Speak Out 11/27/02

Budget advice

I HOPE that we have enough Missouri legislators who will listen to the suggestions of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and decide that this is the way they should establish their budgets instead of going off on the imaginary track of hoping that some money comes through to spend for their pet projects. This would be a sign of their actually trying to be honest with the people instead of trying to trick them.

Uncivil behavior

I WANT to expand upon a sentiment expressed by Saad el-Hamish, who expressed disappointment in how he was accosted while jogging in town. While walking with my wife, we're often yelled at by predominantly teenage and college-aged boys. They yell vulgarities. They make lewd remarks. At other times, when bike riding, cars have sped up and slammed on their brakes behind me in an attempt to frighten me. And, inevitably, someone yells at me while passing. This isn't about race or ethnic prejudice. I'm white, and so is my wife. It's about rude and stupid kids whose parents need to do a better job of teaching them to be civil. I'd like to offer my apologies to Mr. el-Hamish for how he was treated. Unfortunately, he's not alone. This is not funny stuff. It's brutish and dangerous. If your friends are engaging in such stupidity, please tell them to stop.

Both proponent, target

THIS IS a comment for the jogger who says he has heard racial slurs directed at him. If he is a proponent of profiling, then he is a proponent of everything it entails, which may include being called derogatory names. I guess what he meant to say is, "I'm a proponent when I'm not the one being profiled." Profiling is ignorant. For a person of Middle Eastern descent to be for such a degradation based solely on one's looks is ignorant.

Bus driver's perspective

AS A school bus driver, I have dealt with bullies on my bus on several occasions, as have many of my fellow drivers. By law, we are limited in what we can do when an incident occurs. Our first priority is the safety of the students. We defuse the situation and write up the offender. Then it is out of our hands. We can make all the recommendations we want. However, they often go unheeded. If administrators do not back us up, please tell us what we are supposed to do. And what about the parents?

Not a pacifist's actions

TO THE reader who said Jesus was a pacifist. Remember when Christ ran the money changers out of the temple? There was nothing passive about his actions.

Hey, we're groovy

NOW I'VE read everything. First, the Southeast Missourian has a Democrat for its managing editor. Then its business editor admits he gets high on buffets. To top it off, the same business editor promotes the kama sutra. Bring it on, Missourian. You're finally entering the new millennium.

Peace through music

I HAVE read a lot of Speak Out comments and letters to the editor regarding the Iraqi situation, yet I have seen no viable suggestions for resolving the situation. I have a suggestion for a peaceful solution. It came from a Gap ad. We pump music into Iraq. Not just any music, but great songs like "Love Train" and others with a similar message. If we were to give the people of Iraq just 24 hours of "Love Train" at high volume, I'll bet every single one of those people, Saddam Hussein included, would be joining hands.

Mainstream views

WHEN IT comes to his views on the environment, Alan Journet may be relatively isolated among the area populace, but he is certainly not in academia and much of the rest of America. Attempts to demonize him aside, Journet's views are rapidly becoming mainstream.

Disappointing design

MISSOURI VOTERS chose the best design for the Missouri quarter. It's just a shame we had to choose from the federal government's representation and not our own. Every time I get one of these new quarters, it's just going to make me disappointed.

FROM THE era of Teddy Roosevelt to that of Richard Nixon, it was quite consistent to be an environmentalist and an adherent to contemporary Republican leadership. In those days, health and environment were nonpartisan issues. Unfortunately since the time of Ronald Reagan, the Republican Party leadership has taken the party further to the right, so much so that it now disavows any pretense of being concerned about either human or environmental health. Only when the membership of the Republican Party reins in its extremist leadership will it be legitimate to claim an environmentalist ethic and vote Republican.

IF HE keeps it up in his column, Jon Rust is going to convert me to a philosophy of optimism. Rust is the first journalist I know of to describe as a fun-filled activity an event sponsored by the Sierra Club.

Now that's power

LIKE A Speak Out caller, I support the use of wind power and think there's enough to power the entire country contained in Speak Out.

Community out of step

IN DEFENSE of Alan Journet, it is actually Cape Girardeau that is out of step with the mainstream opinion on environmental issues. Although we can't always get everyone to vote, the polls show time and time again that Journet's position is reflective of the concerns of most in this country. Journet has been extremely courageous in carrying the ball all of these years in this community.

Not so reassuring

A STATEMENT from Saddam Hussein saying he has no weapons of mass destruction is more reassuring than a reprinted editorial from The Wall Street Journal stating that civil liberties aren't being jeopardized in the United States.

Help the people

SANCTIONS ARE put into place as a bargaining tool to influence policies of a country's government. However, people in power have many ways to get what they want, so sanctions actually hurt the poor citizens. How can an impoverished, malnourished and ill population overthrow its government? Sanctions are a ludicrous idea. The U.S. should drop its sanctions against Iraq. If we want to help the people in Iraq, we should provide them with food and medical care and empower them to fight for their personal freedom. Dropping bombs on them is not the answer either. If we are concerned with President Bush's axis of evil, we should look at nations such as Saudi Arabia, the country where the Sept. 11 hijackers came from.

I DISAGREE about the comments on the Jackson Post Office. I go there frequently and have never had to wait long. As I recall, there have always been two employees at the window. Be thankful we don't have to drive into Cape Girardeau.

Let sleeping dogs ...

SUNDAY IS the only day for my family to sleep in. It sure would be nice if my neighbor's dog would do the same.

Smoke-free heaven?

IF ONLY smokers knew how they smelled, they'd think twice about lighting up. Eventually, all smokers quit. At least I hope they do. Heaven better be smoke free, or I'm not going.