Don't pamper prisoners

I WOULD like to make a comment about Mel Reynolds and his hunger strike that he's on. I think he should go ahead and eat, because I don't think anybody ought to pamper him. As far as his cell being dirty and things like that, I think they should have water in the cell, he could clean it up himself if he wants to. I think if we treat people in prison like they're in a hotel, that's where they're going to want to be. If he's not satisfied by that, he might talk to Jesse Jackson and sue the state. Jesse Jackson would probably help him out.

Ray Owen does good job

I WOULD like to say something about the two items that appeared in Speak Out about people not wanting to read about gambling in your paper, especially the one written when he said Mr. Owen wrote too much about gambling. I think Mr. Owen does a good job. I'm a retired businessman, and I look forward to his writings that come in your Monday paper. All I've got to say is, if you don't like to read about gambling, don't read about it. My wife doesn't like sports, so she doesn't read the Sports section. After all, your paper is written for a lot of people, and I'm sure not everybody reads every word in your paper. So, if you don't like to read about gambling, don't read about it. Talking about gambling, if Cape Girardeau would have got a casino boat when Caruthersville got theirs, by this time they would have enough money that they wouldn't have to worry about where they're going to get the money to upgrade the water system, and they would have extra police cars and extra policemen. So I'm sure a lot of those kick-in-the-back-door robberies wouldn't have happened. That's something to think about.

Don't mow during the game

WITH CARDINAL baseball almost here, I hope the people in my neighborhood will have the dignity to remember to not mow their yards and other distractions during the broadcast. Please check your Cardinal schedules in advance to show respect and common sense for Cardinal listeners in your area.

Like Nazi Germany

I THINK that the idea of putting a policeman in school full time is just one more step like Nazi Germany.

Reasons for considering union

I WANT to make a comment about the article you had about the Jackson employees wanting to go to the union. Mr. Wilson states that just a few disgruntled employees want to go union. I wonder if he's ever thought and considered why they want to go union. Maybe because he got a $5,000 increase in his wages and the rest of the city employees didn't. Maybe that's why they want to go union. Maybe that's why Mr. Wilson doesn't want the city to go union, so there will be other people besides himself would have some input on salaries.

Jobs went to foreign countries

THE PLAN to move people from welfare to workfare may sound reasonable, but many are on welfare because the type of labor available to less educated individuals has relocated in foreign countries. How many shoe factories have closed? How many garment factories have closed and relocated in foreign countries? These were sources of income for thousands of citizens. Many had worked these jobs more than 30 years. What could they do when these jobs were no longer available? The educated, button-pushing, elite of our society said train them for other jobs, get them educated so they can find work yet most of the jobs they might do have relocated in foreign countries. We are denying our own citizens the help they need and accepting illegal immigrants for welfare benefits. From the president to the mayor of our city, open your eyes to reality. The so-called functionally illiterate are the hard-working people who have been the real strength and stability of this nation. How many suffered and died on the battle field? How many of these functionally illiterate people have you used to get to your lofty heights of success? You politicians make me sick to my stomach, and you wonder why so few registered voters go to the polls to cast their votes.

First come, first served

I WONDER if the person who called in about the street parking ever thought that the neighbor may have multiple drivers and multiple vehicles and the fact that the street belongs to the city, therefore, first come, first served.

Project leaves mud

I WOULD like to know if there are other residents south of William Street where the new sewer lines are being put in who are as disgusted as I am. I feel like we are being abused. I know this job has to be done, but there must be something that can be done about the way all the mud that's being pushed across our driveways and in the streets. There's so much mud in the streets you need rubber boots on so you won't ruin your shoes. I'm a 65-year-old handicapped person, and cabs or people that would pick me can't even get to my home, and I can't get to the car through all the mud. It is disgraceful.

Police in schools

IT'S A sad day when schools have to have police in there. It's sad to see how the schools have become during my lifetime where problems that should be handled by a strong administrator are turned over the police. I think the police have a job, not necessarily in the school system.

No holiday for presidents

I WOULD just like to say that I think it's wrong that SEMO let off for Martin Luther King day and not Presidents' Day. It almost seems like it's reversed discrimination, and I just feel that the person who screams the loudest gets heard. It's really upsetting, and it's not surprising to me that racism has not eliminated.

Lovely tree is gone

AT THE end of Morgan Oak Street was the loveliest catalpa tree. For some unknown reason, it's been plowed down. Some things just can't be explained.

Smoking in restaurants

HAVING JUST recovered from a bout with the flu, I took my children to a local pizza restaurant. We were sitting in the non-smoking section and eating our pizza when a couple came in and sat in the smoking section and promptly lit up their cigarettes. Of course, the smoke drifted over to the non-smoking section and ruined our eating. I never in my life understand the love affair between a burning piece of paper stuffed with weed, ashes getting all over their food, and the horrible smell of the stuff mixed with things that you eat. Blaugh! I almost got sick all over again. Why can't they go outside and smoke and choke? My kids don't need to smell that stuff, let alone a recovering flu patient. It would have just as gross if I'd thrown up in an ashtray at my table and that smelled drifted over to their table. How would that have sat with their dinner?

Party is too expensive

I JUST wonder how it is possible to justify the inauguration with all the expense to inaugurate the president of the college up here. We don't inaugurate whenever the new president comes down here at Lone Star or any other big factories or out at Procter and Gamble, and these are equally important positions. There's no way to justify spending this kind of money for this kind of a program. The school stays about the same size year in and year out. This is a total waste of money, but educate a couple of students and give them a good education they can use in a lifetime. Much better spent that way than party-going.