Speak Out 1/5/11

Changes needed

IN some ways, al-Qaida has beaten us. The United States is terribly in debt. We're going to have to quit sending our troops over to defend Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Canada, South Korea and Japan. We're going to have to bring our troops back home and let these other countries defend themselves.

Fix streets

INSTEAD of being so thrilled and concerned about getting a riverboat gambling casino in Cape Girardeau, why doesn't the city concentrate on fixing the streets first by fixing the pot holes, making them a safer place to drive? That would be more impressive to me as a citizen of Cape Girardeau than having a gambling establishment.

School attendance

I had a disrespectful, abusive son who didn't do a thing if he didn't want to, and they're telling me I should go to jail. Come on, let's do better than that.

Illinois restaurants

I cannot stand to be in a restaurant or bar where there's smoking allowed, and I boycott restaurants in the Cape Girardeau area that let people smoke in them. There are a couple of businesses now that do not allow any smoking in their environment, and those are the only ones I support. But there are a lot of options across the river in Illinois.

Social Security

I'M almost 89, and I've been drawing Social Security since I was 63 years old. Most people don't realize it, but by the time you draw Social Security, in four to five years you have drawn out every cent that you've paid in, plus interest, plus what your boss put in. Social Security is paying for too many things.

Truth

SOMETIMES the truth hurts, but the Bible says, "The truth will set you free."

Parenting

IT'S a mother's job to raise her children and keep them safe, whether she has four or five or 45. When she doesn't, she'll suffer the consequences.

Leaf pickup

I think the city needs to rethink the leaf pickup. We are in an area where our leaves were not even down when they picked them up, and we have had to pay to have them removed twice. Please, city, do something about this.

Legislating immorality

PEOPLE keep telling me there is no way to legislate morality, but I notice we have no problem legislating immorality.