SPEAKOUT

THE CAPE chapter of Parents without Partners is having a 20th anniversary dinner and dance May 18, 1991, at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. They're still trying to locate some of the charter members and past presidents of the organization. If you have information or would like to make reservations for the dinner, please leave your name and contact number on the PWP line, 335-0797. This event is open to the public.

I RENT MOVIES quite frequently and I have been seeing on the back of many of the new movies the words digitally processed, digitally recorded, or digitally produced. I would like to know what this means, if it is different than any other movie. Thank you.

I THINK THE people of Scott City should wake up and get behind the school board instead of going against them. The example that these adults are setting for the kids is just causing problems for everyone. So let's all stop acting childish and be supportive of the school board instead of forgetting what the word support means. Thank you.

TO THE PERSON who dislikes commercials done by little kids and who asks why: How about KFVS-TV introducing their personnel several times each 30-minute newscast? And how about Storm Team radar? that surely grabs you. They've worn that line thread bare.

TO THE LADY complaining about interrupting "Dallas" about the earthquake: If they would have had a two-hour special interruption nobody would have missed anything on "Dallas."

YESTERDAY I WAS behind a school bus and I couldn't believe the conduct of the children. There were kids dancing in the aisles and one little girl was even doing a handstand in the aisle while the bus was moving. I don't have any children in the Cape School District, but if I did you can bet I'd be calling somebody other than Speak Out. If I was riding a bus like that when I went to school, you can bet my bus driver would have stopped the bus right in the middle of the road and put a stop to it. That's ridiculous. I just thought someone should know. Thanks.

WHY DON'T YOU pro-life people practice what you preach? There are dozens of old people in nursing homes who can't feed themselves. Some can't even hold their heads up. Some of you have put them there because you want someone else to do your dirty work. Is this not pro-life? Thank you.

BOY, AM I glad I don't live on Northbridge with small children. It sounds like there's going to be a battle out there. I really can't understand why people let their children make a playground out on the street. It seems to me that they ought to petition for sidewalks and let the children play on the sidewalks. I bet you a dollar they wouldn't want that; it's too expensive.

THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE way to eat pork 'n' beans is cold, straight out of the can. The only way you can improve on that is to add a big slice of onion.

I'M CALLING ABOUT the guy who was asking about the pork 'n' beans. I eat mine hot and my girlfriend eats them cold.

I'M CALLING IN about the parents on Northbridge Street who let their kids play in the street. First of all, I don't live on the street. I have a friend who lives there and I'm not over there very often. I usually forget that there are children who play in the road meant for traffic. I do feel that someone will end up hitting them. You aren't teaching your kids good habits. Although you watch them on your street, if they are anywhere else they may feel this is also permissible. Northbridge Street is not a playground; it is a public road. Thank you.

THIS IS IN response to an article about the students trying to ban smoking in our grocery stores. If you all would buy your cigarettes and booze at the liquor store, I wouldn't have to stand in line so long and maybe I wouldn't want a cigarette. You are just a visitor here so don't come and tell us how to run our town. We are taxpayers. Clean out your own house first. I'm sick of your loud music, loud parties, and cruising. Stay out of our city government. We don't need you.

I SEE IN this morning's paper where a student group at the university is going to present a proposal to the city council to ban smoking in grocery stores. What right do they have to propose laws for the citizens of Cape Girardeau when the majority of them at the university don't even pay taxes in the city? The university now permits homosexuals and lesbian groups to meet and even advertise these meetings in the university paper. Now they want to interfere in governing Cape Girardeau by taking away the freedoms of Cape citizens. I think this is an outrageous proposal. Thank you.

IT IS REALLY sad that someone in here had to beat up on a 70-year-old man about him being a Democrat. This is ridiculous saying, If you're 70 years old you're responsible for World War II. What is responsible for World War II is hate and the Republicans, I think. Corner that market.

THIS IS TO all the citizens of Tamms, Ill. Quit feuding among yourselves. Go to the board meetings and let your voice be heard. Let the mayor know where you stand. Thank you.

AS I WAS growing up I remember so well my father talking to me one day because he thought I was acting proud. He said: I am buying you clothes so you can look as well or better than anyone in school, but don't you ever think you're better than anyone. The only thing that makes a person better than anyone is their morals. You will not mix with anyone with bad morals and you know good from bad. The way you dress, the size of your home, the fancy car makes no one better; only the way they act and the things they do. Pick your friends because they are decent and respected and I'm sure you know the girls who aren't. Because you don't drink, steal, lie, have sex before marriage, these are the things that make you better, not the clothes, new car and money. That talk I will always remember, and I've told my children the same thing because it always stuck with me and made me walk tall. My father's gone now but his wisdom and training will live on. His good name is more precious than gold. So many people are letting their children down by not teaching the rules set by God for happiness. There are no bad children; there are just parents with no wisdom of the Ten Commandments and the fear of God. Thank you.

I'M CALLING about the Gay and Lesbian Student Association. I think that's the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. Is there anywhere on campus where they have straight-guys, straight-girl student associations or heterosexual student associations? I think it's absolutely ridiculous for people to advertise their sexual preferences. Thank you.

