Speak Out 04/24/04

Absolutely wonderful

THE NOTRE Dame Regional High School musical was absolutely wonderful. The choreography was excellent. Congrats to all those who participated.

Great JHS concert

I GIVE the Central Junior High School band two thumbs up for a wonderful concert. Mr. LaMar, Mr. Keys and Mr. Casey have done an outstanding job this year. Next year will only be better.

Superb musical

NOTRE DAME Regional High School's production of the musical "Crazy for You" was one of the most enjoyable musicals I have been to in years. It was loaded with comedy, beautiful music and wonderful dancing. The production, music and choreography were superb. Hats off to the cast and crew on a job well done.

Denying the truth

EDUCATION SECRETARY Rod Paige is living in a dream world if he believes the No Child Left Behind Act is sufficiently funded. I'm tired of officials denying the truth. If Paige can't own up to the law's problems, he should resign.

Manipulating statistics

BECAUSE THE facts are not on Southeast Missouri State University's side, the mascot committee has distorted the facts. The Web site says 99 percent of 500 Native American tribes oppose the use of Indian mascots. In reality, the NCAA surveyed 500 tribes, but only 10 percent responded at all -- and of that 10 percent who responded 99 percent want the ban. By far the majority do not care.

Total waste

WHAT'S THE hoopla about? I'm a 1963 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and consider it to be a total waste to alter the symbol. Keep the Indian.

No nine-hole course

THE LAST thing this community needs is a nine-hole golf course. Nine-hole golf courses are a waste of space. They cannot be played on by anyone except seniors and beginners because of their simplicity. They are most often not kept up to standards because of their lack of ground crews and golf pros who would rather work at a real golf course. The area already has municipal courses with 18 holes, which are inexpensive to play and fairly easy for beginners and seniors alike.

Rush-hour slowdown

TO ALL of the morning drivers on Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau: Please notice the speed-limit signs. I am constantly getting stuck behind people driving 5 mph to 10 mph under the speed limit. If you are driving slower to kill time, then leave your home a few minutes later.

Thanks for the purse

I WOULD like to thank the person who turned in my purse at the main ticket office at the Show Me Center on Saturday during the Ringling Bros. Circus. Thank You for being a good, honest person.

Missing history

FROM READING the brief article outlining some of the pieces of history that are to be included in the downtown mural project, it seems that a vital piece of our history is being left out: the African American community. Will the images of slavery, reconstruction, Jim Crow, segregation and the civil rights movement be left out of our community's history? If the purpose of the mural is to depict important moments in our history, why should we leave out a population of our community that has helped shape Cape Girardeau into what it has become today.