They're good people

YOU DO not need a degree to be a good teacher. Parents do it at home all the time. What you need is a genuine love for the child and commitment to stick with it. Good teachers are not produced by universities or colleges. They are good teachers because they are good people.

It's still right

IT OUTRAGES me that a person living in this great part of the United States where God, country and family are staples of life would voice such an anti-American, anti-God statement. If approving of and supporting "One nation under God" makes me a religious fanatic, then that's what I'll be till the day I die. This nation was founded under the concepts of "One nation under God" as well as "In God we trust." It was right then, and it's right now and forever.

More on smoking

IT WAS interesting to pick up the newspaper and read about the adults who were smoking at Sears Youth Center. On a recent visit, I witnessed some adults smoking and standing close to a group of students. Restaurants have designated smoking areas. Zoos ask that there be no smoking to protect the animals. Disney World has designated smoking areas. How pathetic is it that the places where we send our children can't enforce these policies?

Honor your pastor

THIS COMMENT is for all those churches, especially in Jackson, that are having problems with and creating problems for their pastors. Your pastor is a man of God and God's man for your church. Stop causing problems with all your needless complaining. When you dishonor your pastor with all your petty bickering and gossip behind his back, you dishonor God, yourself and your church. Your church will never grow if you don't honor your pastor. God will hold you accountable for everything you've said.

Police appreciation

I ATTENDED the funeral of Sharon Kelly today and was very impressed with Cape Girardeau's Police Department. I was also very impressed by the chief of police, Steve Strong, who was directing traffic out of the funeral home. He's a great guy. I think he cares for the people of Cape Girardeau. I appreciate everything he's done, and I appreciate the police officers who were there. May God bless you all.

Heaping coals on heads

DAVID LIMBAUGH, I'm surprised that you're a Bible scholar and yet you miss why the liberals hate George Bush. In the Bible, Jesus says to be kind to your adversaries and it will be like heaping coals upon their heads. That's precisely what's going on. George Bush is nice to his adversaries, and they get madder and madder at him. Read your Bible one more time. Look at Ted Kennedy and you'll see the connection.

Religious foundation

OUR COUNTRY was founded by people who believed in God and wanted all people to be able to worship God in their own way. That is why they gave us freedom of religion and did not make one religion supported by the government like it is in some other countries. Over 90 percent of the people in this country believe in God. Those who do not believe in God have that right also. We should not try to keep the majority from saying "In God we trust" as our forefathers did.

Into the trenches

THOSE OF you who have all the answers to improving the learning of our students should get your certification and join us. You will find we are a friendly, hard-working group. We welcome you, your ideas and your all-knowing wisdom.

Plenty of jobs

I KEEP hearing the Democrats crying that President Bush should create more jobs. I'm looking at this morning's Missourian, and there are two full pages of jobs available -- practical nurses, registered nurses, auto salesmen, teachers, truck drivers, secretaries, press operators. On TV I see Noranda advertising jobs available $20 an hour with vacations, health insurance, retirement benefits and 401(k) plans. There are plenty of jobs available but not people to take them. Either they don't want to work or they don't have the skills required.

Tax clarification

ALIMONYIS is deductible by the person who pays it, and it's income to the person who receives it. Child support is not deductible by the person who pays and is not taxable by the person who receives it. However, if the amount of child support exceeds 50 percent of the child's support in terms of dollars, then he's entitled to claim that child as an exemption on his return.