Speak Out 11/17/08

Racial harmony

A RECENT comment said blacks have been waiting for a black president for hundreds of years and that it was God's work that Barack Obama was elected. This is the problem with the America today. God didn't elect Obama. Americans of all races did. Racism will never stop if comments like this keep coming. I wish we could all get along regardless of color. I was offended by the comment.

Videotape the meetings

I AM encouraging Jay Purcell to continue his efforts to get the Cape Girardeau County Commission meetings videotaped and available to the public. I feel this would bring the much needed transparency of the public's business. The commissioners work for the residents of the county, and they should follow the Open Meetings Act completely. Gerald Jones should start working for the people who live in Cape Girardeau County.

Waiting at the light

STUPID STOPLIGHT alert: Intersection of Mount Auburn Road and the north mall-Doctors Park entrance. While southbound or northbound on Mount Auburn, you will sit at a red light for a long time with no traffic heading east or west. Why is it new stoplights do not work as well as old stop lights? If we're going to discuss proper tire inflation to get better gas mileage, can we fix these bad traffic lights?

Free order

ON MONDAY morning I went through the drive-through at Hardee's in Jackson. When it was my turn at the pickup window, the cash¿ier told me my order was paid for. She said the woman in the car ahead of me asked how much my order was and said she would pay for it. I don't know who you are or if you know me, but you made my day, 100 percent better. Thank you for your random act of kindness. What a great idea. I will do the same for someone else.

Straight priorities

IT SPEAKS volumes about the nature of our nation. History has been made in the United States, and a Speak Out comment expresses concern about "Funky Winkerbean." At least someone has his priorities correct.

Just desserts

A RECENT comment said that everyone who voted for Barack Obama would get just what they deserved. I sure hope that is the case. We deserve a president who will look out for the interests of the American people, especially the middle class, not the fat cats who have profited from the war on terror. The reality is everybody who voted for George W. Bush got exactly what they deserved, so whatever Obama does has to be better.

Bad connection

A SPEAK Out comment said the world is rejoicing in Barack Obama's victory, and since the majority of Americans voted for Obama, many of whom do not have a clue of his policies, this caller wondered why everyone is not in step behind Obama. After reading that Obama has aligned himself with a policy change because of a petition made from the ACLU, are you still wondering why some of us are not happy with your selection? It's funny that liberals can be bipartisan as long as things are going their way, but when you disagree, watch out. You're demonized as a person who is out of touch with society. I wish Obama the best, but that doesn't mean I have to like his policies. It means I live in a free nation that gives me the right to my opinions, and my opinion is any president who starts his honey-do list based on a request of the ACLU is not someone I'm going to align myself with.

Political yard signs

I'M CALLING about the political signs in yards. I'm a poor taxpayer and can't post a yard-sale sign without getting fined. It's time all these political signs are taken out of yards. I'm tired of looking at them. The election's over.

Mistreated dogs

I DISAGREE with the comment that showing the emaciated dog in the paper gives off mixed signals. What is mixed about a starving, tortured animal? What we also need to see are the consequences these disturbed criminals should -- but don't -- receive for their actions. Those who know about and don't report this abuse should also be accountable.

Funeral processions

I AM the daughter of a World War II veteran. I had to go to a funeral recently. From now on, if anyone I see interferes with a funeral procession, which is against the law, by passing or honking, your car license will be taken down and I will take it to the police and ask that it be followed up on.

Normal slang

THANK YOU, Michael Jensen. You said it exactly like it is. Slang has become the norm. I appreciate your column.

Working together

I AGREE we should have bipartisanship. Our country needs the parties to pull together all the time. But what bipartisanship did the Democrats show for the last four years? President Bush was blamed for every problem. Bipartisanship was a joke to the Democratic Party. I hope the Republicans can hold their nose and help our country and show what real Americans do in a crisis.

Lashing out

LONG AGO I predicted that if it became clear John McCain was in danger of losing the election, the Republicans would unleash a smear campaign the likes of which has never been witnessed. They would, I suspected, start lashing out wildly in all directions hoping to turn the tide with culture wars and character assassination. McCain and the Missouri Republicans duly proved me correct. They are lashing wildly at anything that they don't like.

No censorship

THERE HAS been censorship as long as there has been art. Art teaches, inspires, elevates, surprises, depresses, scandalizes, disgusts. The purpose of art is to elicit an emotion. Picasso said, "Art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art." People should not be forced to see what they choose not to, but neither should they attempt to prevent others from seeing what they desire to see. It is entirely acceptable to protest whatever one finds objectionable, but be sure not to attempt to censor what other adults may readily accept.

Healthy policies

I WORK where my employer is enforcing a smoking policy that is unfair. The policy states that smoking is a hazard to our health. If the company is going to ban employees from smoking, shouldn't it ban desserts on the menu at lunch and take out all of the vending machines and soda machines? Morbid obesity is a disease that can lead to diabetes and other illnesses. Give us all decaffeinated coffee and diet caffeine-free sodas. To our health.

Unsanitary carts

I'D NEVER thought about it. Grocery carts are more bacteria-infected than toilets. As a result, I urge all area grocery stores to invest in cart-sanitizing machines. They would end the possibility that salmonella and other diseases may be passed along through disease-ridden carts used by many customers. Hand wipes won't cut it.

Kingshighway speeding

I THINK it's time for the city to start thinking about lowering the speed limit on Kingshighway to 30 or 35 mph. It is almost impossible to get out of places of business along Kingshighway. There have been quite a few accidents. I darn near had one myself, and I like to think that I'm careful.

Automaker excesses

IF THE federal government is going to help the automakers, the first thing it needs to do is wipe out all the benefits the unions have added to the cost of car production. I'm not saying autoworkers should starve, but when an employee is costing $80-plus an hour to make a car, it's ridiculous. Something's got to be done before we give one penny to any car manufacturer. We can't support that type of ridiculous spending. It won't work.

Break for seniors

TO THE person who said seniors should pay school taxes: We have worked long, hard years for what we have, and we have paid school taxes for more than 50 years while our children were only in school for 12 years. Look around. There are a lot of senior citizens still working to make ends meet. Just wait. Your time is coming. I do not believe seniors should pay school taxes for all these years. Our senior citizens' money is stretched thin now. Give us a break.

Grateful server

I WOULD like to say as a server to my guests: Thank you for your generosity and thank you for going out to eat. I may be way behind on my bills because of the economy, but I am thankful I have a job.

Love waxes cold

IN THE Bible, Jesus tells us that the love of others will wax cold in the end times. Don't you see it around you? Jesus has warned us, and I see it happening.

Veterans honored

THANK YOU, Gordonville PTO, schoolchildren and staff for honoring our veterans. It is wonderful how you salute the veterans with your school program. What an honor you are to our community. It is nice to the assistant principal being honored for his recent deployments to Iraq.

Heavy weapons

WHY ON earth would a civilian need a military-style assault rifle? I'm not a hunter, but I support everyone's right to own a gun for hunting. I don't own a pistol, but I support every law-abiding citizen's right to own one for personal protection. When I was in the military, I earned the designation of expert marksman with an M16. This gun, and others like it, is for heavy combat. Anyone who thinks he needs one of these for personal protection is paranoid, and we've seen plenty of examples of what happens when paranoia mixes with heavy weaponry.

Academic freedom

ACADEMIC FREEDOM at Southeast Missouri State University was dealt a severe blow in 1968 when eight or so teachers were arbitrarily fired for the views they expressed in the classroom. Academic freedom was dealt a death blow recently with the mind-blowingly quick cave-in to some of the public's views as to what should and should not be shown at the theater on the River Campus.