Good luck, Margaret Kelley

I WOULD like to address this to Margaret Kelley. I wish her luck on running against Mel Carnahan for governor. I sincerely hope she defeats him. She, unlike Mr. Carnahan, seems to have a great deal of honesty and integrity. She seems to more capable of keeping her word than he does. I would truly support and back her in anyway that I can.

Education at risk

UNDER AUSPICES of the National Educational Association and the revisionist educators and the liberal people who are trying so hard to get their way against everyone else who is trying to hold on to sound education and tradition, the public education system is stripping us of civilization. Fifty years ago the public schools were small and answered to parents. Today they are huge and answer to judges and bureaucrats who coddle students' egos while emphasizing political correctness. Inflated grades have risen along with self esteem. The real outcome? Tests show almost half of adults are functionally illiterate. They also show a drastic drop in the number of high achievers, stagnation or slow decline for the bulk of students, a disaster for those at the low end. Educational institutions are turning out misfits of all kinds. This is reducing what this country has always stood for: greatness.

In service of country

I AM shocked and ashamed that the men who unselfishly served this country at great personal sacrifice, some losing life, limb and health, are subjected to the latest attack on the United States of America decision to drop the bomb on Japan. I am a 38-year-old mother of four fantastic sons, and I would just like to say on our behalf and from many, many others, the greatest thank you from the bottom of our hearts to these men who served our country. Pearl Harbor was viciously and sneak attacked by an aggressive, imperialistic Japan. I don't care what they are now, but what they did back then was a cold-blooded, violent act of aggression that not only murdered many innocent American servicemen but civilians as well, women and little children. Yes, the bomb was devastatingly destructive. It was meant to be, for crying out loud. Drastic action called for drastic measures. Somehow it doesn't appear that Japan was playing patty cake with us. My father volunteered to join the army at that time. He considered it his patriotic duty to serve his country and an honor to serve. My father had only one eye. He wasn't allowed in combat, so he became a cook and he served well and proudly. He passed away two months ago. I miss his courageous, gentle heart, but I'm glad he didn't have to endure Peter Jennings trying to distort or rewrite history or read the propaganda being spewed by some of these incredibly vacant so called journalists. Even if Truman had a crystal ball to look into, he still had no choice but to try to stop Japan as quickly as possible. Only God knows how many deaths and how much war was prevented by his courageous decision to drop that bomb.

Challengers' weaknesses

YOUR EDITORIAL about the two Republicans who want to run against Gov. Carnahan mentioned what you said was those two challengers' weaknesses. However, you missed the two most important weaknesses they have. Margaret Kelley was state auditor while Bill Webster looted the second-injury fund. It was her job to see it and bring it to the public's attention. She completely failed. Bill Kenney is a home schooler. He teaches his children at home (or has his wife do it) because the public schools do not teach fundamentalist religion. This rather exposes his view of public education in general and perhaps the Republican Party's view of public education.

Difference in trials

I THINK it's amazing that O.J. Simpson's trial has lasted over a year and Susan Smith's lasted only a week.

A lake booster

THIS IS a lake booster. I'd like to think a lot of people in the Cape Girardeau County area in addition to the Bollinger County would get behind this lake and get something done about it. We should have done that four or five years ago.

No regrets

JAPAN'S SNEAK attack on Pearl Harbor was reason enough to drop the atomic bomb. I have no regrets whatsoever, because they killed our people for no reason. They instigated it. They instigated the war against the United States of America. I still have no regrets.

Ready for the cow?

THIS IS to all the morons who walk their dogs in my yard and leave messes. I think I'll get a cow and walk it in your yard. Then the mess that you leave behind won't even begin to compare to the mess that my cow is going to leave behind. You're all inconsiderate. You lack respect for other people and other people's property, and you probably have very little respect for your own property. So please stop walking your dog in my yard. Think about it.

Stop editorializing

I REALLY think the Southeast Missourian needs to stop editorializing in Speak Out so much. Every single thing, I swear, has some sort of editorial comment by the newspaper staff. If you want to have your comment in, you need to make a separate column.

REPLY: Speak Out is intended to be a dialogue among the many callers who make comments. From time to time (but, I swear, not every single time) the newspaper adds comments and, in some cases, factual information to the discussion. Anyone who wants to be informed should welcome more information, not less. Thanks for your comment.