Speak Out 11/17/07

Cape's history

CAPE GIRARDEAU is a town rich in history. Yet our mayor doesn't seem to care about this rich history. A huge reason tourists come to downtown Cape Girardeau is its rich history. How much charm or rich history does a gravel parking lot have? There's a reason riverboats stop in Cape Girardeau. There's a reason why Mark Twain referred to Cape Girardeau along the Mississippi. There's a reason why many families and business professionals are moving to downtown area into houses and structures with charm and rich history. There are many Cape Girardeau people who care about his history. Mr. Mayor, wake up and smell the coffee while General Grant and others look over your shoulder.

Drug solution

LEGALIZING DRUGS is not the answer. The answer is twofold: education and treatment, not imprisonment, for those who are addicted -- and a death sentence, with no appeal, for anyone caught selling those poisons.

More like Buddy

THERE'S NO question that we have tremendous access to fine art in Cape Girardeau. Please however, bring more acts like Buddy Guy to the Show Me Center. What an amazing show Buddy performed for us. He should have been a sold-out act.

More drilling

THREE CHEERS to the suggestion that we drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. If we had done this seven or eight years ago when it was first talked about, it would be up and running by now. Same thing for the offshore drilling areas. We need to get a grassroots efforts for ordinary people to tell our congressmen it's time to drill our own oil instead of buying from foreign countries who despise us.

Flags with no lights

I WAS upset when I drove by Cape County Park North after dark on Veterans Day and many flags were up without lights on them. When you fly the flag at night, it must have a light on it. Why did this happen? This is not the proper way to display a flag. This should never happen again.

Find the energy

THE UNITED States needs more domestic energy sources. If we can get energy by drilling off the coast of Florida, let's do it. If we can get energy by putting turbines in the Mississippi River, let's do it. If we can get energy by putting wind turbines up in the mountains, let's do it. If we can get energy by growing some sort of bioenergy, let's do it. Let's grow energy any place we can, and let's drill for more oil offshore. Let's find the energy we need.

Parking-lot junk

THIS IS in regard to the Show Me Center's parking lot. There's a car that's been sitting there for over four months with the transmission out. I was wondering why people are using that lot as a junk yard.

Awesome testimony

DAVID PAILLO was in concert at Iona Baptist Church Friday night. What an awesome testimony he has for our Lord. If he comes back to this area and you can possibly go hear him, please do. You will not be disappointed, I promise.

Send him to Washington

THIS COUNTRY needs Mike Keathley to go to Washington to find the money that could be saved in the federal government. Gary Rust's column describes a wonderful, committed saver of state tax funds. Keathley could begin tomorrow by solving the riddle of why all the offices in the old federal building won't fit into the new federal building. Unfortunately, he'd have to deal with Congress and their pork-motivated issues.

Getting to heaven

FOR THE life of me I can't understand the folks who go to church, shout their hallelujahs and amens to God, then support a party and politicians who support aborting children and sell homosexuality as a lifestyle, putting their trust in sinful men and not God. You can't have it both ways. You can't get to heaven on the coattails of a lawyer or politician or say "I didn't know any better."

Wipers and lights

I WAS grateful to Jackson police for getting on to people about pulling out into the center turn lane. That was a great aggravation when people came whipping out there and you wouldn't know if they were going into the turn lane or in front of you. On a rainy day, it might be nice if the police would start getting onto people who do not use their headlights when the windshield wipers on. I don't think people realize how difficult it is to see them without their lights on.

NASA's parties

NASA can spend $4 million a year of the taxpayers' money having extravagant parties. I think we pay enough taxes. We don't have to pay $4 million a year for all the astronauts and the retired astronauts to have big parties throughout the year. That's ridiculous. What else is our tax money going for? I imagine the American citizens would be really surprised at what our tax money really is used for. Some of it we'll never know, but it's ridiculous.

Story was well-done

AS AN adult who knew Jake and who knows many of his friends, I'd like to thank your reporter for the tone of her story. Although there has been some uproar on the Internet, I think the article was well-done and, while reporting the facts, focused on Jake and what he meant to his family and friends. Thanks to you and your staff.