SPEAKOUT

Parents should be more considerate

TO THE parents taking their children to Jackson's summer school program: Please use a little consideration and common sense if you're going to park your car and take your children inside. Use the parking spaces, not the lane designated for dropping students off.

Only criminals should be afraid

CRIME AND drugs on Good Hope are a problem in the city. People who live there do not want this illegal behavior. They want and deserve a safe and peaceful neighborhood. The only people who should be fearful are those who are breaking the law. Is that why 30 people were afraid of a few officers attacking them with rocks, bricks, hands and feet? Anyone attacking our officers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Police officers have an attitude

I WOULD like to comment on the situation on Good Hope street. I agree with the lady they interviewed on TV. I think the policemen had an attitude. The police officers in Cape Girardeau need to stop acting like Barney Fife and be a little kinder to the people of Cape Girardeau. It's the people of Cape Girardeau who pay the police officer's salary. Instead of getting your ticket book every time you stop a vehicle, why not show a little consideration and give people a warning when they need to? There's nothing wrong with giving a warning. You don't have to give a ticket every time you pull someone over. And there's nothing wrong with being nice to the citizens of Cape. I think it's time to clean house down at the police station and hire some new people who know how to treat people. I think they should fire the whole bunch including the police chief if that's what it takes, if he doesn't know how to have his officers treat and act in the professional manner. You could enforce the law, but you could also give people a break. You don't have to have the attitude that Cape's police officers have. Mayberry's a long way off. Barney's retired. Maybe that's what needs to happen to some of these police officers, but you know it's not the older police officers. It's the young studs who think they are really something. I think it's time to lighten up, treat the people of Cape the way they deserve to be treated and get rid of the bullish attitude.

They don't go together

COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM is an oxymoron.

Support for police department

I JUST want to say to the Cape Girardeau Police Department: Right on. You are doing your job, and I'm all for you.

Millennium starts in 2001

I'M IN agreement with the person in Speak Out who says the new millenium will not start till 2001. Why can't the people understand this. Why are they saying it starts in 2000?

No reason to assault officer

THERE IS no excuse for assaulting a police officer. If you don't like what he's doing, settle in court, not out on the streets. Don't expect me to feel sorry for you.

Chaffee folks are wonderful

I'M CALLING about the comment concerning the Chaffee license bureau. I used to go to Cape too, and it is true that the Chaffee bureau has wonderful people there. I appreciate them a lot.

Killing is never humanitarian

WHEN INNOCENT civilians are killed in Yugoslavia and it's called collateral damage, that's about as barbaric as military leaders can get. Of course, it takes barbarians to create an illegal war and invade a small country and call it a peacekeeping force. This is about communistic as you can get. Our democratic Constitution was not set up to be aggressive and to invade other countries. Clinton should be prosecuted for violation of our Constitution. He is a war criminal trying to hide behind humanitarian reasons. Killing innocent civilians and calling it collateral damage is not humanitarian.

Time for Riverfest to regroup

AS A former Cape resident, I look forward each year to coming home to spend time with family and friends to celebrate Riverfest. I was a resident of Cape when Riverfest started. But the past few years I have seen quite a decline in this celebration. Last year was bad, but this year was the final straw for me. No more will I come almost a thousand miles to come to Riverfest. There were hardly any arts and crafts. The music was extremely loud, and the bands could have performed anytime. They were not unique to Riverfest. The river was hardly paid attention to. There was very little seating available, and there was nowhere for shuttlebus riders to comfortably wait. The poor ponies for the children to ride were in the hot sun, and I felt sorry for them. At least last year they were in the shade on Spanish Street with the rest of the children's activities. My family looked for the first-aid booth and water but couldn't find a free drink anywhere. It is a shame that Riverfest has deteriorated to this parody. Bring the standards up so people will be proud to attend this river activity with all members of their family young and old. Give us quality music that speaks of our roots. Stop the carnival rides that seem out of place. Bring back contests and more family activities, square dances and gospel groups. If Riverfest is going to have a future, please go back to the past.

Riverfest cleanup was great

MY CHILDREN and I attended Riverfest and enjoyed it a lot, especially the music. "Trademark" was a really good band. We made sure to throw all of our trash away, but some people don't make it to the provided trash cans, so I drove my children downtown to show them what a mess the people had made and why you shouldn't litter. To our amazement, the place was spotless. So I wanted to say whoever was in charge of the cleanup, you did a wonderful job. Thank you.