Speak Out 02/19/04

Proud of heroes

THE PERSON who warned us kids to watch out for the draft must not realize that most of us would be proud to serve under the U.S. flag. I sent in my Selective Service card the day I turned 18. Those like my father, grandfather and uncles who have served under the flag are heroes, no matter what war they were in and where they served.

Respect for hunting

WHEN I was a kid, growing up in the Ozark mountains, my dad took me hunting and fishing. I was taught how to respect wildlife and our beautiful country. We killed birds, deer and fish for our own use, and you better believe I had to eat everything on my plate. That's how I use my guns.

Public safety comes first

I MUST commend Cape Girardeau city leaders on their recent budget cuts. I think we all enjoy extra trash pickups, nice parks, swimming pools, sports complexes and many other benefits, but quality police and fire protection are at the top of the list. It's a must to have good public safety with quality people, training and equipment. The budget cuts were a good start. If a tax increase is the only way to improve these areas, then we'll have to do it.

Computer training

MOST HIGH school and even elementary students know better than their teachers how to surf the Internet, send e-mail and retrieve information. If they don't, it takes about an hour to teach them. Very few students know how to write computer programs. The former need not be taught in schools but is. A better case could be made that the latter should be taught, but it isn't.

Sports funding

I BELIEVE the pay-to-play sports fee is just another way to slip in a tax since the schools know they won't get a tax passed by voters until they learn to be more fiscally responsible. With that said, if they do go through with it, I'll pay it for my student to play only if all sports receive fair and proportionate spending. If a tennis player or swimmer must pay the same fee as a football player, then they should receive the same benefits and funds towards their sport. It's common knowledge that some sports receive far more funding then others.

One way or another

IF CAPE Girardeau's popular spring cleaning goes by the wayside, the city council will suffer a housecleaning.

Media have job to do

THE NATIONAL media must now realize that the Bush administration has taken them for a ride on lies and distortions and made fools out of most of them. Maybe the media will, at last, actually start doing their job of questioning and investigating White House claims and statements rather than merely reporting every obvious lie as though it were credible.

Embrace diversity

SOMEONE SAID that if you are going to live in this country you should speak English. The United States has no official language. When did America stop being an open and welcoming country? This country has become so ethnocentric against people from foreign lands and prejudiced against its own people that it is becoming unrecognizable as the free country that was established in 1776 as a country that offers a new life to others from foreign soil. You need to embrace the diversity that symbolizes the United States of America.

Harsher penalty

MY DAUGHTER came home telling me about the students who ate the laxative-laced cupcakes. I thought that was just horrible and disappointing. As a mother, I think if my child pulled such a prank I would expect a harsher punishment than a five-day suspension. Being suspended from school is more like a vacation for most children. They think they are lucky they don't have to go to school. They should be on community service for every day they are suspended and for every hour school is in session. I wouldn't expect any lesser of a punishment if my child did it.