Speak Out 10/5/03

Stay over there

BEING A World War II wife, I have empathy with the families wanting to bring the loved ones home. I don't understand, however, why they want them to come back when the job is undone in Iraq. Maybe I was young at that time, but I do not remember anyone criticizing President Roosevelt sending troops anywhere to defend our freedom. They did not demand a timetable to return the country to a stable government or bring our troops home. Where is the patriotism? My husband was overseas for three years, but he did come home. Thank you, President Bush, for securing our country's freedom.

Send help

JUST A word on bridge construction. Maybe if the Mississippi River bridge could get done, the workers could go down and help on the Diversion Channel bridge. It has been two years. What a shame.

Leave them alone

THIS IS for the Speak Out caller who suggested cutting athletics from SEMO as preferable to cutting academics. Extracurricular programs are just as vital to the higher education experience as the classroom. All of these contribute to what students learn and take from their higher education experience. Suggesting cutting athletics or going to a lower division is ridiculous.

Placing blame

PRESIDENT BUSH is blamed for anything that Democrats can think of or make up. They make the enemies of this country look like amateurs. Just as liberalism has destroyed our morals and values and taken God from our country, liberals have eroded the pride and patriotism of America. Sadly, it will take another shocking tragedy such as 9/11 to get it back.

They'll pay

TO THE person who wants to know why the city can't pay for our bus system: I would like to know why the riders can't pay for a bus system. They are the ones who will benefit. If they want it, then let them pay for it.

Bathroom issue

I WOULD like to comment on people using handicapped bathrooms. If there is only one handicapped bathroom, and people want to use it because they want to sit down their shopping bags or everything, it really makes it sad for the handicapped people who come in there. This is a real problem.

Faulty reasoning

A SPEAK Out caller made comments about the speech and theater department and the need for the River Campus. There were some errors in the reasoning. Number one, you said that by making the campus, the department will grow and therefore there will not be a small department anymore. If that's the case, then besides cutting any department, SEMO needs to look at every department that does not have enough people and give it its own campus. Secondly, you stated that when the new business building was built, they did not consider enrollment. You are wrong. I was on staff at SEMO when the new building was made, and the reason it was built was because the old building had not enough space and classrooms. This department had grown by leaps and bounds. No department on campus has gotten a building when they were shrinking in size, but now we are getting an entire campus for such a department.

Give us movies

NOW THAT the kids are back in school and yard work is slowing down, how about theaters opening for a midweek matinee for parents and seniors? I think Cape is big enough for one.

Stop honking

EVERY WEEKDAY morning at about 7:30 a.m., someone on Dixie honks the horn loudly and frequently. I think it's ill-mannered to wake up all the babies in the neighborhood instead of getting out of the car and knocking on the door. I wish they would stop.

Place for park

I THINK Jackson needs a skate park like Farmington has. I know just the place that would be great. There's 35 acres on Greensferry Road that's available. This would be good for a walking trail, too.

Corporate taxing

CORPORATIONS DO not pay taxes. The people who buy their products pay the taxes in increased prices. I am sick and tired of hearing politicians say they want to increase things like franchise fees instead of raising taxes. That's baloney. Corporations have to pass the cost of doing business on to their customers. Corporate taxes are based on accounts receivable, which is money you have not collected. How would you like to have to pay taxes on paychecks you hadn't received yet?