbage day back. I do not want garbage sitting at my home for seven full days. I'm paying for two garbage pickups and that's what I want. If I don't get it I think I'm going to file suit against the city because we're paying for two garbage pickups, not one. Thank you very much.

I'M READING IN Speak Out about how these people recycled for years and took their newspapers over to VIP and now they can take them over to Broadview. This every-week collection of recyclables is ridiculous. I agree with them wholeheartedly. We need our twice-a-week garbage pickup and we can take care of the recyclables ourselves. The city does not need to be picking up the recyclables. We need our garbage picked up twice a week.

THE PEOPLE WERE LIED to about the Iran-Contra affair. People are losing confidence in government. That's exactly what has happened in the Reagan and Bush administration. Day after day they come forward admitting they lied to Congress. What do you expect? It's a sad thing.

TONIGHT I WAS vandalized by local mischief-makers. I say local because a stranger would not have come on the front porch by my door and stolen my little girl's jack-o-lantern nor her plastic Halloween figures from the rosebed not 15 feet from the house and her lawnbag pumpkin. My daughter took great pride in doing her decorating this past Sunday and now she has cried herself to sleep, all because of malicious thievery. We always go all-out to decorate for Halloween and Christmas in our little town so the local folks may enjoy the sights, but now the anger and sadness I feel is hard to put into words because of this betrayal. Please return my little girl's decorations, especially the pumpkin because it has sentimental value to her. In the future, please only look, do not steal. Thank you.

PAT SAJAK HAD better be careful where he puts his hands on women. They might get him for harassment.

I'D LIKE to address the issue of serious accidents on William Street in the vicinity of Boatmen's Bank, the 2000 block. I saw two very severe accidents in the last week. This issue has been addressed before. I have off and on for four or five years. Can we afford a stoplight for that area or is it just going to go on forever like a race track out there? I think a stoplight is needed there very badly. I'd like the city council or mayor to address this question. Thank you very much.

I CAN'T BELIEVE how many trash bags we save now that there are fewer trash pickups. We take off both the top and bottom of tin cans and crush them flat. We also step on cereal boxes, soap detergent boxes, 2-liter soda bottles and milk jugs so they take up less space. You guessed it: we don't have an automatic trash compactor. We also use paper grocery bags now in our kitchen trash cans instead of the black plastic bags. Thank you.

THE PASSAGE OF Proposition B next month will probably help our education about the same that the last pay hike in the U.S. Senate helped our country. We read that Proposition B is not particularly for salaries, but it is not prohibited either. Still, if it passes, it will turn loose of money in the general fund for salaries, which leaves less money in the general fund for necessary expenditures. What's the difference? We are told it is affordable, it will only cost an average family about $50 a year. Then, on closer scrutiny after everything is considered, it'll look more like $500. I'm not against education and I know there's much needed. We might try looking at parochial schools, which do a better job on less money. Inflated budgets and salaries will not cure the ills we have with our public schools. Besides, why should we volunteer to add tax to ourselves? We are overtaxed now. This one may seem small and necessary. So will the one proposed next year, the next year, and the next year, and so on. It is estimated that by 2001 we will have only 50 percent of our money to spend; the other 50 percent will be eaten up by taxes of one kind or another. There just has to be a better than through taxation. Don't forget, most taxes are forcibly taken from you. Little is paid voluntarily. Enough is enough.

VOTE FOR PROPOSITION B.

THIS IS IN reference to the 911 they're talking about getting in Scott City. Why is it they're talking about the enhanced 911? It is going to cost all the residents extra on their phone bill. If we would just get the regular 911 there wouldn't be any extra charge to us.

I WOULD LIKE to know how other people feel about being called on the telephone about worthy causes. I plan to vote for Proposition B. I'm in favor of it. But, when I'm in the middle of intricate home repairs, I do not want to have to drop all of my tools, run to the telephone, and hear someone talk about quality education. Are you talking about Proposition B? I asked. Yes, she said. Thank you, I know all about it. Please do not call me about quality education. How do other people feel about that?

I'D LIKE TO thank Channel 13 for carrying the Cape-Jackson football game. They need to get a couple of announcers who know what they're talking about. Thanks.

I LOVE PARADES. The Homecoming parade should promote the university with lots of floats and bands. The local merchants advertising their wares has no place in this parade. This was the poorest I have seen in many years. Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to direct my comment to KFVS-TV. Please remove the Swaggart program Sunday morning. This man has stolen millions from poor people. This man is a disgrace to the human race. Please, please, spare us from him. Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to comment on the person who called in saying Cape Central will always be No. 1 in everything. Jackson has repeatedly beaten Cape in wrestling. In fact, Cape Central has never won to Jackson. Thank you.

I'M CALLING IN regards to trash that is being dumped on the sidewalk down here in the 300 block of S. Lorimier. The trash is being scattered over the entire sidewalks. Small kids get into it to play in it. One will get hurt one of these days. It seems like the owner would get the sanitation department here in Cape to pick up this mess. We're getting mice and what not in our residence down here. Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH says things are getting better. I had a list to call in about just how bad things are, but it grew to such proportion that it couldn't be published on a single page. But I'm here to tell you: when you have to choose between paying for food or paying for medicine, times are bad. Thank you.

