Speak Out 12/08/03

Roundabout woes

I WAS just reading about the roundabout at Perryville. You would have thought the people would have learned their lesson with the roundabout in Cape Girardeau. Whoever designed the roundabout knew nothing about trucks and farm equipment that go through a place like that. These designers and engineers have no idea what goes on in the real world. I don't understand how they can mess up such simple things.

They'll try anything

CONSTRUCTIVE DISSENSION is one thing, but when damaging dissension attempts to demoralize our troops, that's sabotage. Our brave, loyal troops are fighting terrorism and protecting their loved ones back home. Those who are constantly trying to undermine President Bush's war on terrorism say the end will justify their treasonous means. They'll try anything, even risking our brave troops' lives.

Challenging figures

I'M SICK and tired of the communication industry slanting news and giving facts that give false or exaggerated information. For several days we were fed the information that on the Friday after Thanksgiving Wal-Mart set an all-time sales record, indicating we would have a really good Christmas sales season. Only one time did I get the truth that, in stores that were open at least a year, Wal-Mart had lower sales this year than last year. With inflation at about 2.3 percent, this has to be deducted, which gives even worse sales figures. The rosy garbage that this has been passed out by you and others makes you wonder. There is no pony in that pile of stuff that you're putting out.

Not a high priority

AS A Jackson School District teacher, I am appalled by what I read in the paper. It says Jackson and the school district are going together to build a YMCA. My tax dollars are already stretched extremely thin. I'm told as a taxpayer and as a teacher that we don't have money for necessary student supplies and things we need for the educational process. We are told things are going to be cut. We've even been told a certain number of positions are going to be cut next year. And now we've got money to participate in a YMCA? We're a school district. Our first priority to the taxpayers is to run this school district in an appropriate manner. If we're so short of money, how in the world can we get involved with a YMCA, which has nothing to do with education?

Teachers weren't asked

I TOTALLY disagree that Scott City teachers were asked whether they would rather have their aides or a pay raise. I was not asked. We're all being told that next year's budget may be worse than this year's budget and they hired this coach with no teaching duties. Unless somebody quits, the district is going to have to fire somebody or let somebody go. The morale of the staff has gone way down. Everybody's wondering who's going to be cut next to make room for friends of somebody on the school board.

Brave and valiant

OUR LOYAL, volunteer soldiers are bravely fighting terrorists and their sponsors. These valiant men and women are defending their loved ones at home and their country. When attacked, brave men answer the challenge, as President Bush has proven with his leadership qualities. Brave men do not whine and try to find an excuse to evade their responsibilities.

Comparing Korea

I WOULD have been proud if I'd been in Iraq and the president come to share a Thanksgiving meal with me. When we were in Korea, President Truman never came over, and he didn't speak too highly of the war. He said it was little more than a square dance. When he fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur, morale went down in Korea. The war turned out just like MacArthur said it would: a stalemate. And we have had the expense of keeping people over there ever since. Sometimes we lost 100 men a day in Korea. Now people are squawking about losing one or two in Iraq. One or two deaths is bad, but over 50,000 people were killed in Korea, and it was for nothing.