OpinionJuly 9, 2000

I JUST want to say a special thank you to Dr. Michael Freeman for appearing on "Ask Your Doctor." The information was just wonderful that he gave on irritable-bowel syndrome. I think he could tell by all the call-ins that it's a problem shared by a lot of people in the community. I think it was a wonderful thing he did to answer questions for people who have this condition. Thanks, Dr. Freeman, for the great information...

Medical information

I JUST want to say a special thank you to Dr. Michael Freeman for appearing on "Ask Your Doctor." The information was just wonderful that he gave on irritable-bowel syndrome. I think he could tell by all the call-ins that it's a problem shared by a lot of people in the community. I think it was a wonderful thing he did to answer questions for people who have this condition. Thanks, Dr. Freeman, for the great information.

Shout them down

MEN MARRYING men and women marrying women is an abomination to American cultural values. Every American should shout these sodomizers down with every breath that is left in human dignity. They should be prosecuted for their unnatural behavior.

Don't blame cats

I'M CALLING in regard to the Speak Out about the dogs and the cats roaming around. I believe dogs are a problem when they roam, but cats? Come on, people. There's no way you could sit on your patio and not be able to stand the smell of the cats. You'd have to have a hundred cats doing their business right next to your patio. That doesn't even make sense. Yes, there is a leash law, and people should keep their dogs chained up. In the area where I live, there are a lot of dangerous dogs running around loose, but no one does anything about it.

Don't revise history

I SEE the NAACP seems to have nothing better to do than continue their campaign to desecrate the flag and memory of the Confederate South even after 135 years. Wake up. The Reconstruction Period is over, and the Confederate states paid dearly. South Carolina was only the first. Now the NAACP has announced it will continue to harass other states where the flag remains a part of local history. It would seem the NAACP could better direct its efforts to more constructive and productive pursuits to remedy today's failings in the African-American community when compared to other peoples of color in this nation, including recent immigrants. This NAACP program involving historical symbolism only exacerbates the racial divide. Let the past be. Don't try to revise history.

Too much apathy

CAN YOU briefly summarize columnist Jack Stapleton's July 2 column? I'll be honest with you. I was too indifferent and lazy to read it. It had something to do with a word with which I'm unfamiliar. The word is spelled "apathy."

Put down the flag

I'M CALLING about all the controversy around the Confederate flag. I don't understand what the big deal is. The Civil War was fought years ago, and the South lost. I don't understand why people don't just put the flag down and get over it.

These are good times

THE SPEAK Out caller who seemed not to understand the difference between the deficit and the national debt need not worry about it. The deficit has been eliminated, and the national debt will be eliminated in about a decade. We are rolling in excess money. It's so much fun trying to figure out how to spend it. Relax. Don't rain on the parade. Go with the flow. In the words of a one-time popular disco song, "These are the good times."

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Keep it coming

THE JULY 2 edition of the Jackson USA Signal was awesome, with its coverage of our architectural heritage. Thank you, thank you. Keep it all coming.

Wouldn't be happy

JUDY CURETON'S poetic tribute to trees reminded me of onetime Central High School teacher Mary Reed. She was affectionately known as "Trees" because of her love of trees in particular and nature in general. I think Mary Reed is deceased. If she was around today, she would severely chastise the Cape Girardeau City Council and the tree board for their scorched-earth terrorist campaign against downtown Cape's trees.

Losing our freedoms

IT SEEMS like people nowadays would give up anything to the government. I think they ought to go see the movie "The Patriot." I just saw it. Look at what those men paid to give us freedom. And in every war since then, they paid a great. But when you vote for a scoundrel, you betray your country. That's what Daniel Webster said. You can see that American citizens are ready to give up their freedoms. We've enjoyed a history of freedom, but there are a lot of people in this country who are willing to turn over their freedom to the government and let the elitists run things. Just like in colonial days, they had the Tories. We have the same thing now. But once the government gets your liberty, it takes a gun to get it back. We should be very careful before we turn our freedoms over to the government.

Protect your pets

FIREWORKS ARE cool, yet I see so many dogs and other pets at firework events. This is not a smart thing for those of you who have pets. Few canine friends enjoy the noise and excitement. Dogs and most other pets are frightened by the extremely loud noises and bright flashes of lights. Please, do your pets a favor and keep them inside during the fireworks and out of the large crowds.

Going downhill?

CAPE DIDN'T want to hold a Riverfest this year. Then all of a sudden they didn't want to have a fireworks program this year. Could the city have paid for it? Or is Cape just going downhill?

Beauty is gone

BOY, LOOKING at the old pictures of Cape Girardeau from years ago almost brings you to tears when you see how it looks now. Along Independence are dirty parking lots. All the trees are gone where there used to be farms and fields and woods. It seems the City Council could have done something about it. They should have had trees planted in those shopping centers to make it shady. And that section where RIverside used to be? It would be nice if there had been a roadside park put back in there for recreation with ponds and trees. Cape Girardeau used to be a beautiful city, but that got in the way of progress. The ambitious men didn't care what they did. The beautiful El Dorado filling station on Broadway and Independence was torn down to make way for fast-food restaurants. Cape used to be one of the prettiest towns in Missouri. If our city forefathers could see Cape today they'd be in tears. It's a disgrace what we've done to this town.

Control the fireworks

ISN'T IT amazing the people who don't have much money have the most fireworks to shoot off? And they shoot them until midnight. Shouldn't they stop much earlier than that? It's terrible when parents allow their kids to stand in others' yards and shoot fireworks at their houses.

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