I STILL HAVE a question that no one has been able to answer for me concerning Proposition B. Is it true that after 10 years there is a sunset provision on this law that will allow the money to go back into the general revenue fund of Missouri? Thank you.

That is correct. Under the sunset clause of the law, Proposition B revenue would go into the state's general revenue fund, which would mean the money could be spent as the legislature sees fit.

I THINK IT IS important to publish that the eighth- and ninth-grade Central football teams are doing well. The eighth grade has played well but lost two games. The ninth grade is 4 and 0. Saturday they played an outstanding game against Poplar Bluff. Thank you.

TO THE PERSON who was wondering the correct way to wear a pear-shaped diamond on your finger, the point goes toward your hand. If you ever see a necklace, you'll realize that the point is up. Thank you.

HOW CAN AN American president, whether he be Republican, Democrat or independent, veto a bill to help unemployed American workers, who have lost their jobs mainly because of the way our federal government refuses to limit imports into this country? At the same time this administration can find money to fight the Persian Gulf War, they can find money to forgive countries of their debts to the American people, but they cannot help the American worker. I say enough is enough. These people were elected to take care of the American people. It appears that all they're interested in is foreign countries. I cannot and I will not support George Bush in his re-election campaign for this simple reason. They can find money for their other problems, and they can find money for congressmen and senators to get big raises, but they cannot help the unemployed American, who has lost his job partly because of them. These people writing these bad checks, that is the straw that broke the camel's back. I feel that these people's names should be published. They should not be immune to these kind of tactics because the American people have the right to know what kind of a person they are voting for. I will not vote for a congressman or senator who would write a bad check. Thank you.

I CAN NO longer remain silent on the subject of Proposition B. There are those that are attempting to cram this down our throats, claiming more money is needed for education, and this money can only come through more taxes of which we already have too much. I'm all for good education; however, let's cut out wasted funds before we are required to dig deeper in our pocketbooks. There are many ways this can be done. Let's start by cutting waste on unnecessary sports. Cut out three-fourths of all sports, then we can let go three-fourths of the coaches and equipment. Also, look at the savings on gasoline and the wearing out of school buses running sports personnel to other cities for another game. Money saved by cutting out this waste then can be used for better education without additional taxes. The facts are, sports are a waste of money and add absolutely nothing to education. I will vote no on Proposition B and I have lots of followers.

WHY DO PREACHERS feel like they have to yell and yell and yell?

HERE IT IS Sunday afternoon and it seems like every channel I turn to has sports. I don't like sports. I don't know why they can't run sports on just on one channel. Thank you.

YOU THINK THE class of '92 at Central High School has bad school spirit? Wait until you get hold of '93. We've got even less and we're proud of it.

IF YOU HAVE any doubt that we need to limit the terms of Congress now, read Patrick Buchanan's editorial in the Oct. 6 paper. We need to think about two-, three-year terms. With all the members of Congress we have in Washington, why do we need 19,000 staffers? The answer is we don't. There is no way that each of them need 35 people helping them. Most of them are working for the next election. The argument has always been that they could earn more in private practice. Good, let them do it.

I WOULD LIKE to address the issue of cold beverages in grocery stores. You can go into any grocery store in town and buy as much cold beer and wine as you want, but for us non-drinkers we have no soda that's cold.

I JUST WANT TO comment to the person who wrote the paragraph in Speak Out about being an alcoholic. It was one of the most interesting and helpful items that I have ever read. I live with an alcoholic and I know exactly what it's like. But it is hard to help someone who does not want to be helped. You can probably hear the fussing in the background. Well, this is what my life is like day after day after day. Thank you.

LEAF BURNING in Cape has begun again on our paved streets and we are forced to close our doors and windows because of the dense smoke. A Cape police car detoured to avoid the billowing smoke and flames and did not even issue a warning to our neighbor. Now he is bolder than before and burns leaves when the wind does not blow the smoke toward his house. You would think that common sense would prevail, but not so here.

I THINK THE once-a-week trash pickup is absolutely ridiculous. I pay almost $24 a month on my bill for trash pickup for once a week. I don't know who planned this, but I think it's very poor and I think the citizens of Cape should decide if the amount of money they're paying is worth four pickups a month. Thank you.

I'M CALLING CONCERNING the trash pickup. This is Monday morning. I was told to have my trash out at 6. I set my alarm and got up at 5:45 and set my trash out. It is now 9:30 and they still haven't picked it up. Last week on Thursday, when they picked up for recycling, I didn't get my trash out until 8, and they had already been here. They need to be consistent. I can't leave my trash out overnight on account of dogs and cats. If I had put my recycling out the night before it would have gotten wet because it rained, and it would have been a big mess. I don't have as much trash to put out because I burn everything that I possibly can, but my house smells like a garbage dump from the garbage I have to hold for a whole week. Thanks a lot, city.

I WANT TO call and thank the people from Red Star Baptist Church that were delivering things to the people at the Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. I think that was really great. Thanks again.

THE ONGOING CRITICISM of Brad Harris and his article on the Cape Central-Jackson game will continue until readers realize that, regardless of your geographic background, you are entitled to write and print your observations on a work-related assignment. The Southeast Missourian allowed the Cape Central athletic department to respond to the article. This is fair and is one step ahead of the treatment some students receive in the athletic selection process at Central High School when their roots may not be homegrown.