SPEAKOUT

And random house searches too?

I WAS just reading your On the Street column from Monday's Missourian. I agree wholeheartedly with four of the five people. The Supreme Court has ruled in all of its wisdom to allow stopping presumedly innocent people for sobriety checkpoints as long as they do so in a random manner. I see no reason why we shouldn't have vehicle checkpoints for other reasons also. As a matter of fact, I would go a step further. Why not have random house searches? It would seem to fall within the guidelines of the Supreme Court decision that as long as they searched your houses in a random manner, it should be OK. If you have nothing to hide and the officers would be nice while they were looking through your belongings, I see no harm in random house searches. Let us progress in this direction and see if we can't straighten some of the criminal activity that's going on. We should go forward with random house searches.

Too many city fees and taxes

THIS IS to those readers who are contemplating moving to Cape Girardeau and haven't as of yet done so. If you are prepared to pay a tax or a fee on just about every facet of your life and service, then Cape is the place for you. I have lived in places from coast to coast, but I have never see anything quite like this. Now the City Council is looking around to see what they've missed so they can add a new tax or fee or increase the existing ones. It's unbelievable.

City isn't being equal on assessments

HERE WE go again. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer in the city of Cape. These rich people say they shouldn't have to pay an assessment for a new road." Why not? Everybody in this city who's ever had a road put in had to pay. Years ago we had sewer project on Country Club Drive. Most of the homes were older, and the people were older and had worked their whole lives to pay for these homes. Some of them couldn't pay the sewer assessment, and they took their houses away from them and put them in the street. Check it out. That's real. And then when they had the sewer project that went out to the other direction in the rich neighborhood to the veteran's home, property owners said they weren't going to pay for that, that's it was too much money because they owned too much land. So, they said that's OK, we'll just get the city to pay for it, impose another tax and sewer hook-up fees and all kinds of stuff we didn't have before. Again, the city paid for the rich. Are we going to allow that to happen? Are we going to allow the city to pay for the rich out there? Are we going to take a special tax to pay for those streets so the rich don't have to pay? Bull. Let's get off this deal, and let's make it fair for everyone. I'm so tired of living in Cape and Cape County where the laws apply to very few. Let's get it real. Let's get it right. Let's get it together. Let's get it equal.

More homes for retarded needed

WE NEED more homes for the retarded in this area. When you are a child of our loving God, you will have the peace and the love and the trust that is much needed in our sinful world. I read recently in the Missourian that some residents are uneasy about the foster home being built in Gordonville by the congregation of Abundant Life Church. This is a very good deed this congregation is doing, if they are truly in this for the welfare of the children. Also recently I read in the paper where this mother was concerned where her retarded adult would live when mother is no more. This is a very important issue in our community. I know, for I am also the mother of a retarded adult. It seems most people aren't interested. The few places that are available are mainly in it for the money and couldn't care less for the well-being of the individual. Also, when an organization wants to build a home in this area, people resent to having this building in their neighborhood. How truly sad, because retarded people usually are more caring and very harmless. If we truly have a heart for these people, let's get something started in this area. Let's also remember what our Lord said: "What you do to least of these, my children, you do unto me."

Let's support our police department

I'D JUST like to make a comment on the city police force in our town. I think the people are taking them for granted. I really believe we have the best police force and the most courteous policemen. They're caring people. Their expertise is unspeakable. They're nice. They're family people. I think people in this town should get behind them and give them all the support they need. Without them we would be in a bad condition. I've been all over this country, and I think the city of Cape Girardeau has the smartest and most courteous bunch of policemen on the road.

Motorist appreciates the help

I WOULD like to thank the young lady who stopped to help me when my car broke down on William Street. She has a heart and cares about people. I was so upset and forgot to get her name. She knows who she is. I can't say thank you enough. She took me on to the doctor's office for my appointment. She called a wrecker to come get my car. I pray your blessings will be many.

Stabbing death is heinous murder

I READ something in the newspaper that disturbed me. Upon reading about the woman who was charged in the stabbing of the man in Mounds, Ill., the prosecutor said that this is not a heinous murder. You know, to me being stabbed, whether you were stabbed one time or 50 times, would be a very painful way to die. And to say that's not a heinous murder and not deserving of capital punishment is ludicrous. I really beg to differ. If somebody stabbed me to death, I would hope my family would think it was a heinous murder and push for capital punishment.

Outlaw restrictions on guns

THIS IS for the person who called in and said all guns should be illegal. I think he needs to read his history books and find out the reason that the amendment is in the Constitution in the first place to keep the government from becoming too powerful if need would ever be for the people to overthrow it again. Our forefathers knew that this was a real possibility and made plans for it in the past so that the future wouldn't have to suffer under dictators and things of that nature. Another thing is if guns are outlawed, like the old saying goes, only outlaws will have guns. He summed it up himself when he said outlaws can get guns anyway. If you ask me, gun restrictions should be outlawed, not guns.