OpinionFebruary 13, 2000
SPEAKOUT
I'M READING about the famous Mel Hancock tax-cut amendment. I know a lot of people who didn't even cash the check. They just carried it around to show others and laugh about it. It didn't help the working class of people at all. All it helped were the rich. So you can just laugh about your famous Hancock refund...
Refund was laughable
I'M READING about the famous Mel Hancock tax-cut amendment. I know a lot of people who didn't even cash the check. They just carried it around to show others and laugh about it. It didn't help the working class of people at all. All it helped were the rich. So you can just laugh about your famous Hancock refund.
Waiting for true equality
HOW DID the people who are against others flying the Confederate flag they feel about people wearing Malcolm X shirts and hats? Racism is everywhere. Hatred is everywhere, on both sides of the fence. Until we accept that we have to have the same standards for everyone, not just the whites, then that is when we will have true equality.
Where are the worshippers?
WHERE HAVE all the people gone? Last Sunday I attended a large church on Broadway. When I pulled into the parking lot I noticed how few cars were there. Where have all the people gone? I went into the auditorium and had a seat but couldn't help noticing how empty most of the pews were. Several years ago, there were times that extra chairs were needed to seat everybody. Where have all the people gone? When the service started, the choir loft had more vacant seats than full ones. Where have all the people gone? Services were conducted by two part-time and one full-time staff members, where once there were three full-time staff members. Where have all the people gone?
McCain five times better
I'VE BEEN watching C-SPAN a lot lately, and what really amazes me is that George W. Bush can lean over the microphone and say, "John McCain is a Washington insider." If George Bush Jr. wasn't raised completely in politics, who in the heck was? No one's more political than the Bush family. That's like calling the kettle black. John McCain is not a lifetime politician. He got his foot in the door of politics from his experiences in Vietnam. Comparing Bush and McCain, I'd say McCain is five times the better person. Bush is just exactly like his father. He's was raised up rich and has no idea what going out every day and working on a job is. I'd like to know who's running the state of Texas while he's out gallivanting around the country telling people what a good person he is and how much the Mexicans like him.
Thanks for supporting girls teams
I WANTED to extend my thanks and commend Bob Miller for the great column entitled "Girls need some fan support too." As a girl basketball player, I appreciate that this sportswriter took a stand defending Cape's women's basketball programs. Fans definitely influence the pace and the result of the game. Hearing the brief clap of very few fans after hard work for a good play is not very encouraging. I thank you, Mr. Miller, for bringing up this issue and giving recognition to female players. Your strong opinion means a lot.
Constitution is at stake
I SEE with all the John Rocker controversy that our Constitution is going to hell in a handbasket. Now we have the First and Second Amendments being questioned. What next?
Check the minimum wage
I CHECKED in the World Almanac, and the average hourly wage in Mexico was $1.75 per hour in 1997. I want to explain to the person who's blaming the unions for causing the movement of jobs to low-wage countries. With the minimum wage in this country of $5.15 an hour, this is $3.40 higher than the average hourly wage in our neighbor, Mexico. In many third world countries, the pay is much lower than in Mexico. For example, in 1996, the average hourly wage in Sri Lanka was 48 cents per hour. Now do you understand why our clothes and shoes are coming from China, where the workers make less per week than our minimum wage employees make per day? And the finished goods are loaded in sealed semi-trailer-sized containers at the plant and unloaded in warehouses in local areas in the United States. To give you an example of how this is done. Mitsubishi Motors makes the engine and transmission as a unit for their cars in their factories in Japan. They are then shipped in containers to the plant in Bloomington-Normal, Ill., where they are put in the bodies made here. This causes most of the value of the car to come from Japanese labor.
Cape water is cloudy
I WAS wondering if someone could tell me if Cape water is actually good for you? Every glass of water is so cloudy you can't even see the bottom. Is it safe for you? Why is it so cloudy?
Let's clean up south Cape
I'M GOING to attend the next meeting at the Salvation Army at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 to clean up south Cape. One idea I have is for low-cost loans or no-interest loans for people to fix up their property. There are a lot of good people in south Cape. Let's start a crime watch. Come on, let's be proud of all of Cape. Call with your opinions.
