Speak Out A 05/08/02

Economic indicators

I WAS wrong, and I admit it. Your recent "Recession is history" headline and "Speaker: The evidence is clear" editorial demonstrates that the recession is over. The clincher was your front-page "Unemployment hits highest mark in 8 years" headline which, though it may seem contradictory to the uneducated and misinformed, proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that the recession has completed its course and that the good times may again begin rolling.

Back to business

IT LOOKS like the MAP test may be deep-sixed, at least partially. Thank goodness. Schools can now get back to business as usual.

Expensive gas

TO THE person who said he trusted the oil companies over the Democrats: Let's see if you say the same thing when gas prices get up to about $5 a gallon.

Water and oil

THE COMPARISON between drilling for water and oil was an excellent one. The human body can only go so long without water, and the United States can only go so long without oil.

Teachers' parking

I SUPPORT the increase in the parking fines for illegal parking at the university. I teach there. Even with a parking tag, half the time you can't find a parking place in the designated areas. It's kind of crazy when a teacher's late to class because there's no parking. Then you'll come out of class and see students in the illegal parking area driving off. It wouldn't matter so much if it were a normal area with no hills, but some teachers are kind of old to be hoofing it up those hills.

Two sides to conflict

NO ONE can deny that the Palestinian terrorism is wrong. But those who justify the Israeli terrorism are unable to admit that this is equally wrong. They rationalize Israeli terrorism as justified based on two fundamental untruths. The first is that Yasser Arafat was offered everything and rejected it during the peace initiative. The Israeli justice minister at the time, Yossi Beilin, wrote an article that explained that by December 2000, Arafat had agreed to the Clinton peace plan. When Ariel Sharon was elected prime minister, instead of accepting the successful talks, he chose to terminate the peace process. The second fundamental untruth is that the Palestinians will accept nothing more than the elimination of Israel. This can be disproved by the fact that the Saudi peace plan offers them recognition they seek, and Israel refuses to even consider it. There are truly two sides to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Jackson's U-turns

JACKSON HAS won once again over Cape. Jackson's U-turn highway on Jackson Boulevard is dumber than Cape's roundabout. Way to go, Jackson.

Obstructing senator

I WANT to comment about our brilliant senators, one of them from Missouri. Jean Carnahan voted against drilling in Alaska. One hundredth of one hundredth of a percent of Alaska could be used to make us free of Arab states. But by voting to not drill there, Carnahan is making us dependent on Arab oil. Opponents to drilling claim it will kill all the wildlife. The caribou use the existing oil pipeline to keep warm. They will have to be thinned out because they have multiplied. The pipeline didn't hurt anything. In fact, it made it better. Carnahan's in bed with these so-called environmentalists, who aren't environmentalists. They're obstructionists. They're obstructing the progress of the country.

Just like gambling

I KEEP reading about tax revenue not being what the city, state or federal governments thinks it should have been. I think a big problem with all of these government entities is that they project increases in taxes when they don't have any concrete proof of what will happen. It's kind like of going to the slot machines.

Get a good lawyer

A 40-SOMETHING woman is found guilty of child molestation and gets 15 days in the county jail. Maybe Robert Blake should hire her attorney.

Rubber-stamp senator

SINCE SHE has been in office, Jean Carnahan has voted against any drilling for oil in the United States. But she sure puts oil products from other countries in her vehicle. What about their environment? As far as fuel-cell research is concerned, she's having a dream. Researchers aren't close to an alternate fuel. And if found, it would take decades to implement. Carnahan votes the liberal party line, rubber stamping what Kennedy and Daschle and others do.

Agreeing with Limbaugh

I NEVER thought I would find myself saying I agree with what a Limbaugh says. But I'm reading David Limbaugh's column on "Moral relativism obscures the truth." I must say I agree with him completely. I hope he keeps writing in this same philosophical way. It's excellent. I think there are more people who believe what he believes out there than he knows.

No honor for Fonda

I RECEIVED an e-mail in which information was given that Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the 100 women of the century. This really concerns me. We all know what she did during the Vietnam War and how she was part of the propaganda of the North Vietnamese and how our POWs suffered because of her. I think all Americans need to stand up and say that we don't want to honor her. Maybe we can forgive her, but she should not be honored as one of the 100 women of the century. She has not exemplified the kind of morals that we would have hoped would be honored.

THANKS FOR the caller who explained the differences between communism and Nazism in relation to France's Le Pen. Too often liberals are compared to communists. If this analogy is true, then the counterpart for right-wingers is Nazis. This may keep some of the liberal bashers out there thinking for awhile.

Moving advice: Don't

HOW COME city people like to be country and country folk like to be city? I assure you that neither would make it very well in their new surroundings if they moved. Trust me, I have lived in both and have seen it all

Smell the roses

TO ALL those who are saying spring isn't beautiful: It is. They have so much negativity and can only think of something to complain about. Maybe if they would stop to smell the roses, life would be better for all of us.

SEN. PETER Kinder stepped up to the plate and did his job trying to save the St. Louis Cardinals, but he can't do it all. The House must come through in the clutch. Now batting: State Rep. Jason Crowell.

Future skyways

ROADS ARE being allowed to go to potholes in Missouri because we have very progressive leaders who are way ahead of the electorate and realize that to invest in roads and highways would be a waste of money since they will soon be unnecessary due the fact that automobiles will become airborne.

Waiting for response

HAS ANYONE who has contacted a state or federal representative about the Jackson highway problem heard from them? I haven't heard a thing. Aren't these men and women elected to represent us? Why are they not listening? Hello? Are you out there?