Speak Out 05/27/04

Advocating the city

JON RUST'S column inspired me to go to Cape Girardeau's downtown arts and crafts show. It was wonderful, and so is Rust's ongoing advocacy of the merits of this neo-renaissance city by the river.

Driving sense

I DRIVE about 30 minutes to work each way. I wonder if anyone actually knows the rules of the road. Most people don't even understand some commonsense driving strategies. One is that you are supposed to drive in the right lane and pass in the left. If you are getting passed on the right, you should be in the right lane clearing the left lane for faster traffic, especially on the interstate. If you see someone overtaking you from behind, it is your obligation to move to the right and get out of their way. I also see a lot of people who quickly change lanes at stoplights trying to get in a shorter line. This screws up the stopping distance for other people. And if you pull out in traffic, get on the gas and get out of the way. Finally, ,just because there is a short gap between two cars in the adjoining lane doesn't mean you can cut in between the two cars.

Taking responsibility

IN RESPONSE to "Obesity is Abuse": I'm a big person, and it's no one's fault but my own. As far as letting our children get big, we can only control their intake while they're at home. When they are away from home, we are not there to say "That's too much" or "You've had enough." We can only teach good eating habits to our children. It's up to them to keep using those habits when they are away or all grown up. People always want to blame someone else. When will people learn to accept the blame for themselves?

Not so conservative

IF I had to guess, I bet that about 40 percent of Cape Girardeans are hard-core conservatives, about 25 percent to 30 percent are Democrats and about 30 percent are independents or uninterested. The mayor went on national TV saying that the typical resident is very conservative. I'd like to see him prove that. That just points to how little he actually knows about the people in his town. Even if many in Cape are conservative, it's nothing to be proud of. Now the whole country thinks we're a bunch of backward rednecks.

Taking a stand

THANK YOU. Finally parents are standing up to their government and doctors about vaccinations. I'm sick of schools and doctors saying it's mandatory to receive immunizations. It's all a money issue. I'd like to see more people take a stand.

Voting representation

IN RESPONSE to the caller who blasted the mayor for saying Cape Girardeau is "very conservative": It is typical that those who vote the least are the ones who complain the most about being misrepresented.

Classroom time

IN HER series on first-year teacher Jason Bandermann, Callie Clark mentioned she had spent approximately 35 hours in the classroom with Mr. Bandermann. In his response to Clark's series, superintendent Mark Bowles wrote Clark did not present an accurate overall picture of the school system. Of course, this was never Clark's intent. Having said that, I imagine the 35 hours she spent in his classroom were 35 hours more than Bowles spent in Bandermann's or any other classroom.