OpinionMay 14, 1999
THANKS TO former university president Mark Scully for speaking out about turning Wildwood, the home for the university presidents, into an alumni center. The present home has many advantages. The disadvantage is the dining room is too small to entertain large groups. ...

Spend money on students

THANKS TO former university president Mark Scully for speaking out about turning Wildwood, the home for the university presidents, into an alumni center. The present home has many advantages. The disadvantage is the dining room is too small to entertain large groups. We feel, and many contributors to the foundation feel, that the money spent on a luxurious mansion for the president would be better spent on services for the students. What about Aileen Wehking Alumni Center? We understand that Aileen contributed money for that building to be used as an alumni center. Is that the way to honor contributors who are now dead and cannot protest?

No joint responsibility

I READ a story involving President Clinton speaking in Texas where he said that instead of looking to assign blame in the Littleton tragedy, we should ask ourselves the following question: "What can I do to take responsibility?" There are a couple of issues that come to mind here, one of which stems from a similar question he raised during the National Day of Prayer breakfast meeting when he told a group of pastors we should all work together to get over the Monica Lewinsky tragedy. To be honest with you, I didn't commit adultery with a young intern. Secondly, I didn't mow down 13 innocent children in Littleton, Colo. So I'm not certain why I'm supposed to take responsibility for it. But I can tell you this: It's President Clinton's we're-all-in-this-together kind of thinking that brings about gun-control laws and, more importantly, high tax laws that suck the marrow out of America's working class, middle class and upper class who are the backbone of this country. When we start thinking we're all in this together, we start getting shafted with welfare, food stamps and taking care of a lot of people who won't take care of themselves and being unable to take care of our own families because of high taxes. It will be a cold day in hell before I take responsibility for shooting 12 innocent children in the cusp of their lives, and it will be a cold day in hell before I take responsibility for committing adultery and then lying about it to the American people.

Some money left over?

I'M A student at Southeast Missouri State University. This will be my fourth year. I would like to say it's amazing how they can raise tuition every single year, yet they have enough money for the cost overrun of a fountain.

Well, if you don't like it ...

TO THE person who thinks that Jackson and Cape are the rudest towns: Why don't you move to somewhere where the people are more to your liking?

Stand up for America

I SEE people from another country are burning the American flag because a bomb accidentally hit their embassy. I wonder if the people of this country will continue to buy this junk that they are sending into our country by the truckloads. And our politicians do nothing about it. I'm speaking of China. When you pick something up in the store that says "Made in China," put it back down. Let's teach these other countries that the American people can stand up for themselves since the politicians won't do it.

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Acts of stupidity

FIRST WE sell the Chinese nuclear-missile technology. Then we purposely allow them to steal our nuclear-weapons technology. Then we bomb the Chinese embassy. Just how stupid are we?

Parents need to be parents

IT SEEMS to me that the solution to school shootings could be the solution to many problems our schools, our families and our society in general have. Parents simply need to be parents. That may be the problem. It isn't simple enough to be a decent parent. It starts with setting good examples. Be a decent person and demand that your children be decent. If you say you are a Christian, then for heaven's sake be a Christian. Learn what Jesus Christ taught and try to live his teaching. You may be shocked to learn that Jesus did not teach hatred or intolerance. Quite the opposite. He taught love and forgiveness and acceptance of others. Is this what we Christians are teaching our children? If not, why do we claim to be Christians? And if we want to claim to be parents, we should do the work of parents. For one thing, we should teach religion and our Christian principles to our children rather than expecting the schools to do it for us. Teach religion at home and in your church. And be intelligent enough to raise children who are intelligent enough to know that they can pray anyplace at any time, and no one can ever stop them, even in school. And let them know that they can join prayer groups, even at school. The only thing they can't do is force all students to pray the same prayer they want to pray, because prayer is personal and not every religion has the same prayers. You cannot bully anyone else into praying your prayers. That just simply isn't Christian.

Please return the money

WOULD SOMEONE please return the money that was found at Orscheln at about 12:30 on May 3? The money is needed. There is a new baby in the family, and graduation is coming up. I accidentally dropped it. If you could return it to the store, I would appreciate it.

Freedom for all

TO THE Speak Out caller complaining about the article on pagans on the Religion page. I'd like to point out that our country was based on freedom of religion for all. You don't have to agree or like someone else's religion, but because you have the ability and freedom to enjoy what you choose to practice, they should have the ability to do that also. As long as it doesn't cause a murder, go for it.

Don't be selfish

I DON'T believe it was right for someone to call in and to say these people involved in the Littleton shootings were from wealthy families. It does not matter about the money. These children are dead. These children are gone. Nothing's going to bring these children back. This is very appalling to me that someone would say this. I haven't experienced losing a child firsthand. If you can sit back and answer these questions, then count your blessings. Are you in a jail cell somewhere or are you in a hospital bed somewhere? Are your children healthy and happy? I think you need not to worry about yourself in this situation. You should count your blessings that you are healthy and you have healthy, happy children. If you don't, I'm sorry and pray for their well-being, but I don't think this is a time where we should think about ourselves in this situation. If you do need help, you can go to your local Red Cross. You can go to your local Salvation Army. There are people in churches who are willing to help you. But to be selfish to say that you should not have a fund raiser for victims of Littleton is really selfish. I don't think that's right.

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