Speak Out 1/8/05

Wrong message

I FOUND the student essay in the Missourian about athletes and their poor conduct to be very interesting. Less than three hours after I read the essay, I was at a Cape Girardeau store and saw hanging in the boys' department a sweatshirt that says, "It's not how you play the game, it's how you bend the rules." Don't you think boys have already gotten the point? Don't you think they've already seen that in the media over and over and over?

Not a good plan

I'M CALLING in regard to the city council's agenda to further widen Mount Auburn Road from Independence to Kingshighway. This is an incredible error. There are lots of other options to bypass this residential area. I felt that it was wrong to widen the street to four lanes. Now that there's consideration to widen certain areas to five lanes, I think there needs to be a huge effort on the part of residents along this area to come together to stop the city's plan. Look at what happened to William Street from West End Boulevard and further east toward the river. There has been a downgrade in the type of houses and the type of individuals who live there. The character of Mount Auburn could change with an influx of commercial businesses beyond those of professional offices. That would not be good for the lovely residential developments around Mount Auburn.

Upside-down tree

I WANT to say a sincere thank you to the people on Perryville Road who hang their Christmas tree upside-down every year. I know in the past people have accused them of being sacrilegious or anti-Christmas, but my kids and I enjoy the fun of seeing it lit up during the Christmas season. Thank you for doing that.

Changing the image

THE POINT of the article about firefighters had nothing to do with political correctness. Unlike many other volunteer jobs, there's somewhat of a stigma about being a volunteer firefighter versus being a paid firefighter. I am a volunteer firefighter. I've been approached a number of times by people who say, "Oh, you're just a volunteer, aren't you?" -- insinuating that somehow not being paid meant I was not as good at the job. The article's intent was perhaps to change that image.

No need to stop

A QUICK driving lesson: Apparently about 90 percent of the people in Jackson don't know how to drive. If you're heading eastbound on Kingshighway and are going to make a right on High Street at the train tracks, there is no yield sign there. You have your very own lane all the way up to and past Sonic. You don't have to stop,. Just keep going and merge with the flow of traffic. Please, learn how to drive. If there's no yield sign, don't stop.