SPEAKOUT

I'M A CAPE Girardeau resident and I was reading in the April 15 paper about the concerns on the agricultural rule change to make ketchup thicker. I cannot believe that the newspaper, anybody, would actually go and interview people about this. It is absolutely ridiculous. There are so many other things out there that are a lot more important. Let's be real about this.

I AM STRICTLY opposed to the closing of any military bases. It's amazing to me why these politicians cannot figure out a way to balance the budget without hurting the American people. It's so simple that a fifth-grade student could figure it out. Stop giving our money to the foreign countries and keep our military bases open. We saw what happened in the Persian Gulf by having a top-notch military. Don't go cutting into it now. Stop the foreign aid and let these countries take care of themselves. Keep these military bases and these people working. It is time, way past time, that we start thinking about the American people and the taxpayers of this country who keep this country going. Thank you very much.

I JUST READ Marty Mishow's column on Wadlington and I thought the last two paragraphs were particularly appropriate. It makes you wonder who is running the sports program, especially at Central High School. I'm not a teacher. I think school people should run school business and not so-called know-it-alls from the community who think they know more about it than the people who are hired to run the show. I just wanted to voice my opinion. Thank you.

I THINK IT'S a shame that the Salvation Army wants to tear down the Farmers and Merchant bank building at Good Hope and Sprigg. If it didn't meet their needs, why did they accept it in the first place? I know of a lot of organizations that could have used that building a lot and would have appreciated it instead of tearing it down. It's a beautiful building. Thank you.

I'M CALLING IN regards to this mural that is being proposed on the seawall in Cape Girardeau. I think our park board needs to take a better look at that and approve it, or else we should get a new park board. Thank you.

I THINK THE government is wrong in closing some Air Force bases. They claim they will save money. That isn't true. A lot of people will lose their jobs, and this money they claim they're saving will only help a few countries overseas. The rest they'll probably stuff in their own pockets. Thank you.

I AM THE parent of a son who played basketball under Coach Richard Wadlington. This man is a very caring person. He cared about his boys on his team. This man has a lot of integrity and he's a very fine person. I just wanted to let the school board know that not only has the athletic program lost a fine coach, but the school system has lost a very fine role model for the young people. I think the young people are going to be the ones to suffer from this firing of Coach Wadlington.

I THINK THAT Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week at the university is a disgrace to Cape Girardeau.

I WOULD LIKE to comment on The Latest Line column. First of all, the writer is totally off base indicating why Mr. Wadlington was let go. The reason why he was let go was that he was kissing up and playing certain people, not the fact that he wasn't. There have been a lot of people in the last several years let go or removed for the same reasons Mr. Wadlington was. It takes more than winning basketball games to be a good coach; you have to meet all the needs of all people on your team, regardless of what end of town they come from. Mr. Wadlington did not do this and that is the reason he was let go.

I JUST FINISHED reading The Latest Line by Marty Mishow in Sunday's issue of the Missourian. I don't believe the article could have been any better put if I had written it myself. I agree wholeheartedly with the writer.

THIS CONCERNS THE so-called resignation of Jim Anderson, Cape Central football coach, and the so-called firing of Dick Wadlington as basketball coach. I think the Cape Central athletic department is a joke. The task force on athletics is a joke, too. After this fiasco, I think the school is an embarrassment to the whole city. I think it would be funny if they couldn't have anybody to take the two jobs. I know if I was a coach looking for a job, and I found out the way the school system operates, I wouldn't touch this job.

BRAVO TO BILL Heitland and Marty Mishow for the articles they've written on the Cape Central athletic situation the past two weeks. I think their commentary has been right on the money. Thanks, guys.

I SEE THEY have a piece in the paper this morning quizzing people about their ketchup, the thickness of it. That's pretty good. It shows how asinine some things are. Here people are dying by the thousands around the world, war still isn't inevitable, and somebody asks people whether they want thick ketchup or not. Boy, that figures. Thank you.

ON THE HANDGUN question, why would anyone object to a seven-day waiting period to buy a handgun? If you can't qualify or pass inspection you don't need the gun. I think everyone should be allowed to have a gun for their own protection at home. For women who live alone, a gun is their only protection. I think if someone has a criminal record and knows that he or she will be investigated, there's a good chance they won't try to buy a gun. So, there's nothing to lose unless it's the gun-shop owner, and he can afford that.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE Cape school board. They finally proved what everyone else has known: they do not know what they're doing. How can they justify firing a coach like Richard Wadlington? His record speaks for itself. Central has lost the best coach it has ever had. Richard Wadlington is an honest and fair person in his personal life and his professional life. He has a lot of integrity. Why not save the school system a lot of money and let the board members coach all the sports? They do it anyway.

NO NEW TAXES. Just compare this year's tax return with last year's and remember that at voting time.

I JUST FINISHED reading Marty Mishow's column about Dick Wadlington being a victim at Central, and it says apparently the reason was he just didn't kiss up in the right places. Well, that can apparently be the same case for Scott City's basketball coach, too. It's such a shame that this happens to fine young men who try to do their job. Thank you.

THE TREATMENT GIVEN Dick Wadlington by the Cape Girardeau public school system was shoddy and utterly inexcusable. Coach Wadlington had the courage to force the Board of Education through its vulnerable scapegoat, the athletic director, to recommend his termination rather than simply resign. Pushing it back a step farther, the know-it-all athletic advisory committee filled with Monday-morning quarterbacks has been after Wadlington for years. The trouble was the guy kept on winning. Now that the fine Missourian article has helped expose this charade by allowing us to see the truth through the athletic director's no-comment response, there will be a lot of finger-pointing and running for cover. The school administration should be ashamed for playing ball on this one. The athletic advisory committee should be ashamed. And, of course, the buck should stop at the board of education office, or should it? We can't forget, can we, that they were elected by the voters. You did a great job, Dick, I suggest you run for City Council. That will shake them.

SOMETHING IS REALLY starting to stink with Cape Central's coaching staff. Just what is Gary Lynch trying to do?