Speak Out 1/14/08

Great example

I WANT to tell a story about a man I met today. His name is Steve Fatoly. The first time I encountered him was when I gave blood at a Red Cross blood drive in the mall. He was one of the volunteers and was helpful. Apparently the Red Cross appreciated his being there. Another time I was at the St. Mary's Cathedral food bank, and he was in there helping people bag food and carry it to people's cars, again volunteering his time. Today I was in the Salvation Army store, and who happens to be there volunteering his time? Steve Fatoly. He told me he had been living in Cape since November 2005 when he found himself with nothing at all and he explained that the Salvation Army helped him out, along with St. Mary's and the Red Cross. He said he felt it was only right to give back to those who gave to him. We could all learn from him. He's one heck of an example of a giving person.

Callous remark

I THINK Morley Swingle has written one too many novels and has lost touch with the people to say that Jonathan McClard committed a second horrible crime by committing suicide. How unfeeling and callous. My heart goes out to the family.

Birth control

SOMEONE NAIVELY believes that if you're not married you shouldn't be engaged in sexual activity. It's going to happen. Birth control is a good answer because it prevents unwanted pregnancies. Now menopause is here, and I didn't overpopulate the world, thank goodness.

Ridiculous comments

MORLEY SWINGLE'S comments that the juvenile system would not have been able to help Jonathan McClard are ridiculous. His attitude seems to be that he has no sense of responsibility when it comes to rehabilitating a person so that he may return to society as a productive part of our community. My prayers go out to the McClard family for all they have had to endure. Cape Girardeau County's justice system has failed them horribly.

Pain and suffering

TOO MANY people today believe that no matter how heinous their crime, all they have to do is look contrite and say they are sorry and everything will be forgiven and forgotten. The pain and suffering they have caused does not go away with a sincere look of contrition and an "I'm sorry."

Tragic mistake

MORLEY SWINGLE was 100 percent right in his statements about the McClard case. This is a tragedy for the McClard family. Having lost a son at a young age, I understand what they're going through. We don't want to forget the boy who's injured, probably for life. McClard made a tragic mistake. I feel sorry for both families. McClard hurt his own family, and he hurt himself.

Ethanol subsidies

NONE OF the government subsidies for the making of ethanol goes to the farmer or the plant that makes the ethanol. The subsidy of 51 cents per gallon of ethanol goes to the blender, which is the gas company that mixes the ethanol with the gasoline. The oil companies said that they need it to buy the new tanks and other things to handle ethanol or they will not use it.

You have our prayers

I HAVE two grandsons, 15 and 17, and my sympathy goes out to both families in the Jonathan McClard case. Two young men lost their lives. Jonathan died by choice. His victim was not given a choice, but his life is over and he's left with suffering and pain. Jonathan's sentence, I think, was fair and just. I don't know either of the families, but my prayers are with all of you.

Punishment fits crime

I AM truly sorry for the McClard family's loss. However, my co-workers and I feel that Morley Swingle is doing a good job. If you do an adult crime, you deserve adult punishment.

Respect his choice

I DON'T think Jonathan McClard's death should be looked at under a microscope. Let him rest in peace. Respect his choice. I think we have better things to do with taxpayer money than looking under a microscope at this particular case.

TV signals

I'M PERFECTLY happy with my TV signal. Who decided I needed better TV signal? I don't understand this need for a switch, but I know one thing: I'm not paying for cable or satellite. I certainly hope there's never any attempt to force the public to do. I think cable's unfit to have in one's home from a moral standpoint, and I don't think satellite's any better.

Jackson sirens

NOW THAT the tornado season is approaching, I hope Jackson will place more storm-warning sirens in our city. I live in the west part of town and cannot hear the uptown siren. Please place more sirens throughout the city.

School overflow

DOES CHAMBER president John Mehner realize that if the parochial and private schools were not in operation, the public schools would be overflowing with pupils and would need more classrooms and teachers, not to mention additional cafeteria and parking spaces?

Government intrusion

REGARDING THE switch to high-definition TV next year: Where in the world did Congress get the misguided idea that it has the right to tell any of us what type of TV or satellite or cable or converter box we must use? I'm not opposed to high-def. I'm opposed to that level of government intrusion into my life. We all should be. We are, as some have said, becoming a nanny state and are willing to let Big Brother run every facet of our lives. We're losing the very things we have held dear for more than 220 years by our lackluster attitude.

Do-it-yourself airline

WHAT THE Cape Girardeau Regional Airport needs is for a group of local investors and entrepreneurs to form a regional airline based in Cape Girardeau. Fly to and from St. Louis, Memphis, Little Rock, Jefferson City, Kansas City and Chicago in a circuit. Make Cape Girardeau the hub. Arrange the schedule so you can connect in Cape Girardeau to other flights. We're never going to get the service we want from the major airlines or their subsidiaries. We're too small. But, with proper planning and management, I think a Cape Girardeau-based company could make it all work.