Dear Editor:
In your recent Stuff page (Feb. 11), I read that you gave ChapStick Medicated a D, but I love the smell and the tingle is awesome.
I recently took a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyo., to go skiing. This ChapStick kept my lips from becoming chapped and cracked. I use it every day to keep my lips healthy, and they look great.
Next time, KidNews, do a little more research on the products you put down.
— Kirsten H., 15, Wauconda
In response to Emmitt W. (Feb. 11 Backtalk): I completely and positively agree with you! There are so many useless punishments handed out by schools, businesses and the government nowadays that it makes them laugh at our country!
Take for example the lady who fed parking meters. This one lady found about three or four people’s parking meters expired and filled them up. What’s wrong with that? Maybe nothing to you or me, but something to the law. It seems that there is a law that restricts and prohibits acts of kindness. Sociologists today wonder why there are so few Good Samaritans out there now.
I can tell you very simply: Stupid laws and regulations plus cases like this lady’s make people think twice about filling up others’ parking meters!
So sad. So very, very sad.
— Kyle R., 13, Northbrook
HAVE YOUR SAY ON O.J.
I am a very big fan of the O.J. civil case, but I don’t think it’s fair for them to dump the president (on TV).
He says some important things during his annual address, and we should hear them, especially the kids!
— Scott T., 12, Palos Heights
I am writing about O.J. and that he might sell his mother’s home.
I would never, ever do that to my mother. If O.J. did kill Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson and it is costing him this much money, he should just confess.
— Nick Z., 12, Palos Heights
O.J. Simpson should be in jail for what he did. I know he has to pay a lot of money, but he will get all that money back and get away with murder. They should put him in jail because everybody knows he’s guilty.
— David M., 13, Tinley Park
BREAK THE CHAIN
In response to Megan M. (Feb. 11 Backtalk): Hey, polish up your science knowledge. Vegetarians are part of the food chain too, you know!
Plants don’t eat meat, but they’re part of the food chain too. So you are personally part of the food chain.
Meat consumption makes no difference. All organisms are part of the food chain. And if Tom R. doesn’t want to go to McDonald’s, that’s just great, but why not choose a good reason, not one commercial you don’t like.
And guess what, Megan, I love animals and plan to be a vet, and I love meatballs, burgers, etc. Get a clue.
— Caitlin D., 11, Dyer, Ind.
PARENT POWER
I think that the teenagers that get pregnant, drop out of school, join a gang, commit crimes or get involved in substance abuse are not a result of not having a father. It might be the kid’s attitude toward life.
Someone I know has only a mother and loves school, and does not get involved in any bad or misleading activities. This is because her mother talks and gives her advice very often.
If the parents are divorced, it is the mother’s job to give advice to the kids and lead them to a good life. If the mother does not do that, then the kids will follow wrong steps in life, which will lead to a disaster. I think that you shouldn’t focus on keeping a father in the homes, but encouraging mothers who are divorced to keep in touch with their child.
I’m not saying not to have a father in homes. The father does play a very important role in a child’s life.
— Virali P., 13, Hanover Park
LISTEN UP
America is really going down. I mean look at ourselves. What’s going on here? There’s nothing but racism, drugs and alcohol, teenage pregnancy, abortion and perverts who invest in pornography.
America is so materialistic. A kid cries if he didn’t get that stupid thing everybody in school has, when thousands of children and babies die in Bosnia.
All of American kids are brats — and I mean every single one, me too. And I can blame half of the fault on parents not getting involved enough and kids not listening.
I hope American kids’ ears open up soon, cause our future it’s headed for nowhere.
— Shahed A., 12, Lombard
PAGEANTS ARE UGLY
I am writing about the JonBenet Ramsey case that has been haunting newspapers since Christmas. I think it’s horrible a beautiful child like that had to be murdered, but it is definitely the best way to describe what that kind of child exploitation will result in.
By child exploitation, I mean the whole beauty queen thing. That kind of competition for a 6-year-old girl is not healthy. I’ve seen footage of JonBenet strutting around the stage in a costume that was probably designed for a showgirl in Las Vegas. And I don’t think it’s cute to see 7-year-olds singing with bigger vibratos than Pavarotti’s; and 8-year-olds doing sexy dances and provocative poses through pounds of makeup. I saw tapes of all this at the same beauty pageants that Jon Benet participated in. No wonder some psycho pervert murdered her and sexually abused her.
— Liesel B., 12, Kenilworth
RBYMIN’ TIME
I am writing in response to “A Poetry Wall” (Feb. 11 Write On). I think it is great that they are getting kids into poetry. I love to read poetry, and I hope that some kids will get into poetry.
— Cristin H., 12, Palos Park
CHIEFLY SPEAKING
In response to James L. S. (Feb. 18 Backtalk): What are you talking about? You’re happy to have Bill Clinton as our president just because he’s a Christian? Does being a Christian necessarily mean you would make a great president?
So far, all presidents have been Christians, but a few of them did some pretty bad things. I don’t think it’s right of you to say that because he is a certain religion, he is a good leader. If we had a Jewish or Islamic or Hindu (etc.) president, would that make them less qualified to be the leader of our nation because they are not of majority?
The Constitution states that all people have the right to practice their religion.
— Sarah D., 13, Palatine
I totally disagree with James L.S. that Bill Clinton is a good president because he is a Christian. I am Jewish and I think he runs the country well because he is a smart man and an excellent politician, not because he is Christian. I know a lot of Jews who would also make good presidents.
Take Prime Minister Rabin for example: he was Jewish and he ran Israel until his death.
Just because Clinton is Christian doesn’t make him a good politician. It is his logic and care for the country that counts.
— Alan K., 11, Chicago
KURT CONSPIRACY?
All the facts show that Kurt Cobain did not commit suicide. First, the handwriting experts say some of the lines in Kurt’s suicide letter were most likely not his handwriting.
Second, Kurt’s wife, Courtney Love, stopped the one credit card Kurt kept. Someone tried to use that card days after Kurt’s death.
Third, when the autopsy was performed on Kurt, he had three times the amount of heroin in his blood that would kill most addicts. Some specialists may say that if Kurt was taking that dose of heroin for a while, he maybe was used to it. That cannot be true — Kurt had just gotten out of rehabilitation the day before he died.
Finally, when Kurt’s body was found, his hand was on the barrel of the shotgun he supposedly used. With all the heroin he had in him and the magnitude of the gun going off, it would have thrown his hand off the gun.
— Nic W., Carol Stream
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