Speakout 11/25

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

I am a volunteer with the Area Agency on Aging and the person who needs help with a wheelchair ramp can call me at the office at 471-8059.

Someone had stolen my purse out of my car and officers with the Sikeston Police Department so diligently rode up and down the street and found it. My purse was returned to me with everything in tact except for one item and the money was still in there too. I would like to thank DPS for being so kind to call me at home and tell me they had found it.

I am writing to let the Christian people know that radio station 1520 AM Solid Gospel has changed its format to country. If you listened to 1520 Solid Gospel and enjoyed it, you need to let the station know about it and that you don't appreciate them taking solid gospel off. We have enough country stations around here. If you like old country music, station 106.1 FM from Cape Girardeau plays pure country. Someone needs to get solid gospel back on the air in Sikeston.

President Bush has chosen not to attend an open memorial or military service for servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is a mistake. A nation is a community and the lives that are lost belong not to their families, but to us all. As the only political figure who represents the whole nation, the duty of commemorating those deaths belongs to the President. It is wrong to bask publicly in glory on the deck of the aircraft carrier unless you are also willing to grieve openly for fallen soldiers. You cannot wrap yourself in the flag while avoiding flag-draped coffins.

After listening to all the badgering and squabbling and bickering about the judges of vetoing the concealed carry law and the governor holding back and forth and people voting and not voting and carrying on, if you want to carry a handgun for protection, either get a hunting license or (I believe in the state of Missouri if you had your gun legally registered and inspected) strap it on, as Willie Nelson says, on the outside of your pants and go on about your business. Maybe the judges and the governor and everybody will get the message, and the bad guys too who want to jump on you.

We attended the Veteran's Day ceremony at Kelly High School on Nov. 11 and it was absolutely wonderful. These kids and their teacher need to be commended. Mr. Powers, who is a student council advisor, the student council that put it on, the teacher who did the woodwork in presenting the plaque. It was one of the best programs that we have ever attended and we do appreciate it.