Hospitals: Post your prices
I'M WATCHING TV and noticing that the two local hospitals are in a dead-heat competition with each other. They keep showing who started this first, and who started that first, and we have the best service here, or best service there. Well, they're in competition for patients. It's not who's first anymore. It's who can perform services for a lower cost. Why don't they publish prices like a grocery and furniture stores do? People want to be able to compare prices. I'm not saying cheapest is best, but sometimes you have to go the cheapest route. Today, in medical care, there really is no cheap route. If the hospitals want to compete for patients, they should give the public a rough idea of prices. They'll say every patient is different, but every person who goes to a grocery store is different too. Get with it, hospitals.
Highest scores in Bollinger Co.
Several years ago they were talking about the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County lake. They were going to educate those dumb hillbillies out in Bollinger County. Now the school test scores are in. Looks like those dumb hillbillies scored some of the highest marks in the whole state. Kind of makes you wonder who needs to be educated, doesn't it?
Look at conditions at Schultz
THIS IS concerning wanting to build a new high school. For all you people against this, it's not going to raise your taxes. We'll all just pay a little longer. My concern is all you people who are against this should go through Schultz school and see how it's falling down. Then you might not be so against building a new high school where they can get our kids and our teachers and staff out of Schultz.
Enjoyed B&B tour
I JUST want to applaud whoever is responsible for the Valentine Bed and Breakfast tour. Our family attended this, and it was just fantastic. The rides to and from the houses from Capaha Antique Car Association was really a treat, and the refreshments that Europa's and Celebration and Grace's furnished were a wonderful addition to the whole thing. We thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to many more occasions like this to enjoy in Cape Girardeau. Way to go!
Girls need support too
THANK YOU, Bob Miller, for calling attention to the shameful neglect that's being shown to the girls basketball program. These girls spend countless hours practicing and playing as well as maintaining their high scholastic standards. This means they have no time for participating in the fun things kids like to do, like going to the mall with their friends, watching TV or even getting a part time job. These girls and their coaches deserve better from the students, faculty and parents.
SEMO does what it wants
SOMEONE RECENTLY questioned the SEMO board of regents going against the public, which was 3-1 in favor of Coke. But SEMO chose to go with Pepsi. All citizens of Cape Girardeau should realize by now that SEMO will do exactly what SEMO wants. It is exactly that way with the city leaders' approval of the hotel/motel tax money going for the River Campus project after that was voted against. Why spend the money on voting?
Reasons for national health care
I HAVE a few things I want you right-wingers to think about it. First, DNA testing and other new tests will soon allow employers to tell far in advance of the onset of many illnesses, and by this be able to deny employment to people at risk for these problems. Another thing I saw in the paper last week: McDonnell Douglas cut the benefits for retired salaried employees. In addition to this, many companies are closing out some of their divisions, causing many employees to lose benefits. Many employers with family members who have medical conditions that would stop employers from hiring them are unable to change jobs. In addition to the above reasons, many people are at severe risk when they start at new companies and are unable to get insurance at a reasonable cost. The above are reasons that we should start to think about a national health-care plan like Canada has, and they only pay two-thirds as much of their GDP as we do, and their life span is over three years longer than ours. You want to take a chance when the new tests start being used? Would you have insurance if you didn't have a a job? You wouldn't have to worry about it if we do what Canada's done.
