Speak Out 12/06/03

No surprises

AFTER READING several comments about Councilman Jay Purcell, you can understand what our nation has become. People will complain about any subject for the sake of argument. Keep it coming. Nothing shocks or surprises me anymore when it comes from the misinformed, especially those who repeat the propaganda of their political parties as the gospel.

Planning to save

I AM appalled at the audacity of a supposedly 27-year-old professional who thinks seniors didn't have the foresight to save enough money for their drug expenses. If he had any sense at all, he would realize some senior citizens have to pay anywhere from $400 to $900 a month just for their medicines because the drugs are so expensive. Who would have thought anyone would have to spend that much money to pay for their prescription drugs and possibly do without food or heat? I hope when this young professional gets old he had the foresight to save his money. Maybe he won't need Medicare, and he can give his money back.

Seniors have it coming

I HAVE to respond to the 27-year-old professional who does not like the idea of having to pay for prescription drugs for the senior citizens who didn't plan their life correctly for their old age. Since he's a professional, I suspect he received a decent education. Who does he think provided a free education for him? Those senior citizens who paid taxes. If he went to private schools, who does he think gave generously so those private schools could stay open? Who does he think fought for our country to provide the freedoms he enjoys as a citizen of the United States? Furthermore, I would think with all the teaching today in schools about diversity and not stereotyping groups of people he would not have been so quick to lump our senior citizens into one category, suggesting that they did not plan for their future properly. Has he ever experienced a catastrophic illness? Or a permanent disability due to a car accident? Watched his savings fall through the roof because the stock market tanked? The senior citizens in this country deserve to be taken care of with everything they have contributed to this country. Instead of begrudging them, why doesn't this young professional visit a nursing home and give back a little of his good fortune. He might even learn a thing or two.

Students were asked

A SOUTHEAST Missouri State University student complained that the University Center is being remodeled, but students were not asked their opinion. This is not true. I am a freshman. In one of my classes a teacher opened a forum in class to get suggestions and ideas of what students might want. Perhaps the university is not asking juniors or seniors since they will be graduating soon and would no longer have a need for the University Center. How many of these students who always complain about the university and what it is doing and how it is spending money make use of the open-door policy the university has for students to make complaints to the proper university officials? Do they try to rally other students to make a change. No. They complain and hope someone else will do the work to benefit them. The university is a great place to exercise your freedom of speech.

No support for lawsuit

THE SPEAK Out comment urging Southeast Missouri State University personnel to sue the university was couched in lawyerese and must have come from a litigator anxious to represent those who may be motivated to file a suit. The public would not be enthused over such litigation, because any judgment against SEMO would have to be paid for with tax dollars. Citizens are tired of lawyers who feed at the public trough.

Always finding fault

I CAN'T believe that anyone would try to fault Councilman Jay Purcell for volunteering his time for the betterment of this community. It just goes to show that there will always be someone there to criticize or fault you no matter what good you try to do.