Speak Out 12/10/03

Police pay is too low

CAPE GIRARDEAU cannot hire nor keep highly qualified college-educated officers due to the extreme low pay when compared to other police departments. I'm amazed by how many people complain about the police and say our officers aren't as professional or efficient as they should be. Think about it. When a city pays its officers 17 percent less than other similar-sized cities and forces officers to work short-handed and with out-of-date equipment, it's going to be difficult for officers to keep up with calls or be very happy about their situation. Remember, you get what you pay for. If you want a better police department, provide enough pay to attract better officers.

Erasing Christ

I AM shocked at the rate at which we are getting rid of any mention of God or Christ. Cities are taking Christ out of Christmas. Schools are taking the word Christmas out of songs. The British Red Cross is forbidding the placement of Christian symbols on their decorations. When are we Christians going to wake up and stop this insanity?

Ethanol is same price

I AM from Cape Girardeau but am currently living in North Dakota. I read the Southeast Missourian online every day, and Speak Out is always my first stop. I was reading about the ethanol plant. The person who stated that adding ethanol to gasoline would raise the price was wrong. Up here, they add ethanol to gas already, and it raises 87 octane gas to 89 and does not cost one penny more. I have not heard of any problems as far it damaging your vehicles. I use it in my new fuel-injected vehicle, and it does not pose a problem. I'm sure if they believed it did pose a hazard to fuel-injected automobiles though, there would be some type of alert at the pump.

Fixing the problem

THERE'S NOTHING preposterous about being in Iraq. We have a mission to do. We will complete that mission. Saddam is not dead. If he could rally people once, he may do it again. While al-Qaida is still a threat, Saddam is still a problem. We have to take care of the problem.

Fun night at school

I JUST wanted to say what a wonderful time my family had at Franklin Elementary School. The PTA and the school put together a wonderful family evening of making gingerbread houses and Christmas ornaments. It's so nice to have Mrs. Dunham and her staff and a great school that our kids can go to. My family really enjoyed it.

Police deserve better

I JUST read in the Southeast Missourian about the wages the policemen make in Cape Girardeau. I couldn't believe it. It is a shame and disgrace to pay good law officers those kind of wages in any town. There is a lot of money wasted on other things. Cape could pay better wages for the police department. I thank God for good police, sheriff's deputies and highway patrolmen and pray for their safety.

Can't hear the screams

IF PRESIDENT Clinton and his administration had pulled half the stunts this administration has, you Republicans would be screaming your heads off.