Speak Out 1/10/05

Making choices

I GRADUATE ahead of my class. I did not get to participate with my graduating class. I watched later as my son refused to participate in his college graduation ceremonies. Life doesn't stop nor does it rest upon a particular ceremony in life. If you know what the rules are and you chose to go that route, don't think everything should be changed because of you. You made a choice, and the board has made the rules. Realize that life is like that. There are choices and consequences. Choose wisely so you don't live with regret.

Can't buy respect

WHEN WILL we ever learn that American dollars will not buy friendship or respect?

Possessed vandals

THERE IS something evil about individuals who vandalize churches. It's hard for us to understand in the modern world, but in the ancient world they would have been considered possessed of an evil spirit. Maybe that's what is happening. These people need help, and I hope they get it.

Earn your living

I CAN'T believe how selfish people are to complain about sending $350 million dollars to tsunami victims. My tool shed looks like a three-story mansion compared to some of the huts that were washed away. Yet advanced and civilized people here expect handouts from our federal government. If the government shelled out $350 million dollars to its citizens, it would be called socialism. We are a democracy with a free-market economy. Earn your living and stop griping.

Other crime too

I THINK the Cape Girardeau police should look at what they are doing about speeders. We have 10 officers on Mount Auburn Road when there are other spots in Cape that need more enforcement -- like around the high school. We also have convicted criminals in our neighborhoods running wild, but no police are making sure the block is safe for the kids. All they want is to find speeders. That is wrong.

Take care of us first

I AGREE the tsunami was terrible, but what's up with the amount of money being sent over there? In most of the countries affected, only two miles inland from the coast was hit. Last year when our own coasts were hit by hurricanes, how many countries sent money to help our people? Instead of making a few people in some Third World nation rich, why don't we help some of our elderly who can't afford the medicine or food they need? Its time for once we take care of our own first.

An angel at right time

I WOULD like to thank the gentleman who pulled my car out of the median of I-55 Wednesday night. You are truly an angel sent to me at the right time. I hope your family and you have a wonderful new year. You deserve it. Thank you.

No landlord code

I'D LIKE too address my concern about Jackson. I have just found out that Jackson does not have a property maintenance code for landlords. This matter concerns me so much that I have taken it to state Rep. Scott Lipke. I would suggest that anyone who has problems with landlords to contact the representative.

Courtesy in the park

I WOULD like to commend the workers at Cape Girardeau County Park North. I am training for a marathon, and the track out there is a fantastic course. I run out there four to six times a week through all types of weather. Whenever the workers are mowing or weed eating or whatever, they take time to stop and let me go by, which is very respectful. And I appreciate it. Thanks for the courteous treatment.

Using up fuel

AT THE price of fuel, I hate to see a stop sign on every through street in Scott City. Every unnecessary stop and start reduces fuel mileage.

Exposing the absurdity

I LOVE the fact that the Southeast Missourian is publishing columns by Gene Lyons of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock. In exposing the absurdity of the inherently contradictory creation science, Lyons will likely upset many readers of the Southeast Missourian. But, my friends, face up to it. Gene Lyons does not lie.

Slippery slope

"THE ROLE of sheer ignorance in determining the fate of civilizations cannot be overstated" might refer to the Bush voters in the last election. Instead, Gene Lyons uses it aptly to characterize the religious ignoramuses who demand that their dogma of creation be given equal weight to the scientific theory of evolution. If we want our schools to slide down the slippery slope to oblivion on the world stage of educational quality, nothing could be better designed than forcing religious views into the science classroom. This not only undermines science, but also could prove the death knell for the religious dogma that it seeks to promote.

Too much to ask?

KUDOS TO the Southeast Missourian for printing Gene Lyons' evaluation of creation science. If only the public officials who want creation taught in the science classroom were to read this, they might realize exactly how moronic they are. But that is probably too much to expect.

Accept responsibility

THOSE PARENTS and students who are whining about not be able to attend graduation ceremonies need to wake up. Is this something the school board and principal just sprung on you at the last moment? Or have you known all along? If you knew about the requirements, you have nothing to complain about. You could have stayed an extra semester if graduating with your classmates was so important to you. This is exactly what's wrong with today's society. People want all of the privileges without the responsibility.

Thanks for GED help

I WOULD like to thank the women who work at the GED Center on Clark Street in Cape Girardeau for helping me to reach my goals. They not only helped me reach one goal, but all the ones that follow. I would like to thank you again. May God give you all the blessings you deserve.

Workers aren't informed

MY PET peeve with store employees is not if they are kind to me, but their lack of knowledge about the products they are selling and the obvious lack of caring if they make a sale or not. In one large store in Cape, if you ask a worker for help he disappears. The bad part is management knows this and does nothing about it.

Need street reflectors

EVERYONE KEEPS talking about the snow cleanup, but I'm more concerned -- and have been for 20 years -- about the lack of reflectors in our streets. Every time it rains at night I have major difficulty seeing the dividing lines on the street. The city lights at night reflect off of the wet streets, and you can barely see. I have 20-20 vision and still can't see those lines at night. I've had cars almost run into me and vice versa because of obstructed vision at night when it rains on the city's roads. Let's spend some of our local taxes on street reflectors, especially on the big streets such as Route K and Kingshighway.