Speak Out A 03/22/03

Bigger concerns

I HAD tears in my eyes when I read that city employees may not have a Christmas party. Please give me a break. There are people and children out there without homes or food. The government spends millions on a war that hasn't happened yet and millions on a federal building without our approval. Do you honestly think we care about a Christmas party?

Tax issues

WOULDN'T IT be a shame for the city government not to be able to throw an employee Christmas party that would cost $7,500, especially when the unemployment rate is so high and the economy is so bad? If this and other articles are supposed to be a pitch for votes on the four tax issues, it appears somebody has completely missed the boat. The timing is really bad. Salary increases would be great, but a job would be even greater. Ask some of those who are unemployed.

Too many supervisors

I'VE GOT this idea. Let's run the city like a business. Cape Girardeau is overstaffed with administrative personnel. There are supervisors, assistants to the supervisors and assistants to the assistants. If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself. This is only one area where expenses could be cut. As far as the Christmas party is concerned, sorry about that. I know city workers are certainly not overpaid, but neither are a lot of us working folks. If you want a Christmas party, pay for it like we do. Just be glad you have a job with benefits.

It's the city's money

I'M SURE the city officials and the mayor know by this time that the proposed tax and fee increases will be voted down. If Cape Girardeau is in such financial need, it should use the restaurant and motel tax money for the city and not for the state project. That money is for the city and should be used for the city.

Passing the time

WHAT HAS happened to the world? Neighbors used to help neighbors. Now you barely know who lives next to you. Why can't young people -- who have so much energy and don't know how to pass the time without doing some kind of dirty things like tearing up mailboxes, messing up road signs, spinning around in the mud and having deadly bonfires -- help old and disabled people who can't take care of their yards and so forth? That would make the old people feel better to hear some young laughter while getting help, and it would be good for the young folks to get out and learn how to do a little something instead of not knowing what to do to pass the time.

Marines are special

I WAS a Marine a long time ago. Every time I see the Marines on television, I get kind of shaky. Marines have a job to do. They don't want any glorification. They don't need any TV cameras showing them putting their lives on the line for the country or anything like that. Everyone, whether in the service or not in the service, puts his life on the line every day. The Marines are a special breed of people or they wouldn't be in the Marine Corps.

Making a big deal

I THINK everyone is being ridiculous about the statement made by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. If she had made that statement in the United States at an anti-war rally, would the reaction be the same? She is entitled to her own opinion. Maybe she does feel ashamed to have her home state associated with a cause that she feels so strongly about. So what? I'm not going to quit patronizing businesses that are represented by the individuals that stand out at the parks holding signs up, whether for or against the war on Iraq. They are entitled to their opinions, and I don't have to agree with them. People tend to make too big of a deal about things like this. They decide to make it their own personal war so they don't have to deal with the real-world crisis.