Speak Out 10/4/05

No highway mowing

I DROVE from Benton toward Charleston, Mo., and could not believe the grass on the shoulder of the highway. The grass and weeds are grown up from Unity Church on down. A lot of the landowners have mowed the grass in front of their properties. It's a disgrace to let the weeds and the grass grow up right next to the highway.

Four-day school week

THE PRESIDENT and the Department of Energy have both called upon residents and citizens to conserve energy. According to a lot of statistics from the government, the biggest users of gasoline are school buses. Cape Girardeau, Jackson and other area districts need to lead the way in this state by switching to a four-day school week. Schools are already in enough trouble financially. This increase in gasoline is going to break us. We need to take some steps and do it now.

Decent wages

I THINK it's so wrong to say minimum-wage jobs are for the uneducated. We should be protecting members of our society so everyone has a livable standard of living. Not everyone can go to college. Those who try to work should be rewarded for working and be paid a decent minimum wage.

Serious about fuel

Alternative fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel are our only escape from our addiction to fossil fuel. If we had gotten serious about fuel soon enough, we wouldn't be paying $3 a gallon for gasoline now and supporting the oil-rich countries.

Obsessed Democrats

DAVID LIMBAUGH has again accurately analyzed the Democrats. Radical Democrats are enraged with their loss of power. Any Republican elected president would get the same hatred. Loss of power is their continuing obsession. Thank God the moral majority still outnumbers the anything-goes crowd. Keep up your excellent columns, David.

Offensive remark

I am appalled and ashamed that former secretary of education Bill Bennett, who is educated, would make such an offensive and ignorant statement about aborting black children to decrease the crime rate in this country. The Republican Party is quickly distancing itself from minorities and poor people in this country. Democrats, rejoice. I will no longer vote Republican, nor will many people I know.

A good example

THERE IS such a thing as legal and justifiable discrimination, and discrimination against smokers is a good example.

Inappropriate wording

I SAW something disturbing. People outside a store were collecting donations, and the vests they were wearing read, "Give to the retarded." Since when did we call other people retarded? Gifted, special needs -- anything but retarded.

Dealing with noise

NEAL BOORTZ, the radio talk-show host, was on a rant about obtrusively loud bass car audio. He asked if there was a town in this country that enforced its noise violation ordinances. Cape Girardeau can and does, on occasion, enforce its noise ordinances, but it should do so far more often than it does. It is not fair that those outside of a person's vehicle are forced to listen to whatever someone inside the car is listening to because he has spent a lot of money on car audio. The vibration experienced when someone drives by in this manner is often startling. The way to make this stop is to write down the license plate number and then call the police so they can get the vehicle registered on their watch sheet.

Not for the digital

MEDITATION CAN be practiced without any religious affiliation. It takes but two 20-minute sessions a day. Of course, with our collective obsession to fill every minute with activity, two 20-minute sessions will seem like an eternity and will be beyond the capabilities of our digitized citizenry.

Wonderful event

I JUST returned from the Southeast Missourian's centennial block party, and I hope I am among the first to thank you for this wonderful event. It was first-class all the way and such a family-friendly day. Congratulations on your first 100 years, and thank you for a great time.

Band winners

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Central High School Marching Tigers on winning in the Washington, Mo., marching contest. This is the second time the Marching Tigers are receiving first place this season. No wonder. They have an awesome show. What a great group of students and very dedicated band directors. Go, Tigers!

Amazing celebration

I WANT to thank the Rust family, -- Gary, Jon, Rex and Gary II -- and the entire Southeast Missourian staff for an amazing day of celebration Saturday. It was such a fun day, and it made me very proud to be a part of Southeast Missouri history and culture. The Rust family's love of the paper and the community really shows, and it is very much appreciated. Congratulations on 100 years, and here's to many more years of celebration. God bless.

A helping hand

I WAS a ward of the state, sent out on my own with nothing or no one at age 18. I struggled to survive and was depressed for many years. I needed help and was refused. On Wednesday God sent an angel to help me. The saying is true: Give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach him to fish, he eats for a lifetime. Just make sure he can get to the water to fish. In the wake of all the natural disasters, I am compelled to remind you once again of so many who struggle here who sometimes need only a friend. Some need a home, a ride or food. Check on your neighbors and make sure they are OK.