Speak Out 05/23/04

Sad consequences

THE ABUSE pictures from Iraq are shocking and obscene. One wonders if we are not reaping what has been sown. These young people have been raised on a constant stream of filth spewing from MTV, BET and Hollywood. Many of them were teenagers when the commander in chief of this nation was impeached for lying to a grand jury about his sexual scandal. They also watched as some of these same pontificating congressmen held a pep rally for the president following his impeachment. Could it be that they felt there would be no consequences for their behavior?

Fair entertainment

THE TALENT, if you want to call it that, for this year's SEMO District Fair has got to be the worst ever. If that is the best that they can do, maybe it's time for some new blood on the fair board. They will not be getting any of my money at the fair this year.

Unfair comparison

TRYING TO compare what we pay for gasoline and what other countries pay is like comparing apples to oranges. We are the most dependent country in the world, and it shows. We buy gas-guzzling SUVs. Most families have two or even three cars in the household. Gas should be cheap. Supply and demand dictates that as much as we use we should pay less. I spent several years overseas, and in a lot of those countries the families have no cars. They use mass transit. As a result, those who drive pay more for gas. Less product is used, so they charge higher prices. Trying to tell me that $2 a gallon is still a bargain is a bunch of bull.

Total tanning

I THINK the city needs to post a sign that the riverfront is not a topless beach. Two times this month I have taken my grandson downtown to see the barges and have seen girls sunning with their tops off. The police should patrol the riverfront to control these things.

Pay for the best

Isn't it amazing? We are probably No. 1 in drug sales and No. 9 in police protection. We have good, qualified officers, but we do not pay them enough to do a better job. For what they get paid, no one would take a risk in dealing with the drug problem. Pay professional pay and then you can demand professional services. Get it?

Some contradictions

Gary Rust is a bundle of contradictions. He wrote a scathing criticism of negative campaigning and then proceeded to verbally destroy a couple of Democrats.