Speak Out 1/12/05

Response to disrespect

I MUST say how upsetting it is for me to be at a restaurant where the workers and even mangers act in a disrespectful manner. It seems like any more you have to go to another city to have a nice dinner out. So for all of those people who act that way, there is a reason you have a low-paying job.

Limiting the terms

TO THE person who complained about not having term limits for school board members: There are term limits already in place for school board members and other office holders. It is called a vote. We can throw the bums out any time there is an election. Do you vote? Or do you just complain?

He gets credit too

SINCE EVERYONE knows the economy's problems over the past few years started precisely on Jan. 21, 2000, it is time to give President Bush the credit for all the jobs created recently. You can't have it both ways. If he gets the blame for a weak economy inherited from President Clinton, he gets the credit for the most jobs created since 1999, when Clinton still had control. It's really that simple, isn't it?

Insane policies

WITH THE really bad situation that we are stuck with in Iraq and the mounting deficit's effect on the economy, it appears that supporters of the current administration are in complete denial of reality. We thumb our noses at our former friends abroad, dis the United Nations and have arrogated to ourselves the role of world policeman. Is this insane or what?

Taking motto seriously

SOMEONE ASKED how mail carriers are supposed to deliver the mail if the streets and boxes are snowed in. My grandfather had a rural route in Kentucky. He delivered the mail on horseback during deep snows. Of course, that was in the days when the postal service really took their slogan "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" seriously.

Change ourselves

AS HUMANS, we are always complaining about something. Why don't we count our blessings and the privilege of living in a free world. Some things and some people are hard to live with, but someday it won't matter, so why are we wasting our time? Find something to feel good about. We can't change people and things beyond our control, but we can change ourselves.

Too much equivocation

UNDER THE guise of anti-teacher unionism, Missouri Republicans were able to curry favor with conservative organizations like the Missouri State Teachers Association. It paid off politically in the sense that the Missouri GOP controls the state legislature and the executive branch. However, Republicans will be expected to remedy the insanely inequitable state funding of public schools. In my view, they won't be able to deliver. A recent Southeast Missourian editorial equivocated on the idea of taking the radical steps necessary to equalize funding. That view is reflective of the Missouri Republican Party in general. Their failure to deliver might mean the loss of control of conservative Missouri teacher groups and the beginning of the end of Republican domination at the state level.

Plenty of poker

I ENJOYED the front-page article on the revival of poker. We're playing poker with everything these days, even, perhaps, Social Security.

More on the mail

I AM the Speak Out caller who complained about the mail between Chester, Ill., and Ste. Genevieve, Mo., being so slow. I have since learned that instead of going through Cape Girardeau, the mail goes through St. Louis. My apologies to the postal workers in Cape. It must be the workers in St. Louis who are slowing down the process. But I should not worry about it. Someday all mail will be delivered via the Internet, and I won't have to wait a week to get my mail from Chester.

Built-in elitism

PRESIDENT BUSH, who won so many votes by portraying himself as the average Joe, wants to destroy Social Security as we know it. The Republicans have always hated the idea behind Social Security, and the notion that privatization will save it is ludicrous. Privatization means more investment dollars for businessmen and those already holding large portfolios, not the poor and elderly. The common American does not play stocks or have experience investing in funds and markets. And people thought John Kerry was the elitist.

Turnaround troubles

I LIVE at the end of a street and am tired of people constantly turning around in my driveway. I didn't mind at first until drivers started leaving deep ruts in my yard.

Enough buildings

I'M OUTRAGED this school board spent tens of thousands of dollars suing after they messed up the sale of the Schultz building, and now it's spending hundreds of thousands more to renovate the building. The district has been heating it at our expense for three years. The board misled us when it said Schultz was unsafe in order to justify spending $18 million to build the new Central High School. There's more than enough room in the Clark Street building for the adult education activities they're moving into Schultz. We don't need another building.

Mail solutions

WHEN CREWS plowed the streets, they shoved the snow up against my mailbox. The mail carrier could not get to it, and it's awful hard to shovel packed snow. I couldn't get it undone. The government caused the problem, so the government ought to take care of the problem. Street crews ought to plow close to the mailboxes so the mail truck can get in. And what's wrong with the mail carrier walking?

Calories in dirt

FATS CONTAIN nine calories per gram, protein four calories per gram and carbohydrates three calories per gram. Anybody who tells you not to eat fats and carbohydrates has got to be out of his mind. What are you going to be eating next? Dirt?

No forgiveness

I'M CALLING about that woman who drowned those little kids in that bathtub. I have never seen anything like this in my life. If I were her husband, there is no way I'd ever forgive her for drowning my five kids. If we can forgive people like that, we shouldn't have gone to war over in Iraq.

Weak stomachs

IF YOUR nose is dripping, that is one thing. Wipe it off and go about your business. To blow your nose in a place of business where people eat is disgusting, rude and your mama didn't teach you any manners. There's a bathroom for that. As far as talking on your cell phone, I don't think there's ever a problem with that. Blowing your nose is very rude. Some people have very weak stomachs. A little respect is very appreciated.

Meaning of floods

I'M SITTING here again watching the tsunami news coverage, and it makes you thank the good Lord that you didn't have that happen here, but it also makes you remember back to when Noah doubted the Lord and he sent mass floods. So you might want to stop and think of what we're doing when we're allowing the things that we're allowing that are completely against his Word.