Locations of Cape's forts
I READ with interest that some in our fair city are unaware of the locations of the four Civil War forts in Cape Girardeau. Any native Cape Girardeau citizen over 50 years old can easily tick them off as follows: Fort A at the dead end of Bellevue street. This fort was in place to guard the river approach from the north. To my knowledge, it was never endowed with an historical marker. Fort B on the top of Normal Avenue between Kent Library and Academic Hall. This site was once marked with a bronze plaque mounted on a limestone boulder along with a Civil War cannon. Where this monument has gone, who knows? This fort was erected to guard the approach to Cape from the northwest, along the Old Jackson Road, now Broadway. It played the pre-eminent role in repulsing a Confederate invasion from Jackson during the battle of Cape Girardeau in May 1863. Fort C was located on or near the corner of Ellis and Good Hope streets. Its purpose was to guard the southwest approach to Cape along Bloomfield Road. The street and road still in existence today was a major plank road before the Civil War. Today this site is marked with a concrete and bronze marker. Fort D, of course, as the article mentioned, was built to protect a river invasion from the south. The earthworks and moat still are there today. If memory serves me correctly, the present stone building on the site was erected under the auspices of the American Legion after WWI. For further information please contact bcw.com. That is bloodycivilwar.com
Fix up the old high school
I'M SO glad the Speak Out caller reminded us that City Hall and the Medical Arts Building were both former schools. Old school buildings can be refurbished, remodeled and brought up to new specs. They can be made useful. We can use buildings for hundreds of years, just like they do in Europe. The high school building we have now is a beautiful building. It has a strong front entrance. It looks good. It has character to it. I hope we can see fit to remodel it, to put in air conditioning, to make everything just right. We have a wonderful auditorium there, two gymnasiums, a swimming pool. It makes sense to stay with the high school in the middle of the city where it is now. Why don't we fix up the building we have and make it the best high school we can have?
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Too much griping
LAST MONDAY I woke up and my young son had an earache. I called the doctor, and after letting the phone ring 40 times, I got an appointment for him. Later that day I called to make an appointment for my dad at a different doctor. They performed successful surgery. A week later, my husband has some injuries. After making three different tries to reach our family doctor, I made an appointment with a different doctor. The reason I'm telling you all this is because I consider myself blessed with a good husband and a precious son, and I'm getting tired of reading Laura Johnson's column. All she does is gripe.
Too busy to join clubs
CONCERNING YOUR article on the Jackson Jaycees and different organizations, I have a son-in-law with three boys ages 1 1/2, 6 and 9. They're at basketball practice two nights a week. They have a game Saturday morning. Another night they have religion. Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts take up another night. And he helps them all. So that is one reason why these social activities are restricted and they're not joining the organizations they used to.
No respect among politicians
YOU WONDER what's wrong with the children today? Can you tell me what's wrong with our politicians today? The respect they have for one another is terrible. If God doesn't punish our world for that hatred, I don't know who is.
Here are four reasons ...
I'D LIKE to say four things about the Jackson school issue. I can't afford it. I can't afford it. It's too high. I can't afford it.
Only Keyes fits the bill
VOTERS NEED To turn out bigtime to vote and upset these entrenched machine politicos out of the race for the presidency. Americans need to elect these power manipulators and exploiters knowing that people can still call the shots. America needs new leadership that has honesty, integrity and true decency to bring to the White House. Alan Keyes is the only person who fills that bill.
Running stop signs is dangerous
WHILE IN Cape the other day, I saw five cars run stop lights. Not even a rolling stop, just completely running the stop sign. One of the cars was a police car. He wasn't in a hurry. No lights, no sirens. He just approached the intersection and turned right. As I was leaving Cape I came within three or four feet of being broadsided by a man running a stop sign at Bloomfield and Siemers. That area is really bad for running stop signs. Please take into consideration installing cameras at intersections like they have in Minneapolis.
Is this what they want?
I'D LIKE to share some highlights of a Jan. 16 New York Times article on the Canadian health-care system. The waiting period for bypass heart surgery can be as long as four years. In British Colombia, the average heart-attack victim has to wait an hour and an hour and a half to see a doctor. People diagnosed with cancer have to wait an average of four months before receiving treatment. The number of Canadian doctors moving to the U.S. every year now numbers in the thousands. In Ontario alone, 49 hospitals closed last year. This is only a fraction of the statistics given in the article. Is this what these Speak Out callers want who continually whine about not having national health care in this country?
The scam continues
THANKS, SPEAK Out callers, for talking about the scam artists who were out around Christmas time. I was in a local grocery store when a young man came up to me, very friendly, and explained that his family was stranded in his car and he needed some money for a new battery. From reading Speak Out, I knew about this scam and told the young man that I couldn't help him. Keep your guard up, folks. This scam is still being run in the area.
