OpinionFebruary 1, 2001
SPEAK OUT
I'D JUST like to say thank you to the lady in Jackson who was at the corner of Shawnee and Main Street putting out cinders on the roads so people wouldn't get stuck on the hill going up there. Some lady was doing this out of the goodness of her heart. ...Just doing a nice thing
I'D JUST like to say thank you to the lady in Jackson who was at the corner of Shawnee and Main Street putting out cinders on the roads so people wouldn't get stuck on the hill going up there. Some lady was doing this out of the goodness of her heart. I just thought that was the nicest thing. I thought she was having car trouble and had stopped, but she was just out there trying to keep people from getting stuck. I would just like to say that is a wonderful thing. My faith in mankind has been renewed once again.
Ignore the kind stuff
WHAT'S THIS? State Sen. Peter Kinder becoming kinder and gentler? No way. If Kinder is to broaden his name recognition, base and statewide appeal in order to run for governor in 2004, he must become more outspoken, more controversial, more in-your-face. Senator, don't listen to these hacks advising you to tone it down. You are positioned to capture the gubernatorial mansion. Don't pay any attention to those advising conciliation and moderation. Your political career, which may lead all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue, will be destroyed by forces wrongly telling you wishy-washiness is the way to the White House.
A big thumbs down
SINCE WHEN has an increased federal presence in public education become a hallmark of conservatism? I can imagine the Founding Fathers are collectively hollering "No! no!" from their hallowed resting places and giving a joint thumbs down to Bush's baffling proposals to get the inside-the-Beltway crowd more deeply ensconced in our children's education.
Necklace returned
I WANT to thank the staff of Walgreen Drug Store of Cape as well as the person who found an expensive gold and diamond necklace that I lost in the store. It is wonderful to know that there are still honest people around in this world. I say this because these days every business seems to try to take people for a ride. Thanks a lot. May God bless you all.
Makes a cynic cringe
THE SHAMELESS, tortured attempt of the Southeast Missourian to in some way transmogrify the decades-ago murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers into a need to approve the apostolic John Ashcroft as attorney general makes even a crusty, curmudgeonly Speak Out cynic cringe.
Didn't go far enough
READING IN the paper about SEMO adding housing, I have strong suspicions that the reason the board of regents couldn't make a decision is because it only went to the Lake of the Ozarks. If the board had been able to go to Hawaii or down to the Bahamas, it could take a little more time and have the right atmosphere to make a decision. But the Lodge of the Four Seasons wasn't far enough or luxurious enough.
Two questions
FOR THE caller who labeled Clinton the most corrupt president and FDR the worst, I have two questions. 1. Was the truly gross and immoral Clinton really less moral than John Fitzgerald Kennedy? 2. If the modern welfare state offends you so much, may we assume your sense of honor keeps you from accepting your own personal Social Security check?
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Planting in prison
I THINK we need to tender up some of these hardened criminals in prison. Teach them to plant a garden.
Do something useful
I SUPPOSE it's easier to put out crosses off I-55 than to actually do something for the needy children who are already born. I'll bet when Toybox did its toy collection this year or the collection for the elderly there were still families that needed things. How wonderful if a church could take time to do a Valentine's Day drive, and somehow include the community in it, for the elderly or for needy children rather than putting out crosses and basically wasting time.
Learning to read
MY CHILD also could not read by first grade. It baffles the mind that our children are in school for seven hours, and it's the parents' fault they cannot read. I thought that's what we sent our kids to school for. As a volunteer, my opinion is that some teachers are too lazy and expect our kids to already know how to read. Did you know that elementary school teachers not only get 45 minutes for lunch, they also have free time when they send our kids to the library, gym, music and art. You complain you want more money? You chose your profession. What if you had to work until 5:30 p.m. for 50 weeks out of the year? Oh, I know. You have to grade papers. But guess who's at home after working all day helping their children with that homework? And I don't even get paid for that. Why don't you all go into business for yourselves and get rid of the upper management. Then you could have your raise.
Smoking at bingo
BINGO ORGANIZERS, let's take responsibility. As we all know, secondhand smoke is a killer. As a bingo player, I observe all the different organizations that evidently are so money hungry they permit young, irresponsible parents to bring babies into these places to sit for four hours and breathe all that smoke. I feel the state should be notified and action should be taken to protect these children. It seems we fight abortion issues to get the children here, but then it's OK to kill them with secondhand smoke. Come on, people, let's get our priorities straight. Put up signs "No children under 16 allowed in the building." Everyone, please let your views be known to all organizations that sponsor bingo. Save the children.
Teaching reading
THIS IS to "Parents take charge." I'm a parent who had my child evaluated by Educare. Our second home was the public library. I read to him almost every night, and we did flash cards before school started. I was told by two teachers that he did not have to know how to read. They would teach him. I don't want other parents to go through what I went through. I did my part and was lied to by the teachers. I give myself credit for teaching my child how to read. The teachers didn't do it. I did.
Open school earlier
I AGREE with the letter about how McClure's schools should be open earlier in the day. They are causing parents to go to work late each day, unless you wish to leave your child in the cold and rain with no supervision. My question is on the liability issue. How can children be left? Some parents don't have a choice about when they go to work. Their workplace may not have an open-door policy. My second question is, why would the president of the board be able to change a ruling by the superintendent? If they feel they need a board meeting, then I suggest they call it earlier rather than make the public wait another 30 days as a stall tactic. I'd also like to know from the president of the board what his motives were in not opening the doors at 7:30 a.m. to accommodate the parents of the schoolchildren of McClure.
The meaning of 'no'
WE VOTED down county planning and zoning, but I read in the paper that the county commissioners are trying to tell us folks out in the county what we can do with our cars and trash. They just don't understand what "no" means. I'd like someone to tell them we do not want them to tell us what we can and cannot do.
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