SPEAK OUT

Gas taxes for roads

I WAS reading in the paper about the proposed increase in gas tax and fees to go to highway construction. Before anyone considers voting for any of these things, legislators should have to tell us how this money is going to be divided. In the past, they've given highways only 19 cents out of a dollar, and the rest of it goes somewhere else. I'll never vote for anything where they're taking gasoline taxes meant for roads and putting it on other projects.

Proud of that flag

MY GREAT-grandfather was a Confederate officer. He owned and bought slaves and had a plantation. My grandmother loved her mammy. I am not embarrassed about this, because you cannot change what happened 200 years ago. The Confederate flag is flown because of the people who fought for the South, who wanted the South to be the South, not because they wanted their slaves. They are proud of the flag. I have no regrets that my great- grandfather was a Confederate soldier and a slave owner. People, get over it. How can they legalize not flying that beautiful flag?

Parents don't care

A CALLER said it's the teacher's job to supervise the kids and watch their language, even when the kids are outside the classroom. The caller said it wasn't the parents' responsibility. It is the parents' responsibility. If you've brought up your child right and he knows he'll get punished at home, he isn't going to misbehave at school. It's a healthy idea that parents are responsible for their children even when their children are not with them.

School opening time

IT'S VERY interesting that the vice president of the Shawnee Board of Education openly criticizes the board on which she sits. That's not the type of board member I want serving me and my family. As far as the opening time, parents can do what I do. I drop my kids off at 7:40 a.m., make the 10-minute drive to my job in Cape and enjoy a hot cup of coffee for 10 minutes, knowing my kids are not only learning, but safe at school. Keep up the good work, Shawnee schools.

Voting to pay debts

FORMER STATE Rep. Mary Kasten seems to think U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan owes a debt to John Ashcroft because of his actions after Mel Carnahan was killed. Is that what Kasten's attitude was when she was state representative? Did she vote on certain bills because she felt she owed somebody a favor? Whom did she owe her favors to? The wealthy? That's a Republican attitude: take care of the ones who contributed toward your election. Take care of the wealthiest, and they'll take care of you.

Positive support

IN RESPONSE to the recent letter to the editor concerning the opening time at McClure Elementary School, does championing a cause outweigh the means by which such cause is acquired? Professionalism and integrity are often a forgotten asset. Bringing negative attention to peers without first going through the order of procedure does not promote well-being or unity within any organization. Unfortunately, negative publicity seems to be the squeaky wheel that gets the oil. I'd like to see this momentum change.

Too much lost mail

I'M CALLING about the way the post office loses so much mail. I'm afraid to mail anything any more. I don't know if it's the carriers who are losing the mail or what the deal is. My son had his W-2 forms get lost in the mail. I don't know if the post office will ever straighten itself up.