Speak Out 11/29/10

Safety issue

RECENTLY as I was driving my daughter to Jackson West Lane Elementary, I witnessed something disturbing. At an intersection with two other cars and a Jackson school bus, I motioned for a child to cross at the marked sidewalk, and instead the school bus turned in front of the child. Jackson is not a pedestrian-friendly town, but this was ridiculous.

Scary statistics

OCTOBER, November and December are the most deadly for child pedestrians. When children are struck, one-quarter of vehicles are turning and three-quarters are going straight. Six percent of injuries happen to children on the way to school and 30 percent on the way home from school.

Discrimination

IT'S ridiculous that Saint Francis Medical Center will no longer hire smokers. Not only is this ridiculous, but this is also discrimination. Any smoker who applies for a job should sue the hospital when they are not hired. Smoking is not illegal.

Government subsidies

A local federal agency ask me to write a grant proposal in order to get the federal government to help me change a couple of Diesel engines over to electric motors. If a business wants to change their engines to something that's more efficient, that's fine. However, where is it written in the U.S. Constitution that the federal government has the authority to help pay for electric motors used by independent businesses?

Smoking and alcohol

I read a comment that mentioned Metropolis is a nonsmoking casino. Why don't you ask them how much their business has decreased from banning smoking? I am a smoker, but I don't mind going to a nonsmoking place to eat or shop. I can do without the cigarette, but taking away the option to smoke in a place where you can drink alcohol and play slots for hours is ridiculous.

Downtown races

THE races downtown with people running in the street and blocking traffic need to stop. There's no reason to be blocking off roads and stopping traffic when there are plenty of parks.

Smoking rights

NOT one person has explained to me why a smoker's "rights" are more important than a nonsmoker's. Smokers say that I should not go to a restaurant that allows smoking, but that means that I am losing my "right" to patronize that restaurant. Why can't they all be nonsmoking?