Speak Out 10/30/04

Living with choices

THE PRO-LIFE aim is pretty simple: To protect the right to life of the most innocent among us, the unborn. As adults, we make choices we have to live with, such as whether or not to enter the military. We make the choice whether or not to engage in activities that could lead to pregnancy. Once we make those choices, we should be prepared to live with them, not end a life that is completely innocent. That's just wrong. There is no way it can be justified.

Voting qualifications

ALTHOUGH THERE are rules dictating circumstances under which you cannot be excluded from voting, nowhere in the Constitution or any other document outlining our form of government does it say everyone over 18 has the right to vote. I think you should have to pass a basic civics and economics test before you can register to vote. Way too many people are ignorant of the way government and business works. They simply vote for the candidate who promises to take money away from hard-working people and give it to them.

Enforcement is needed

I DRIVE Interstate 55 often and have not had a ticket since 1987. I was speeding, plain and simple. The speed limit was raised to 70 mph to give people a break, yet we still get passed by tractor-trailers and others going 90 mph. I am glad Cape Girardeau has a reputation as a speed trap. I am raising my children here and care about my friends and family. Kudos to the cops who are doing their jobs. Shoplifting is a crime. Should the police overlook that too so they don't make people mad? Attention all lawbreakers. Due to the fact we don't want to offend anyone, all laws are not going to be enforced. What do you think would happen then?

Try birth control

WHY, IN this day and age when there are so many forms of birth control, do some continue to advocate the death of unborn babies as another form of birth control? When back-alley abortions were performed, it was primarily because many women had little or no access to birth-control measures. It seems like it would be easier and much more humane to utilize some form of birth control instead of relying on abortion to keep from having an unwanted child. There are thousands of women in this country who would love to adopt a child.

Absentee voting

I AM concerned about the person who commented about the process of voting before the election. Maybe we need a class on voting laws in the United States. I wonder how many others do not know that these are called absentee voters who will be out of town or unable to go to the polls on Election Day. Their votes will be counted at the same time as all the other ballots.

Time to unite

NO MATTER who wins the presidential election come Nov. 3 we all need to get behind our new president. We cannot have such a split nation like it is right now. It is not good for any of us. We must all unite behind our new commander in chief and become one America, not a split America. We have a lot of work in front of us. We must tackle this huge debt. We must try to get this mess straightened up in Iraq. Most of all, Congress must stop spending so much money, and we must monitor our borders and shut down the huge number of illegals coming into our country.

Endless correctness

SATURDAY'S "THE end for Indians" article sounds like just the beginning for Native American exploitation to me -- the beginning of endless politically correct tribute and patronage and continuing alienation of countless alumni every time they walk past the soon-to-be-commissioned interpretive painting and sculpture.

Salt in the wounds

EITHER FULLY abandon the Indian or fully embrace the Indian, but don't rub salt in the wounds of Indian alumni year after year after year by having patronizing programming and interpretive art. I and other alums of Southeast Missouri State University who were once Otahkians or Indians have been relegated by our own university from now on to be outlaws.