Speak Out 10/22/05

The way to Scott City

AFTER READING the article about the lead being shipped out from Scott City's port, I'm interested to know what highway they get to Scott City on from Doe Run. I would expect it's Highway 72 but nobody seems to be concerned about which roadway it is. I'd be interested to know which road it is connecting.

Too many Limbaughs

PLEASE DON'T start the Rush Limbaugh columns in the Southeast Missourian. One Limbaugh is enough.

Rush on Democrats

IT'S VERY interesting that Rush Limbaugh is so adept at telling us what Democrats are like. To find out what Republicans are like, you need only look at the clowns in charge of our government now.

Penny fan

IN RESPONSE to our lost and found ad in the Missourian, we want to thank Penny for being so honest. There are still so many good people around. Country Mart is lucky to have you as an employee.

Mail student invitations

I AM a teacher at one of the local junior high schools. I have seen a practice I would like to see discontinued and I think the parents are the ones who need to take care of it. Students may be planning a party but the most hurtful thing is to walk around, give out invitations to just certain ones and the other children are sitting wondering why they didn't get an invitation. I saw a young lady cry today in my class because a person she thought was her friend didn't give her an invitation. Don't do it in front of the others. If you are going to invite students to a party, parents, mail the invitations.

Question of time

ONE QUESTION I'd really like the answer to, does it really take less time to pay your bills by e-mail or by computer vs. opening an envelope, writing out a check and mailing it back? Which really takes the less time?

Kempe's right

I AGREE with Paula Kempe's letter to the Southeast Missourian. She remembers the days of SEMO's conservative student attitude when decency and respect were actually shown, where neatly dressed students wore the best they had, not the worst, and the faculty was there to teach, not preach liberalism. Support of athletics was the pride in your school. Where many organizations and groups today wouldn't have been permitted on campus. Where religious values meant something even to the professors, and at your graduation you felt pride in yourself, your school and your family and shed a tear of sorrow for your school and your friends you'd miss. You didn't throw a beer party. Liberalism, isn't it great. It's something you want to forget, not reminisce about.

Railroad responsibility

Since the people of Chaffee have to put up with the increased train traffic 24 hours a day, a person would think the railroad would at least repair the crossings on Gray Street and East Yoakum Ave. The Gray Street crossing is in terrible condition. A car can bottom out. What makes matters worse is spikes are sticking up from the crossing ties. If the railroad is going to be a good neighbor of the community, they can start by fixing the two main crossings in Chaffee and cutting the weeds on their property.

How to be accepted

The person that moved to Jackson and still doesn't feel welcome is experiencing what I encountered when I moved to the area almost 25 years ago. Money will help your being accepted. Money opens doors everywhere, not just Jackson. It also helps to kneel at the altar of high school football, which I never did. The heartbreaking thing is, your kids won't be accepted either. That is the toughest part, but in the long run, I think it made my kids tougher and more independent. Devote your life to your family and it doesn't matter how others treat you.

Down the path

I WOULD just like to comment about our leadership in our government. With Bush lying to the people, backstabbing us, cutting our throats, now I guess we've got his right-hand man in the state of Missouri with Mr. Blunt. He seems to be doing the very same thing to everyone that lives in Missouri. It doesn't matter whether they're the Republicans or Democrats, whenever they're leading you down the wrong path, maybe it's time for a change.

Viewing the governor

Gary Rust's many recent commentaries portray Governor Blunt as falling somewhere between superman and that famous water walker of Biblical times. Some of us, unfortunately, have seen a different side, one that suggests a black cape and a dark mustache. Disability rights have been set back 50 years by the Governor's Medicaid Commission, which played a shell game with hearing locations discouraging attendance. Some disabled people have been told what not to say at the hearings lest they offend the governor. Others were forced to stand for long hours waiting to testify while one was accused of faking their disability. This sounds more like the work of a governor with a 37 percent approval rating than a water walker or superhero.

People are the same

You hear that Jackson has some of the friendliest people around, and you hear that Jackson sports moms aren't all that friendly. The fact is, people are the same wherever you go. This is true, I have traveled all over this country and to parts of the globe. For the most part, there are a lot of good people out there. You just have to overlook the few bad apples you find in every peck and keep smiling. Even bad apples can make one tasty pie.

By the book

If you read your driving manual it clearly states the left-hand driving lane is the passing lane. Whether or not people are speeding is between them and the police. If you are not passing you should be driving in the right-hand lane or shouldn't be driving at all. Maybe if we would hurry up and get a bus in Cape the people that don't know how to drive and follow the manual can ride a bus.

Not offended

How sad that one would speak of ignorance as being a reason for religion and then turn around and say Jesus would be the Visa-requesting kind of TV evangelist. Perhaps you should do more research before you throw out words that show your own ignorance. For Jesus took a whip and turned over the tables of the money changers that were in the temple for they desecrated the temple. He never asked for money and never took the praise for what God had done through him. I'm not offended that you refer to me as being ignorant because I am a Christian. Nor am I offended because of what you said about my Savior, Jesus. The Bible even talks about individuals that see as you do. Matthew 15:14: "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Luke 6:39: "And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?"

Second thoughts

According to some of those who call Speak Out, only the extreme right-wing conservatives will be in heaven. Certainly not being one of those, I am beginning to have second thoughts about wanting to go to heaven.

Prepay for gas

why do people always seem to take their frustrations out on the clerks and not the people who drive off without paying for gas? No wonder the Kidd's gas station started prepay after 6 p.m. Way to go Kidd's in Jackson. The customers should not take out frustrations on the clerks. I was in there the other day and the customer just flat out cursed the clerk. The clerk said sorry for the inconvenience but it's because of drive-offs.

NRA fan

In response to the story about "Stats Show 40 percent Decline In Murder Rates," give credit where credit is due. Not one word bout the NRA and its efforts to allow citizens to legally carry firearms. Many states have passed laws to allow this in the past few years because of NRA efforts. The murder rate is down principally because the one that is not afraid to kill for $100 is afraid to get killed while robbing someone who carries a weapon. If it wasn't for the NRA we wouldn't have our private weapons today. Only criminals and law enforcement would have them and surely you know what that means.

Inmate's abortion

I WANT to give my opinion on this inmate wanting an abortion. She's killing a human life, life that has got a heartbeat and a brain right now. I can't see that when she's in prison, why she can't keep it and give it up for adoption. There's a lot of people out here in the world that can't even have kids that would love to have kids instead of getting an abortion. It is really terrible that she wants an abortion.

Tacky streets

I THINK the streets just look awful when companies have been laying asphalt and all of their trucks drive out, back out, go back and forth and back and forth out on an adjoining concrete street. It just makes it look absolutely tacky. A case in point is on Independence coming across from First Missouri State Bank, the mayor's bank of all things. I just think it looks awful, and they shouldn't be allowed to do it.