Speak Out 11/4/05

Watching expenses

THIS IS directed to the state worker who was complaining about his salary. For years state and federal jobs were a joke because the people in charge did not have to worry about making a profit and could give whatever salary and benefit package they wanted. Now that citizens are speaking up about not paying for more taxes, state workers are in the same boat as every other employee in Cape Girardeau area, except they still receive way more vacation and holiday time. They are in no place to complain. State workers do better than most.

Wonderful man

EDDIE LONG of Marble Hill, Mo., will be so missed. What a wonderful man and loving father he was. Rest in peace, my friend.

More transportation

I DO not use the city taxi cab service. I am a business owner who has several employees and customers who use the service. From my personal experience, I think the city needs to look at alternatives to the cab service. I have witnessed several instances where my customers have had to wait over an hour for the cab to pick them up after visiting my business. They have said they limit their shopping trips due to the fact they can't get around town easily anymore. I also have employees who are constantly late because the cab service is unreliable and slow. The cab company often doesn't have enough drivers and vehicles to meet the demand for its services. I think the city needs to take the next step and upgrade the public transportation services it offers its residents. Mr. Mayor and council members, before you discount the idea without any serious thought and say the city can't afford it, please give it some serious consideration and hold open meetings to get the community's input. There is a tremendous need for more public transportation. As a business owner who takes great pride in our community, it's time to treat our residents to the level of transportation they deserve.

Elected dictators

TO THE person who commented that a dictator cannot be elected.: You have forgotten Adolf Hitler and many others.

Daily death counts

REGARDING THE counting of war dead: Governments have counted their war dead since the beginning of war. However, now we have the media with a daily rundown of how many died here and how many died there. It is an incessant drumbeat designed to thwart our efforts at winning the war. If only the media were as concerned about the number of illegal aliens crossing our borders, the number of persons dying in alcohol-related traffic crashes or maybe the number of persons dying because of other reasons. The constant death counts are political and give aid and comfort to the enemy, who feels all they have to do is wear us down until we capitulate.

Some perspective

SINCE THE beginning of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, there have been 244 days without a single American casualty, 269 days with one casualty, 359 days with two to five casualties, 62 days with six to 10 casualties and 13 days with 10 or more casualties. Every service persons' death is important, but in a time of war and an all-volunteer military, we need to look at this from a proper perspective.

Fewer prospects

I SYMPATHIZE with the Speak Out caller who graduated from Southeast Missouri State University but still can't find a decent job. What was your major? If classes in your major consisted of field trips to the cemetery to get in touch with your own mortality, Sunday school admonitions against alcohol and tobacco and Hawaiian shirt day, then it is no wonder. As academic standards at SEMO decline and the university loses ground to other schools, President Ken Dobbins has responded by slashing the library budget and spending millions more on a River Campus to graduate many more majors in fields without job prospects.

Too many activities

SCHOOLS HAVE overcorrected. They've gone from having too few extracurricular activities for those in high school to too many. The pressure on students to participate is tremendous. Cut these kids some slack. Give them some free time for hanging out, cruising and sleeping in.

Still a dictator

TO IMPLY that Venezuela is more democratic than the U.S. does not refute Scott Moyers' point that Venezuela is led by a dictator.

Safety in Iraq

IF YOU want to know the truth about Iraq, ask someone who has been there. Why would anyone rely on third- and fourth-hand accounts of media personnel with a limited view of the country? There are 16 of 19 provinces that are completely safe -- 16 provinces where civilians and military personnel interact, go sightseeing and mingle in markets. Iraq, as a whole, is safer than Detroit.

Family control

I AM always amazed at why people have so many children with the availability of birth control. It is clear some of these people can hardly afford one child and keep them safe, warm, clothed and fed. If money is no problem, I can see it, but asking taxpayers to pick up the slack is wrong. And in the end, it's always the child who suffers, mentally or physically.