Speak Out 6/13/07

Doing their jobs

WHAT PART of "It is against the law for anyone under 21 to be in possession of alcohol" do you not understand? If you don't like the law, then work to get it amended, but don't badger policemen who are bound by oath to uphold the law.

From red to blue

YES, IT says a lot that many of the poor live in red states. To me, it says that by voting Republican these folks have been bamboozled into voting against their own economic self-interests and that the GOP, knowing this, has been successful in garnering their votes by playing up social issues (gay rights, prayer in public schools etc.) However, the good news is that the red-state poverty stricken are starting to realize that they've been hoodwinked and that they are voting in such a way as to turn a lot of red states purple and, soon, blue.

Paying too little

TO ALL of the people who think that fuel taxes are too high: Take a drive. Our roads are not in the best shape, and all weeds line too many miles of our country lanes. If anything, we are paying too little in fuel taxes. Comparing fuel taxes between nations is entirely acceptable because it demonstrates that we are still paying a lot less for fuel than nations comparable to the United States.

Service complaints

MY FATHER served in World War II and the Korean War. He received two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. After he returned home he never once complained about not wanting to have served or any post-traumatic disorders. He was proud of his service. What has happened? We hear daily about returning soldiers complaining about having to serve or post-traumatic disorders. I am proud of our soldiers, but I don't understand the ones who complain. We are still the greatest country in the world, and we have always had to fight aggressors for our freedoms. God bless America.

Enough whining

SAYING THAT our immigration system is broken is like whining that your car broke down after you subjected it to deliberate abuse and neglect.

Tony or Paris?

IS AMERICA most interested in the informative piece on British Prime Minister Tony Blair from the Economist magazine, recently reprinted by Gary Rust. Or are we more attentive to the trials and tribulations of Paris Hilton?

Disturbing dogs

I JUST read a disturbing article about the gruesome world of dog fighting. I am a dog breeder. I am against the breeding of pit bulls. People who have them think it is cool to have a dog who is tough. Whether or not the dogs are being taught to fight, the breed has a disturbing and pitiful reputation. They should be banned from the community.

Made in Mexico

FROM THE Big Book of Irony (a small book): The uniforms of U.S. Border Patrol agents are made in Mexico.

Use turn signals

I WOULD like to know why automobile drivers in Cape Girardeau think they do not have to use a turn signal. I think police should target these violations and issue citations to those drivers for not using a turn signal.

Plain silly

DAVID LIMBAUGH'S semi-polarizing piece implying conservatives (read neoconservatives or Republicans) have God on their side while Democrats don't was really not as polarizing as it was just plain silly.

Escaping responsibility

SEAMAN BURNS joined the Navy so the military would pay for the birth of his child. Yet he really wants to be around his wife and child. Didn't he know that of all the branches, the Navy is probably the hardest on family life, with all the at-sea time? Why not just get a job around here? And he could live with his mother, as he plans to do, and save on rent. This entire story doesn't ring true. He quit high school and seems to have a history of walking away from responsibility. I feel sorry for the poor child stuck with this set of parents.

Protecting teens

I AM writing this in response to the article "Group fighting drinking parties." I do not condone the parents' attitudes at the Sikeston drinking party, but I believe their intentions were good. There is not enough activities to keep the average high school student occupied. Parents can be as strict and make sure that their teenagers know not to drink, but the temptation will always be there. Students make mistakes. It happens to us all. The intent of parents who host underage parties is that they are providing a safe place for kids to party. Why is this a good thing? It prevents students from drinking and driving. Parents are present and able to make sure none of the students overindulges. It prevents students from having parties where there is no supervision. I do not think it is fair to prosecute parents who are trying to protect their children from harm.

Enforcing the law

I WOULD like to commend the law enforcement agency that enforced the underage drinking laws on the parents who hosted a drinking party at their home. At the same time, I say shame on the law enforcement agency that last year charged no one following a similar party in Ste. Genevieve County in which a drunken teenager drove his car into a lake and drowned.

Wasted space

HOW MUCH newspaper space has been wasted examining the ongoing speculation as to whether Cape Girardeau will or will not be in "Killshot?"

Bubble must go

THAT UGLY bubble structure over the Central pool has to go. It is poorly ventilated and breeds mold. People who otherwise would have a place to exercise in the winter simply don't go there for fear of becoming sick.

What we know

THE MEDIA give us more than we need to know about celebrities and less than we need to know about an omnibus immigration bill. For instance, did you know that the Senate's bill provided for only one business day to perform the background check for a Z visa? Do you know what Paris had for lunch today? See?

God is there

WHAT IS this nonsense about God not being in the classroom? I am a teacher at Jackson Junior High School. God is in my classroom every day. He is there guiding me in my teaching of our youths. He is there in the wonder and joy of my pupils' learning. He is there in the wisdom of our administrators. He is there in the kindness of our custodial staff, secretaries, cafeteria workers and paraprofessionals. God is in our schools just as he is everywhere.

Passport punishment

IN READING about the long delays, not to mention the expense, in obtaining a passport, it should strike us as unfair, to say the least, that we would have to have a passport to get into our own country after traveling to Mexico or Canada. For those who cry "safety from terrorists," there are those of us who see this as a punishment to our own citizens for things we did not cause.

Listening to tunes

I THOUGHT it was rude of the group of women in the back of "Tunes at Twilight" to laugh, drink and be loud during the concert. I go to relax after a hard week at work and listen to the music. There were several people who had to move due to the commotion. Please take your party somewhere else on Friday night.

More parties

AM I the only person in Southeast Missouri who understands the law of unintended consequences? A well-intentioned group in Sikeston is on a crusade to stop post-high school graduation parties where alcohol is served. The result will be that, when it comes to such parties in Sikeston, there will be a 500-fold increase.

Common language

SHOULD ENGLISH be the official language of the United States? Let me answer your question in an ancient language: E pluribus unum. The Tower of Babel does not make a powerful and independent nation.