Honor Elvis for civil rights contribution

ACCORDING TO a university teacher of rock music history, Elvis Presley should be recognized as one of our nation's most influential civil rights leaders. The professor says Presley's combining of what he calls black and white music does a lot to promote racial integration by making people more aware of cultural diversity. I am so convinced of the accuracy of the professor's insight that I think we need a holiday to honor Presley's civil rights contribution. That way we will have a holiday honoring not only Martin Luther King, but the rock and roll king.

More handicapped parking at arena

I'M HAPPY to see that they are remodeling the Arena Building. But what they really need to do is add more parking spaces for handicapped people. As well as I could see, there are only two there, and neither is close to the front door.

Fond memories of Woolworth's

I REMEMBER Woolworth's, but the Woolworth's I remember was in Bowling Green, Ky. I remember walking by in the summer and getting snow cones they would sell out front. I thought it would be a special treat if I got to eat in a booth where they served the food or just shop around. I guess this would have been back in the late '60s. Also I would like to comment to the person who called in concerning women who slip off her shoes. Unless there is a bad order, the person who would be bothered by a woman slipping off her shoes in a public place does not have enough on their minds that they have to concern themselves what other people do such as this.

Article gave an accurate description

I WOULD like to speak out about the Mississippi County election article (reprinted from The Wall Street Journal). That's been commonplace for years down there. I had a relative who once ran for political office and was told he had no chance unless he got the political machine to back him up -- which was true.

American dream: two tanks in every garage

THE LATEST American dilemma: whether to carry a loaded gun and risk jail time or not carry one and risk being shot in the face by some drug worshipping punks. Welcome to the cool, hip, dead-bolted, mannerless, I'm-a-victim, bleeding-heart social worker, computerized, racist, blame-shifting, in your face '90s. With progress like this, the 21th century American dream will be two tanks in every garage.

Advice to man concerned about bare feet

THIS IS in regards to the gentleman who has a problem with women going barefoot in the office. If this is all he has to complain about, tell him he needs to get a life. Thank you.

SEMO has lost a couple of great coaches

I JUST want to express my regrets for the great losses that Southeast Missouri State University athletics has suffered this years with the departure of Coach Shumate and the greater lost of Coach Hopkins. I had delayed this comment with hope that Bill would reconsider his decision to resign. Being a avid fan of all university sports, I feel losing Coach Hopkins, who led the gymnastics team to the greatest heights of any local sporting activity, will be sorely felt by the university and the Cape community in general.

Reassessments have occurred frequently

CAN THE county assessor please tell people why the same people are being reassessed every few years. I checked records. We were reassessed a few years ago. Our neighbors were not. They had recently built a larger home and their property was reassessed much less than ours. I think we need new employees and personnel in the offices. Forget about a hearing. They will just get together later and laugh about it and won't lower the reassessment value. I think the state needs to be aware of this. The assessor keeps saying they have not been reassessed since 1985. That's not true. Our property have been reassessed ever three years sometimes more often. And forget about commissioners doing anything for you. They won't lift it's fingers.

REPLY: County property reassessments, upon which various taxing entities set their tax rates, are supposed to occur on a regular basis, according to state law. The assessments in many cases were not increased to reflect market values for several years. As a result, this year's state-mandated reassessment was higher than most in virtually every county in the state.

Simplified tax code? Not this time

ONE OF tenets of the Republican's Contract With America was a simplified tax code. After reading and hearing about various provisions of the new tax code passed by the Republican-controlled Congress, I would suggest the word simplicity be redefined to include that which is unfathomable complexity.

Bear arms or bare feet? You decide

I'M CALLING in support to the individual who complained about women taking their shoes off in public and who also asked what gives them the right. The law of the land is very specific on the right to bear arms, but it is suspiciously vague on the right to bare feet.