Speak Out 8/3/06

Human shields

ISRAEL GENERALLY has no choice in avoiding collateral damage since the terrorist Hezbollah and its Iranian instigators have no qualms about using innocent civilians, including children, as human shields.

Real state issues

STATE SEN. Jason Crowell and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder are allegedly on the same tea politically. I wish they would get over trying to take primary credit for the sales-tax holiday (according to my research, Kinder deserves it) and get on with the pressing business of the state. A good starting place would be an expression of public outrage over AmerenUE's incompetence in preparing for the St. Louis storm while at the same time trying to build public and political support for what it hopes will be a Public Service Commission-approved rate increase.

Something's rotten

I DO not understand how Principal Cory Crosnoe could write "Mrs. [Patti] Miinch is a veteran member of our faculty who is broadly recognized as a teacher who is not only a master of her discipline but also a teacher who has an authentic passion for teaching and for our kids" in February 2005 and then, a year later, put her on administrative leave. Did she all of a sudden become incompetent in teaching our children? I seriously doubt it. It is a shame when school politics are placed ahead of our children's education. It seems Shakespeare's quote "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" is applicable here.

Test results

A PERSON following the Lewis and Clark trail and was upset that teens knew so little about history. The answer could be that the state does not deem it necessary to test social studies on the MAP test. Therefore, all the energy and funds of Missouri schools are pushed toward other subjects. You may be seeing the product of the state's decision.

Democrats' goals

WHAT DOES the Democratic Party care about? The Democrats care about raising the minimum wage, providing health care for all, providing affordable college education and implementing a strong and more intelligent national security policy. After six years of Republican control, have they shown us any of this?

Here are the names

A COMMENT said "Give us names" of scientists involved in embryonic stem-cell research. To list the many thousands would occupy more space than the Missourian allows, so here are a few: Dr. James A. Thomson, University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School. Dr. James F. Battey Jr., director of the National Institute on Deafness. Ronald D.G. McKay, director of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute on Neurological Disorders. Many have published books on the subject, particularly Thomson. You might also visit the Internet where can be found a letter signed by 80 Nobel laureates asking President Bush to approve embryonic stem-cell research. Opponents of embryonic research most often quote David A. Prentice, whose claims of 65 cures using adult stem-cell research were recently discredited in the magazine Science. It seems only nine proved to be credible.

Time to move on

THE AIRING of Jackson School District's dirty laundry in public is getting tiresome. Patti Miinch may or may not have been pressured to resign. So what? She did. It's over. Courts generally allow school systems to handle their own business. Miinch needs to recognize that, get over it and get on with her life.

Deserving tribute

YOUR TRIBUTE to Southeast Missouri State University Press was right on target. In a relatively short period of time, it has received well-deserved national attention and acclaim. Many people deserve credit for its achievements, but I think particular praise should be given Dr. Susan Swartwout. She and her staff have set the standard for a successful university press. Congratulations.

Jackson's signs

THANK GOD I live in Jackson. We are free to post our garage-sale signs. I wonder how much longer this will last. Maybe if we take our old signs down after our sales, we will ensure that we will keep this freedom in Jackson.

Why are they there?

THERE ARE reports of hundreds of American citizens who have been evacuated from Lebanon Why are there so many Americans in Lebanon, and why are we so concerned about them? If they are there of their own free will, I don't see where it's that big a problem for the U.S. government.

President's stand

YOUR FRONT-PAGE headline was wrong. The president did not veto stem-cell research. The federal government is doing lots of stem-cell research. The president vetoed stem-cell research from embryos. Instead, he would like to fund stem-cell research from umbilical cords, placentas, bone marrow and blood supplies and lots of other ways. The president opposes killing people in order to help cure diseases.

Thanks for stop sign

THANK YOU to the city of Cape Girardeau for putting a stop sign at the intersection of Rampart and Kurre lanes. It has done a incredible service to the people in this neighborhood. If those who are irritated by the stop sign are in such a big hurry, they should take another route to get to where they need to go. We appreciate the city's attention to a big traffic problem area.

School administrator

I READ where the Cape Girardeau School Board has hired another administrator to supervise human resources and maintenance, to oversee transportation and to take care of the curriculum. I wonder what the superintendent's job will be.