OpinionJune 15, 2009
Speak Out 6/15/09
Not likely; It's the Constitution; Which lane?; Millions killed; New diplomacy; Catching the bus; Homeless plan; Comfort zone; Home pride; Service discount; Shared space; Great work; TARP is working; Generalizations; Religious Founders; Downtown crosswalks
Not likely
THERE'S no way China is going to build a plant over here and put up with the rules, regulations and taxes that U.S. manufacturers have to deal with.
It's the Constitution
REGARDING Joe Sullivan's June 7 column: It was fine. It was detailed regarding Sonya Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. But I'm disappointed that he never once mentioned the word "Constitution" and how, more than anything, the judges are to interpret the law based on the Constitution.
Which lane?
ONE of my pet peeves is when people travel in the left lane when they are going less than the speed limit. It's irritating to me that they're holding up traffic in the left lane. They should be traveling in the right lane. But I thought as long as you were going the speed limit, you could be in any lane you wanted to be. I wish people would inform me whether or not I am correct.
Millions killed
I had to laugh at the pro-choice reasoning: "You don't see us killing people." I guess the millions of babies who have been killed by abortion don't count.
New diplomacy
REGARDING the two women reporters that are being held in North Korea and who are employed by Al Gore's network. This would be a good opportunity to try out a new type of diplomacy. Don't use the Bush and Reagan type. Let's use the diplomacy that President Obama and Al Gore and all the liberals stand for. Let's see how well it works.
Catching the bus
I drive a bus for Jackson School District. I stop at every other house in the subdivision for the students who are 12 and older. The supervisor said that all stops are board-approved, but I don't think the board would have a bus stopping at every other house in a low-traffic area. I've had parents call the supervisor's office and complain about their junior high and high school students having to walk half a block to catch the bus. This is just not right.
Homeless plan
A homeless shelter without plans and goals or some job training and assistance in attaining a job would only perpetuate the problem. I realize there are homeless individuals due to alcohol and drug abuse and have damaged their minds and bodies. They do not need to be in a homeless shelter. That should be a different issue. Residents of a shelter should be given tasks to do either in the shelter or community to restore their confidence and reinforce their self-worth. It will be a sad day and our society will crumble if we lose our compassion to help and encourage those in our community who need a helping hand. Resources should be available in one place with one phone number where anyone can obtain information manned by knowledgeable volunteers. Pull all agencies under the same umbrella. No more hopping from agency to agency or place to place.
Comfort zone
MY family and I also appreciated the Berean Baptist Church giving out the free bottles of water and the use of their restrooms during the Memorial Day 100-Mile Yard Sale. Most places along the route don't want you to use their restrooms, and those portable toilets stink.
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Home pride
I wish my neighbors would take more pride in their homes and their yards. They have garbage and trash stacked all around their houses and in their backyards. They may find a way to ignore it, but their neighbors see it every time we step out our back door. It's not a pretty sight. Please take pride in what you have.
Service discount
My son, who is on leave from the Air Force, and I were standing in line for tickets to the Jeff Dunham show. A couple in front of us got a huge discount for their tickets for showing their Southeast Missouri State University IDs. When we got to the window my son asked if active military got a discount. The woman at the window said no. Why do students get a break while our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line for all of us every day don't? Why does the Show Me Center not recognize our troops?
Shared space
WHY are we getting more stoplights? Towns in Europe are eliminating signs and lights and reducing accidents. One town is using the "shared space" idea. This idea was, according to an online story, "pioneered by a Dutch engineer who thought towns were safer with fewer rules. It envisioned open surfaces on which motorists and pedestrians could 'negotiate' with one another by eye contact, other signals and a greater consideration for one another." This town averaged 50 accidents last year. Since the shared space concept was enacted, there haven't been any. We need to have an open discussion about this with city planners. It would be wonderful to see driving responsibilities given back to the driver and not relegated to signs and lights that can't interact with people.
Great work
Thank you to our dedicated, efficient and trustworthy Scott County officials: Jamie Burger, Rick Walter and Rita Milam. Everything you've done lately to better the safety of our county has not gone unnoticed. Keep up the great work.
TARP is working
I would like to thank the banks that are paying back the TARP money (with about 4 percent interest) to the American taxpayer. All the handwringing aside, we are beginning to see one of the many programs now denounced by conservatives (though many voted for TARP in the first place) that is working. Keep it up, President Obama. You're on the right track.
Generalizations
COLUMNIST Michael Jensen is a master of parsing words and understanding their subtleties and distinctions. He correctly takes conservatives to task for "posturing" in their supposed outrage over the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the same column, Jensen states that Sotomayor is an "ultraliberal" who "will ignore the constitution if it doesn't match her life experiences" and "will try to level the playing field of whatever rights and wrongs she sees and hears." As a result of these outlandish characterizations, some would accuse Jensen of posturing himself while condemning it in others. But they would be wrong. Jensen is not posturing. He is engaging in the use of a propaganda techniques known as sweeping generalizations and, to some extent, indulging in demagoguery.
Religious Founders
WASHINGTON and most of our Founding Fathers were devout Christians. The Constitution was written so that the government could not stop someone from worshipping God freely, not to stop worship, and it was written by a majority of Christians who so wrongly assumed that our nation would respect that and not turn from God so easily.
Downtown crosswalks
REGARDING the recent blog about the crosswalks on Independence Street: The city is replacing the paver stones with concrete that will be stamped with a stone pattern. It will be far more durable and will require less maintenance. And it will keep the look of the stones.
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