Biggest waste of all
I JUST wanted to say that Speak Out is the biggest waste of newspaper space that anybody could possibly come up with. I really hope that you'll print my message because I want everybody out there to know that I think it's just a waste of time.
Watch out for evergreens
WAKE UP, people. One Bush was enough. We don't need any shrubs.
Rely on city restrictions
TO THE person who said we need county planning and zoning so we won't have pig farms, trailer courts or apartments: Perhaps you should live in the city.
Kelso ramp makes sense
I AGREE with the caller who said Kelso needs a ramp to get onto I-55. When Don Dennis was senator, I talked to him about this. A lot of people come out of Commerce off Route PP there. They have a service road on the north side. They could just make an on ramp going north and coming south have an off-ramp. They wouldn't need an on ramp to go south. That would eliminate a lot of traffic out of Scott City.
Going to far with highways
I'D LIKE to say a few things about this idea of naming a stretch of highway I-55 after Rosa Parks. First of all, what happened to her in 1955 in Montgomery, Ala., didn't happen in Missouri. It happened in the South. I can understand naming a stretch of highway after Mark McGwire, since he played for Missouri's St. Louis Cardinals. I'm just wondering what's next. Are they going to take the stretch of highway that the Rev. Al Sharpton blocked last year and name it after him?
Some seniors are greedy
I'M A senior citizen, and I'm ashamed of some of our older citizens. I frequent the senior citizens and other places such as the mall and so on, and I am shocked at many of our seniors constantly griping how they need more Social Security, more Medicare, more medicine, more benefits and how the government should pay for every facet of their life, never mentioning where the money comes from, which would be from our children. What a bunch of self-centered geezers. It's not everyone, but a large percentage, who just can't get enough of someone else's labor and someone else's future by milking the government. Many say they have paid in and they deserve this. Some of these people have lived off the government for 15, 20 years or more. Give me a break.
It's a free country
PEOPLE CALLING in about the Show Me Center giving Pepsi the contract for sodas and leaving people no choice: If I'm up there to anything, I won't buy Pepsi because I like Coke. They cannot force you to buy what they sell. This isn't the first time this has happened. When the craft shows are there, they won't let you bring any food or drinks in. That's not right. I'm a crafter. I've been there lots of times. We pay for our booths, and it's not cheap. Don't force your food and drinks on anyone. The city is supposed to get to use the building and have a say-so in it. I've lived here over 50 years. Let the patrons of the Show Me Center have a choice in what to eat and drink. It's a free country. Don't force what you sell on anyone.
Phone boxes look terrible
I LIVE out here in a trailer park. There are literally dozens of these upright plastic things, some kind of weather shield for telephone wires that are in the ground. I just wonder who installs those things and if there's any way they can straighten those things out instead of having them stuck in the ground at all possible angles. Are they drunk when they install those things? It looks terrible.
Republicans can't fool me
I KEEP hearing these Republicans talking about abortion. All these men running for president, knocking abortion. I have never yet heard one thing in my life about any man so far ever having a baby. What business do they have talking about women's concerns? And Republicans are always claiming they're going to cut government. If I remember correctly, Ronald Reagan had the biggest government that ever existed to date. He never cut anything out. He said he created 2 million jobs, but all he did was count the people in the armed forces as being employed by the government and added them to the job ranks. He didn't create any jobs. The only people I've seen even making an effort to cut government programs was Jimmy Carter, for one, right down to William Jefferson Clinton now. I guarantee you that government is smaller right now than it was when George Bush was president. Everybody knows it, but the Republicans think we're so stupid that we'll believe them and vote Republican and get the same bunch back in the White House that had 12 years and almost completely destroyed this country with their conservatism. The real word for it is greed.
Attendance is overestimated
SINCE WHEN did SEMO start counting feet instead of heads when announcing attendance at their basketball games? Tuesday's game was announced as 5,363 persons, but there was no way that there was more than 2,500 to 3,000 people at the game. I know we want to be first in attendance, but they really overdid this one. The center only holds about 6,000 and you say there was only 637 seats empty? Of course you had good practice from announcing attendance at the football games this last fall. I think you better get a better way of estimating.
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