Speak Out A 8/29/02

Bargain with devil

IN APPARENTLY allying itself with Missouri's Republican Party in litigation, proposals for laws, lobbying efforts and support for GOP candidates, the once proud, professional and politically neutral Missouri State Teacher's Association has made a bargain with the devil and sounded its own death knell.

Drowning metaphor

WHY WOULD it be inappropriate for the city of Cape Girardeau to build a $5 million family aquatic center? It would be a good metaphor for and serve as a constant reminder that we are drowning in debt.

Man of many words

I AM by no means a political pundit with a perfect track record. More often than not, my views are later proven wrong. For example, my most recent error was exposed on the Opinion page of the Southeast Missourian in an interview with the mayor of Cape Girardeau. Up until the publication of the interview I had proclaimed far and wide that our precocious mayor was a man of few words.

Thank those shoppers

I HAVE to laugh when I read these comments that say let people who don't live in Cape pay for everything. Why do you think Cape is what it is? Maybe if everyone who doesn't live there went somewhere else to spend their money, that would make you happy. I don't think so. Cape would dry up and blow away. People who live outside Cape are what made Cape. Without them, the town is nothing. Instead of looking for more ways to alienate them, you should be thanking them.

Get the point?

REGARDING President Bush's recent ideas on how to curb the outbreak of wildfires, which basically amounts to giving logging companies free rein, I felt obliged to pass on this great analogy: It's like selling your good kidney to pay for an operation on the bad one. Chew on that and call Speak Out when you realize it makes no sense. Then you've gotten the point.

First, a committee

I'M IN total agreement with Eli Fishman's commentary that we need a park downtown. In fact, I propose we form another association of downtown merchants, hire a director, discuss the project further and create yet another association to take it from there.

Good-kid philosophy

SCHOOLS SHOULD exist for the exclusive purpose of what a Speak Out caller referred to as a basic education. Everyone would agree with that, but there would be a wide divergence of opinion on what constitutes a basic education. Though they may say otherwise, many Americans believe that a basic education consists of socialization of students, sports and other extracurricular activities -- and a smattering of learning that must be fun-filled. Lip service is paid to nose-to-the-grindstone academics, but the public primarily wants schools to produce good kids more than they do good students. On balance, I think this philosophy is correct.

Support for I-66

CAPE GIRARDEAU needs I-66. This is our time to act and to show support for the project. Charleston and Sikeston don't need new interstates. I encourage everyone to show support for the Cape Girardeau proposal. It's about time we get a new interstate, so show your support.

Working mothers

WHEN DID getting ahead on the job become a priority over our children? I think it is a sad day when a woman chooses to work 10 to 12 hours a day six or seven days a week, never having time for her family. The children suffer in situations like this. I hope the overtime pay will cover the counseling bill.

Fight new taxes

I SEE the city is still trying to raise millions of dollars to help pay for the arts campus. I think the citizens should fight against any new taxes or city fees until they get completely out of the campus deal.

CAPE GIRARDEU does have more than its share of litter. If you live in a neighborhood trashed and littered by party houses, contact your city council representative. Mention putting teeth into nuisance ordinances that help landlords get rid of bad tenants and prevent bad landlords from renting to obnoxious tenants. In St. Louis, landlords can lose their right to rent affected property for a year if they fail to take appropriate action.

IT SEEMS like the police union doesn't like the River Campus. Instead of supporting the redevelopment of some of the worst areas of town, they'd prefer a bigger salary increase than they've already received. Many of the rest of us didn't get an increase because of the economy. If you believe in a better Cape, a more crime-free Cape, an honest policeman would support the River Campus. I guess the union is more interested in its members' own pocketbooks.