Speak Out 6/30/08

Buyout sounds good

A 75 percent buyout sounds pretty good for having exercised poor judgment about where to build. That 75 percent could be used in a lot smarter places. Eventually the government may not bail out everyone, the way these disasters keep coming. I don't see how the government can keep bailing everyone out. When FEMA comes in, it's taxpayers who are paying the bill.

Route W surfacing

WE APPRECIATE the asphalting done on Route W. It's sure better than nothing.

For the riverboat

I'M FOR a riverboat in Cape Girardeau. I think it would be great. I wouldn't have to drive to Tunica or Metropolis. I could spend my money in Cape Girardeau. It might even lower our taxes. It would be a great thing.

Shady Grove Cemetery

I WOULD like to thank Tristram Thomas and the Missourian for the fine article in the paper about the Shady Grove Cemetery in Cape County. Thank you so much for calling attention to that. There are still family members in Cape Girardeau who have relatives buried at Shady Grove. Although Shady Grove has become overgrown and looks abandoned, it has not been forgotten. There are a few family members who visit the old cemetery every year. I'm sure there are younger generations that do not even know that Shady Grove exists. This article will help with that. Although it is thought of as a country cemetery, there were many burials there of people who lived in Cape Girardeau. There are Millers, Kados, Lees, McGees, Bushes, Holmes and many more. Thank you, Missourian, for the fine article.

Childish imitation

WHAT IS going on in our families? There have been several times I have seen a young child flipping off someone passing on the street. Why are young children being exposed to the things? The things children say and do to each other and to other people are crazy. You need to watch what you are teaching these young children. Monkey see, monkey do.

Honor all the fallen

I DON'T think you should single out just two soldiers to honor by naming an armory for them when there are so many who have fallen, so many who have sacrificed their lives. What about all the other families of fallen soldiers in this area? I want to honor all these soldiers. I don't think it's fair to pick just one or two soldiers.

Government spending

RECENTLY A columnist said that "government aid impedes success and creates dependence while entrepreneurs create success and independence." What happens more often than not is that corporations are given tax loopholes while budgets for Medicaid and our public schools are gutted. And people like this columnist tell the poor they need to work and they'll no longer be poor. Meanwhile the cost of things like food and gas increase while wages do not increase with them. The American dream is a fairy tale that comes true for very few, especially if you're born poor. The government could help if it would stop spending our taxes on things like this horrible war and start spending on things like health care, schools and bridges.

Affordable rent

I WAS reading about the new Walden Park housing development. It looks beautiful, and it would be a nice place to live. But at $1,000 a month, I don't know anyone who could afford that. Perhaps the contractor would build something for people who don't have much money. It would be nice to find a place where the rent doesn't exceed $650. Please think about that.

Pay it forward

TO THE man who paid for my lunch at the Sonic on Kingshighway: Thank you for your kindness. I want to let you know that I will pay that forward.

Downtown flowers

REGARDING DOWNTOWN flowers: We have put flowers in the pots every year, but people keep scooping them out and throwing them in the street. If you can find a way to keep people from doing that, you will have beautiful flowers downtown to look at.

Lack of information

THE CHIEF executive officers of the Jackson School District reports that the district's insurance company has rejected coverage on the roof of the new construction and he doesn't know why. How lame is that?

Realistic title

I WOULD have less of a problem with the Sunday column by James Dobson if you gave it a more realistic title, something like: "Focus on the One-Time Traditional but Now Fast Fading Nuclear Family With a None-Too-Subtle Emphasis on What I Know to be the Correct Political Stance for Evangelical Christians."

Ladder of success

THE INCOMPARABLE Maureen Dowd, New York Times columnist, recently pointed out that elitists like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Karl Rove and others seem to resent the fact that, like them, Barack Obama has worked his way up the ladder of success. Evidently, the "work hard and you'll succeed in America" message continually preached by the aforementioned talkmeisters does not apply to the likes of Barack Obama. Wonder why?

He got it right

I RARELY agree with David Limbaugh but this time I do. He recently wrote that the purpose politicians and political parties exist is to win elections. He is correct.

Bring your own

If you're going to downtown Cape

be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

You, see, according to a Speak Out comment,

they'll be no flowers anywhere.

Unresolved problems

THE PROBLEMS that the proponents of drilling for oil and building more nuclear reactors have not solved are: 1. Oil companies consider fines for pollution no more than the cost of doing business. They do not care to drill and transport oil without polluting the country. In reducing the penalty for the Exxon-Valdez disaster the Supreme Court contributes to the problem. 2. No one has figured out what to do with the nuclear waste or how to reduce the likelihood of nuclear power plants becoming terrorist targets. We listen to short-sighted loons at our peril.