THIS IS IN reference to the university having Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week. They're leaving out some other groups here. For example, after that they should have the Flasher's Awareness Week and after that probably Peeping Tom Awareness Week. And why stop there? Go on to Child Molesters Week. We need to let people know this is just another lifestyle, isn't it?

THIS IS TO the attention of pet owners, especially owners of dogs. The rawhide treats with knots on the ends that you give animals can choke them to death. There was a warning in the St. Louis paper and I read it and I want to warn other people about it. It can happen and they can choke to death on the end of that knot. Thank you.

I DO NOT LIVE on Northbridge. I have been on that street before. The parents seem to be taking offense to the word gang. If they will look that up in the dictionary they will see that one of the meanings is a group of children or youths from the same neighborhood banded together for social interaction. That's what those children playing in the street are, a gang of children. You can also have a gang of tools. A gang is not a bad word; what is bad is the fact these adults are letting these children, who are too small to make intelligent decisions, play in the street. Why don't the parents who have decent driveways let the gang of children play in these driveways? I really don't understand how somebody could accept the gift of a child from God and then endanger this child's life. I'm sorry I don't have any children, but if I were fortunate enough to have any you can bet that I would love my child enough to keep it out of harm's way. I wouldn't let them play in the Mississippi River, wouldn't let them play with loaded guns, wouldn't let them play with firecrackers, and I wouldn't let them play in the street. Thank you.

YOU PARENTS on Northbridge are a riot by insinuating that this person who called in and was concerned about your children is sad because he or she doesn't want your children to play in the street. Nobody said anything about them being an inconvenience. We don't want to see them hit by a car. I had no idea there were people in town who allowed their children to play in the street. Children do not know the difference between one street and the next, so they play in the street on your street, a dead-end street. What about when they go to your buddy's house who lives on say, Broadway, and they think, oh well, it's a street, I can play in it. I can't believe it's not illegal. I think something should be done. I think they should be taken before the city council and see if there cannot be some law passed to protect these poor children from their parents.

IN REGARD TO the Northbridge situation, we have a similar problem on our street. I would like the Southeast Missourian to tell us exactly what the city ordinance states on this issue. Thank you.

A city ordinance says pedestrians on streets shall yield right of way to vehicles unless the pedestrian is in a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, a police spokesman said. But he said no officer is going to cite a child for playing in the street. "It's more of a parental responsibility than a police responsibility," the officer said.

THIS IS TO all pet owners who let their animals loose and also walk them so they can do their jobs and tear garbage bags open in other people's yards. Pet owners, be considerate of other people as you do not know what your pet is doing and into when loose. That is not love for your pet. Please put yourself in the other people's place and see if you would want to clean up after other animals when you don't want to clean up after your own. Thank you.

HERE WE SIT, another weekend where we hear our friends from Perryville and other surrounding areas are watching Cardinals baseball. Here it is raining a little bit today, not a nice day to be outside, and the Cardinals are playing baseball. We're huddled around our radio.

WHOEVER CALLED IN objecting to the children playing in the street on Northbridge surely made a mistake. These young suburban yuppies can take no constructive criticism. They are self-centered and only care for their own and themselves. They try to run the schools, the churches, and the town, with no consideration for others. Thank you.

WE'RE GETTING READY to leave the area now after having been here just over a week visiting family and friends and seeing the sights along the scenic drive. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and want to thank all the people who had anything to do with the scenic drive. We appreciate the fellowship we had shown especially to the girls at Alice Wicker Wonderland. We were extremely pleased with the lady who had the pressed potpourri. She's doing a good job. This area should be proud of her. We want to thank the people at Burfordville and Biehle for their kindness to us. All of these people helped us out on some other things and we were able to see a lot more than was scheduled along the drive. We thank you all for allowing us to visit in this area at this beautiful time of the season. God bless each of you. Bye bye.

JUST READING IN the paper about the proposed tax increases for education. I'd just like to ask Speak Out if they would answer what Missouri is doing with the profits from the lotteries. There's no mention of it, no talk of it since the lottery has been in effect in Missouri. I'd just like to know if they receive a substantial amount of income from the lottery or is most of it given away to the people who buy the lottery tickets. Just wondered. You all have a nice day.

Lottery-sales revenue not mandated for lottery administration and prizes goes into Missouri's general revenue fund, which is used to fund many state services, including education. It, therefore, is impossible to determine how much of the lottery revenue is used for what purpose. Some people mistakenly believe lottery revenue is to be used for education when it is not. Those who campaigned for the lottery, which was enacted in 1984, stressed that it would provide additional money for education. It does, but the additional money is used for many other purposes since the General Assembly decides how general-revenue-fund money is spent.

I WOULD LIKE to comment and offer a word of advice to a lot of the young men in Cape. Cape Girardeau appears to have an awfully lot of loose, low-morals young women, and I've just been involved with a case where a young man married a gal who, shall we say, had a lot of miles on her. I just want to warn these young boys about these young, well-traveled girls. Take the word of someone who knows and stay away from them.

I WAS JUST reading Sunday's paper where the area schools listed their honor rolls. My children made the honor roll at a Cape Girardeau grade school and our family would be honored to have their names listed in your paper. Come on, Cape schools, make your schools shine by listing your honor roll students, too.

The Southeast Missourian publishes any list of honor roll students from area schools that are submitted.