Fantastic young lady

I CAN'T believe the article "Queen of court, Brett Ford." It was just simply a fantastic article, and I don't even know this young lady very well. My children know her from school, and they say she is a friend to everyone, that she is always polite, that it doesn't matter, popular or unpopular, Brett treats everyone the same. The article says "because she forgot her ID, she had to serve a detention." I cannot believe that my children go to school with administrators who are so rigid that they don't even look at the consequences or the situation. This is a kid who had been representing her school all day. She raced like a maniac to get there.

Giving away animals

I GET so tired of picking up the paper and reading about dogs and cats that are free for the taking. Why don't these people have their dogs and cats neutered or spayed. We're killing dogs and cats out at the Humane Society, and there's no sense in that.

TSO is truly cultural

RARELY DO we have an opportunity to see a truly cultural event in Cape Girardeau. Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing Nov. 17 at the Show Me Center is one such event. The message contained in the music can only be considered uplifting, heartwarming and spiritual. If you have not heard this performance, its musical style is unique. Elements of nearly every form of music are present, often woven together seamlessly yet somehow distinctly in the same number at the same time. The light show is world-class. Please show your support for these wonderful artists by attending. And demonstrate to the Show Me Center management that we can appreciate far more than Wrestlemania, American Gladiators and monster trucks.

In a candy store

I TOOK my children to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas concert last December in St. Louis. Keep in mind I'm a 48-year-old construction worker who likes country music and rides a Harley. I was totally amazed at the performance, so much that my children told me I was like a kid in a candy store. Anyway, I signed up for the TSO newsletter and was thrilled to be notified in September that they were coming to Cape Girardeau. I got my tickets and cannot wait until that evening. If you enjoy Christmas, you will enjoy this program also.

True commandments

I WOULD like to respond to the person who said Jesus gave us two new commandments. In the KJV Bible, I find that Jesus gave only one commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you." And there was no change of the Ten Commandments. The law of God still stands true.

Attack on rights

IN RESPONSE to "Try birth control": Remember that the Catholic church and some other Christian denominations consider contraception to be wrong. In other words, as soon as the religious right is done removing women's right to choose, they will go after birth control too. And then the world population will double to 12 billion starving people and many more kids will die every day. But that's not a problem to consider now, is it?

Costly medical care

TO THE caller complaining about the prison flu shots: I agree, they don't deserve them. However, what's cheaper? The $100 flu shot or $5,000 worth of premium governmental care when they get sick? We may not like the choice to give them the shot, but let's remember it's us paying the bill.

Caring professors

LET'S GET realistic. As long as students are paying thousands of dollars a year for professors to basically check that they read the book in most classes, those students should be allowed to wear whatever they want to class. Maybe more students would have respect when professors actually care.

Patriotic origins

A PATRIOTIC American comes from many places, not just the original 13 colonies.