SPEAKOUT

Friday, December 7, 2001

Call 471-6636

It looks like the Democrats are siding in with the Taliban. I wonder which is most dangerous to America, the Democratic Party or the Taliban? The boy from South Dakota, a national, I don't think he's too good. From what I've seen, South Dakota is a bunch of starving Indians. He doesn't need to be running the country the way he left his home state to run.

What is Christmas and how do we celebrate it? Is it just a time to buy presents for others, have great dinners and parties? Don't we know that we are celebrating our Savior, Jesus' birthday? What do we give him? It's just like having a birthday party and everyone gets presents but you. That would hurt, wouldn't it? How do you think Jesus feels? Let's celebrate the right way this year. Give all to our precious Lord Jesus. May God bless you all.

I would like to respond to the child support checks being issued twice in the state saying they cannot because of the money. I pay child support to the state every month. Why can't the state issue a letter to the people who get the checks the next time the support payments come due, saying the next time they will pay twice and just hold my check for one month and issue the next check in January? Would it be too much trouble for the state, or is that illegal?

I cannot believe that people who are in prison have more medical benefits than the average, honest, decent working person. I saw on the news where there are 30-something million people who don't have medical insurance. There's an old saying, "Crime does not pay." But it looks like crime does pay. The people behind bars have fringe benefits that most working people don't have. There's something wrong with our country, where someone can break the law and live a better life than an honest, decent, working person.

This week I lost a loved one to cancer, a dreaded disease, a critical disease. Its recipients do not want our sympathy. All they want is our compassion and understanding. We knew from the time of diagnosis that the time was short. People who know someone who has this disease, please be compassionate and considerate because they're in a world where there's very little hope. Their only hope is research. I have seen people be so mean to cancer patients. Please don't, because the world is never more beautiful and brighter than when you know your days are numbered on this earth. So if you know someone has this disease, love them, be kind and understanding, and be compassionate.

Thanks, Mike, for addressing the death of George Harrison in your editorial. Like you, I also attended that concert 30-plus years ago. Little did we know what impact the Beatles would have on our music, our culture, our lives. Only later did we come to know that each member of the band had his own distinct personality, outlook and special road to follow. Unlike John, who was taken from us, George left this world in the usual way, as most of us will. His mortality speaks to our own, but he will remain with us, a symbol of our youthful exuberance, a search for life's meaning and our battle to stay forever young. Our lives have been made richer by the soundtracks made by the Beatles and will continue to rock on.