speakout 9/18.4b

Religion of peace

YOUR PHOTOGRAPH of Dr. Shakil and fellow followers of Islam worshipping at Cape's Islamic Center in condemnation of the terrorist attack and in solid support of America spoke more than a thousand words, words that shouldn't have to be spoken at terrible times like these, but, sadly, need to be. Mainstream Islam is a religion of peace. As with all major world religions, there are fanatical fringes -- such as extremist Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland -- willing to use violence to try to achieve their goals. Militant Islamists of the bin Laden stripe have taken this to a new level with unspeakable and unthinkable acts of terror about which we must begin to think and speak in order to combat it.

Ironic change

I SEE they have outlawed praying in schools but now the government is asking everyone to pray. I think it's ironic that a few thousand people getting killed can change their opinion.

Loss for schools

WHAT A shock. Cape Girardeau is losing one of the very best superintendents that we have ever had in my years of employment. Dr. Dan Steska has been a man of his word and has set an example for his fellow employees to follow. I am shocked and upset for the public of Cape Girardeau. We are losing a fine leader.

Dangerous driving

I JUST read in the Sunday paper that a lawsuit was filed against Cape Girardeau County on a high-speed chase where a girl was killed. People don't understand, in a rain storm, that can happen at 25 to 35 miles an hour. Anyone driving erratically is a danger to society.

Time to unite

I READ the article by Robert Lucas in the Sunday paper. I agree with much of his article, however, I would like to remind the man that President Bush is our leader and right now it is a time to be more American than Republican or Democrat. We don't need any remarks about past-President Clinton or Gore. We need unity, not division.

Drop one bomb

OUR LEADERS are saying that this is a delicate situation, and it may take years. And we will never be able to root out all the terrorists throught the world. Even if we did get Osama bin Laden, there are still others to follow him. So what is the purpose in having a long, drawn-out war? Why don't we just go over there and drop one bomb, and kill a bunch of innocent people like they did to us? There's nothing decent about war.

Silent ACLU

PRESIDENT BUSH declared Friday a national day of prayer and remembrance. The president of our country declared a day of prayer. Do you notice we've not heard a word from the ACLU in regard to this going against the rights of Americans? How very sad that it took Sept. 11, 2001, and all of its tragedy and loss of life, to turn our nation to prayer and to quiet the liberal-minded individuals who would say that God blessing America is a violation of civil rights. More than any other time, we need the prayer of individuals. Hopefully, this will be a time when people who have never before turned to prayer will see that there's got to be a higher power who can help.

God, not flags

I THINK it's a tragedy what happened on Tuesday. However, I can't understand why people aren't putting their faith in God at this time instead of thinking that they should put all their faith in patriotic symbols like a flag. It's just a material symbol of our country, but God cares about people the world over. He wants peace for the world. People should pray to God for that, and not focus their attention so much on nationalism at this time. It is important to pull together and help each other, but that needs to be done through God. We shouldn't be hateful to foreigners now, and we shouldn't think that God has a special preference for one particular country over all the others.

Supportive wife

I'D LIKE to comment on this terrible tragedy that has struck our country. The loss of life was terrible. But I'd like to say I was really impressed by the First Lady, sticking by President Bush through this whole thing. Every time we saw Bush, his wife was right by his side. You know, there's nothing more valuable a man can have than his wife's support. It really impressed me that she stood right by his side through everything, there to encourage and help and strengthen him.

Use the power

IN CASE you've forgotten, at the time of Desert Storm, the large majority of the American people and many military leaders wanted to go on to Baghdad and get rid of Saddam Hussein and his regime. Chicken George Bush took the easy way out and stopped a few days short of doing the job right. The people of that area understand that if you have power, you must use it to get all the respect and fear you can get. But in the past, we didn't use our power to the extent we should have. Now it appears that Hussein is at least a co-conspirator in the terrorist activities that have struck our country. Now we're going to have to clean up the mess that Papa Bush left.

Not all rude

IT'S A totally ignorant person who would blame the rudeness of one motorcyclist on the whole group of bikers. I run into ignorant people every day. Some are walking, some are driving. But I've never run across a rude biker.

Can't stop them

ABOUT ALL this talk and condemnation of airlines for more security: Wake up people. An insane person who's willing to commit suicide for some so-called cause can't be stopped from doing any harm. A long ballpoint pen to the neck of someone on a plane is a deadly weapon. You can't protect a traveler from everything, especially from crazy people.

Let God in

TO ME, what happened Tuesday was absolutely horrible. But where was America when this struck? They had banned prayer from school. They didn't let God inside. Look at our schools, the violence and shootings taking place. Now look what we're facing. Now everybody's ready to call on God. God has always been with us, and He will stay with us as long as we believe in Him. But if you start to push God aside, He's going to push you aside. Americans, get on your knees and pray. We're going to need it.

Nice young lady

THERE'S A young lady who works at Fred's. A blind man comes to the store once in a while, and she leads this man all the way back out to William Street, to the sidewalk. He's got his long, white cane where he can find his way home. I have witnessed this. I thought, how nice to see somebody interested enough to help a blind person get to the sidewalk. He can get to the store from the sound of the music that they play, but getting back to the sidewalk, he's afraid, so she takes him out to the sidewalk and sends him on his way. I thought that was kind of neat.

More blood

THERE IS no weapon powerful enough to change a man's heart. We can destroy a large amount of land, we can arrest and kill the most infamous of criminals, we can continue to spill more innocent blood into the pool of blood already spilled and there will always be somebody somewhere ready to do something horribly evil. Are we ready for a war that may never end?

Football goes on

DOGGONE IT, Dr. Dobbins. You do a super job as SEMO president, but occasionally you disappoint to no end. I agree with your decision to go ahead with SEMO's football game, although only a few other teams at SEMO's level did so. However, to say you made this decision because that's what President Bush would have wanted it rather than to give your own personal reasons for haiving SEMO play -- well, please.