Speak Out 03/16/04

This isn't progress

THIS IS in response to the person who said Jackson is backward in not accepting progress. Progress is not putting 30-foot metal poles in homeowners' front yards and running high-voltage lines in residential areas. It looks absolutely horrible. The city should be ashamed of this progress.

Misdiagnosing ADD

I AM a high school teacher in Cape Girardeau. I've got students who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. To put a book in front of these students and expect them to read it is like pulling teeth. Put them in front of a video game, and they cannot be distracted. If a student can pay attention to what he chooses, he doesn't have ADD. The medical profession has broadened the scope of this illness to include kids whose parents would like an excuse for misbehavior. Should not the doctors be responsible for this misdiagnosis?

Speeders on bridge

CAPE GIRARDEAU and Illinois could gain a lot more revenue if they put officers at each end of the new bridge every day, especially in the mornings and at 5 p.m. People either don't care or can't read that the speed limit on the bridge and into East Cape Girardeau is 45 mph. I drive the limit and I am constantly passed by people doing at least 60 mph or more.

Too many potholes

CAPE GIRARDEAU officials needs to find some funding to fix all the potholes. I have lived here all my life. Every car I have owned has had major problems with the shocks and struts due to the poor road conditions.

Bigger subsidies

THE SMALL family farm is in jeopardy. However, small family farms could be rescued if Congress elevated farm subsidies to the levels received by large agribusiness concerns.

Ideas for downtown

THE DOWNTOWN area of Cape Girardeau needs more than just new stores. It needs a facelift. Like Ste. Genevieve and St. Charles, the downtown area needs to take shoppers back in time with the look of a bygone era. Making the shops look like they did at the turn of the century would go a long way to bring needed tourism dollars from visitors. Nostalgia is what I look for in an old section of a town. Until you bring new businesses other than bars disguised as restaurants to downtown and until merchants take some profit to do a complete makeover, fix the sidewalks, get parking and rally around fixed transportation to get people down there, it will remain just Main Street on the river.

U.S.-made is better

CONSUMER REPORTS is now saying that American automobiles have fewer problems than European automobiles. Now is the time for us to buy American cars and put Americans back to work to keep jobs in America. Every time you go out and buy something, whether it's a car, a shirt or a pair of shoes, try to buy American.

Cemetery respect

SOME PEOPLE have a lot of nerve walking their dogs through a cemetery and letting them go to the bathroom all over graves and gravestones. People shouldn't be walking their dogs all over cemeteries off their leash when there are other places they could walk them. Show some respect for the dead and those who come to visit them.

Wonderful program

I WOULD like to thank the Southeast Missourian for sponsoring the wonderful music program that was presented at Central Junior High School. It was enjoyed by all. Thank you.

Dogs or rugby

I SYMPATHIZE with the caller who said he went to a rugby match and left because dogs were all over the place. If rugby players want to build an interest in rugby, they need to make the decision whether they want dogs or rugby.

Read it yourself

ACTUALLY "THE Passion of the Christ" is not the closest to Scripture you can get. The closest you can get to Scripture is reading them to yourself, and no movie can compare to that.