SPEAKOUT

Flag etiquette

I THINK you folks are displaying the American flag improperly. The Southeast Missourian banner should be behind or below the American flag. Please research that and display my flag in a proper manner.

REPLY: The U.S. flag is flying a few inches above the other flags over the entrance to the Southeast Missourian.

Tax break?IF THE city makes an agreement with Boyd Gaming Corp. and they come to town and they start giving the city all these large amounts of money that they are talking about, can I assume that I will have a tax break on my personal property tax, or has that even been discussed yet?

REPLY: It would be up to the city council to decide what to do about taxes if and when a riverboat casino opens in Cape Girardeau. By comparison, the Aztar Casino in Caruthersville will ultimately provide about $2 million of that city's $5 million annual budget, but the city is using the money to improve infrastructure and offer other services. Contact your councilman or the mayor about your tax concerns in Cape Girardeau.

Pot of pea soup

I'VE GOT a comment where all these weathercasters saying pea soup fog. Kind of reminds me of the Republican candidates. Bunch of pea heads.

In the stars

THIS IS for the caller who said President Clinton is going to be impeached. Well, I've got news for him. I just talked to my astrologist, and he said no way would Clinton be impeached and he would win a second term.

What a change

TO THE caller who said, "Wouldn't be something if Pat Buchanan was president, Pat Robertson was vice president, and Jerry Falwell was secretary of state?" To him I would say it really would be something, because to the forefront would come individualism and self-reliance, not government dependency. Moral values, not immorality, would return once again. Frugality, not spending all the time, would be to the front. Christian and Jewish influence would return, primarily. National pride would predominate. Family values would once again be supreme. Favoritism and pride would make us the light of mankind once again. It would be something, wouldn't it? You are right.

No new contract

THANKS TO the Meadow Heights School Board for not giving Rich Chastain a contract for next year. Most school principals know the difference between contract non-renewal and being fired.

Old knowledge

MEADOW Heights is in the newspaper again. Although I do not condone the wrongdoing, I do give Mr. Waller credit for resigning without complicating the issue further. I just don't understand how Rick Chastain and his secretary did not know anything about the fictitious names back in 1991. He worked on a day to day basis with the students and their records.

Good riddance

I WAS just reading about Rick Chastain at Meadow Heights. Good riddance to bad rubbish. It is about time the school board cleaned house. I am tired of Rick Chastain hiding behind the whistle-blower's law.

Honesty still best

AS A taxpayer in Missouri, I want to thank Mr. Rick Chastain of Meadow Heights School District. He obviously has a conscience and did not believe in stealing from the rest of us taxpayers in the state of Missouri. This may have upset the three board members who voted not to keep to him as principal. Now they have to return our tax dollars received due to the false records. Honesty may not have paid in your case, Mr. Chastain, but Sandy Raines' abstention has turned out as a vote against you. Raines is seeking re-election. What for? We don't need someone who won't vote. What does it tell us about school board president Allen's attitude of "Why not cheat? Others do." Keep your honesty and integrity, Mr. Chastain. There are other school districts that want somebody who is honest.

Pat's policies

PAT BUCHANAN has some interesting things to say. He's against big business. He says it influences our government too much, yet he is one of the biggest recipients from the gun lobby funding his campaign. Gee, I wonder if there could be gun manufacturers involved in the gun lobby? He's also pro-life, but he doesn't feel that there should be a penalty against women who have an abortion. So how do you stop an abortion? Doctors aren't necessary to have an abortion. He says African-Americans are not part of the American culture and society but doesn't say how he would assimilate them. Sounds like he's got a social program ahead. He wants to give the political process back to middle America and remove big business, but that gun lobby is still OK. He wants to cut off the border with Mexico by building a big fence. And when that doesn't work, guard dogs and sharp shooters? He doesn't believe in most-favored-nation status, but he wouldn't build a fence at the Canadian border. He wants to do away with the Department of Education and let the states handle it. Looks like test scores for African-Americans will go down in Mississippi. He wants to put God in the classroom and teach creationism. I guess it's a good thing that we've already discovered that the world isn't flat. He says Bob Dole is hollow and doesn't take a stand on the issues, but he'll support Dole if Dole's nominated. Too bad he doesn't support the president. According to Buchanan's definition, they're very similar.

Clinton's faults

TO THE caller who was referring to Bob Dole as a hero but said that does not make him above reproach. He also said if Bill Clinton had been in the service, the good old Heartland would still find fault with him. I'm sure that they would because the difference is character counts, stupid. Dole is a man of character. Clinton doesn't have any character. Clinton is a liar, a cheat, a drug user, a hypocrite, an adulterer, a womanizer, a crook, a big-government socialist, and he was an anti-U.S. protester in foreign countries, especially communist countries. Any man like that sure doesn't have any respect coming from the Heartland or any other person in the United States.