SPEAKOUT

I'D LIKE FOR somebody to tell me what kind of scum would call people on the telephone and talk so filthy to them. I don't know what kind of people these are. They must be cowards or something because if they were any kind of people at all at least they ought to give their name to the people if they're mad at them. But why would they want to call them and talk such filth and then hang up? What kind of people are these people? Thank you.

IN REGARDS TO Mr. Stephen Hawkins from Morley who encountered the crooked attorney in city hall in the letter he wrote in Sunday's paper. Wait until he hears about my two crooked attorneys and a crooked judge, what they did to me here in Cape Girardeau. Tell him to watch the January and February papers.

HELLO SPEAK OUT. Thank God for the University because I sincerely believe that without SEMO Cape would be a very ignorant community. I have come to this conclusion following the remarks I have read in Speak Out about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday being acknowledged by SEMO. At one time I was appalled and offended by the remarks but I now have nothing but sympathy for you people who are living in the past. Wake up. Maybe you all need to take a few classes to learn about society as it is today and then all of you will realize that SEMO, the United States, the NFL, and all others who acknowledge and appreciate the work of Dr. King know that this minority, that apparently is scaring you, may know what they're doing. And, I'll pray for you. Thank you.

DEAR SPEAK OUT. How can a restaurant serve a person spoiled food and say all they can do is give you more food instead of a cash refund, especially when the proof you're holding in your holds was served to you, in your possession? Also, how can they still charge you $1 to deliver that spoiled food to you and refuse to refund that? Sincerely, Almost Poisoned.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND why the people in Scott City have not inquired what is going on since the chief and the mayor are suppose to be representing the people in Scott City. Why has this been hidden for two years? Was one of the charges brought against Chief Beck misappropriations of funds and personal use of office supplies?

I FIRMLY BELIEVE the letter by Stephen R. Hawkins in the Dec. 8 issue of the Southeast Missourian against the Cape Girardeau Assistant City Attorney Allen Moss???, Jr. is true. I, too, was the recipient of like treatment by Allen Moss, Jr. When I questioned his ethics he ordered me out of his office at the Cape Girardeau Police Station. It is my opinion it is lawyers like him that cause the public to distrust lawyers. I would be willing to wager he did not graduate from Mo. Law School. Would you please tell me where he is from and where he received his law degree?

THIS IS IN regards to the person who wrote in concerning sending everyone else but the reserves over to Saudi Arabia. The men and women who are in the reserves signed a piece of paper knowing that someday or somehow they could be sent over to a foreign land to defend a cause they may or may not agree with. So please don't try to accuse the people who are innocent and who do not want to go over there.

CAN ANYONE HELP me find a local dealer for Ozark Mountain tea? They're out of Appleton, Mo. and I bought some tea at the craft fair and would like to get a hold of some more. Thank you.

YES, I'M CALLING in regards to the person who had in Thursday's paper, Dec. 13, that they feel that Martin Luther King shouldn't be recognized. I feel like this. If you don't want to recognize him then you shouldn't. This is not something that is required of you. It's not in the laws, it's not in the Constitution. I'm a black person and I'm very upset to know that we have people like you that don't want to take the time to accept him for what he has done and for what he did. Thank you.

HELLO SPEAK OUT. I watched portions of the cutsey Madeline on the Family Channel tonight. Now, even a PG rated cartoon or a movie contains hints of sex and questionable language. It's humorous how TV and movie raters make it a point to be aware of just what the viewers will accept. Through excessive exposure we become more and more laxed in our acceptance of sex, violence, and offensive language. Movies that once were rated PG-13 are today rated PG. Since when does your 6-9-year-old use the exclamation "My God". Certainly not at home but you're hear it on your so called Family Channel even if it is spoken in French by a good hearted angelic 69-year-old. Little by little, inch by inch, step by step, we are all beginning to accept the odor of a pigsty. Thank you.

THEY ALWAYS PUBLISH the new fees they're going to charge at the golf course. They never publish what they charge the physical education students at the University to use the golf course. Why is that?

YES, CAPE, WHY isn't there an investigation going on about our Cape Girardeau Police Department? All the corruption that has gone on in the past plus all the hangings that have happened in the past - I think there needs to be some answers to all of this. Thank you.

AFTER FIGHTING IN WWII, being shot down, and being recalled for the Korean War, my husband was in the Marine Reserves from 1950-51. He was not paid a dime for that but was on call at all times. The National Guard get to go on a spree for two weeks each year, and maybe one weekend per month, and get paid for it. Then, when they are told to go to Saudi to earn the money they have already received, they griped. I have no sympathy for people who accept my money and expect to do nothing for it in return. Did they think the National Guard was just a game that they'd be paid to play on the pretext that they would do for their country? Since the beginning of this country it's inhabitance has had to fight a war. After almost 500 years it's apparent to me that man is still as ignorant, just as selfish, and just as egotistical as he ever was yet we call this progress. My question is this, do the Reserves get paid to sit and wait? If not, why not? Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to praise Mary Wulfers for being the only council member to come to the Park Board meeting tonight.

YES, I'VE GOT a 13-year-old friend who is pregnant by my 19-year-old husband and I'm only 12. What advice would you give us for handling this situation? Would you go to her parents?

HI. I'M CALLING about President Bush tonight. I don't know how a lot of people feel about it but I don't especially like my children to hear the president use fowl language as he did on the NBC news tonight. If anybody else agrees with me I wish you would call in. Thank you.

I CAN'T BELIEVE that somebody would steal Christmas decorations just for fun. We spent hours and hours of decorating for others enjoyment and someone has the gall to steal our 4 ft. snowman. Have we forgotten the true meaning of Christmas?

ARE PEOPLE WHO make allegations called alligators or what?

THIS IS A comment on somebody's remark comparing Iben Browning projection of the earthquake with the weather forecast and I am for that 100%. That is great. But, there is one thing I think people should understand around here and they don't. Don McNeely, Bob Reeves, Grant Allworth, do not make weather forecast. They are simply the media who gives the forecast to the public. The forecasts are made by the National Weather Service, not by the television announcers.

LET'S STOP HARPING about Iben Browning and start talking about Jack Stapleton's prediction that hypocritical voters in Missouri will shut down the state. At least that's a disaster we could do something about but will we? Of course not. Missourians are like the farmer who brags about how little it cost to feed his horse but then complains about how little work he can get out of it. If the people would invest in their state maybe they could get some new businesses to invest in it too and we could start spiraling up instead of dwindling down. Missouri is broke, let's fix it.

YES, I SAW yesterday in the paper about the guy thinking we should leave our people over in Saudi Arabia. I think he is nuts.

I THINK THAT the school lunches should be much better. Thank you.