Speak Out 12/11/11

Jackson parade

I must say that the Jackson Christmas parade was another big success this year, and I believe it's bigger and better than it ever was. And this was only my second time that I was actually in the parade. I didn't realize there were so many people in Jackson and all the welcoming and smiling faces. I thank you, you made my day. Merry Christmas.

Crowe's cartoon

TAYLOR Crowe's editorial cartoon was absolutely fantastic. Congratulations, Taylor.

Cape Splash lights

I was down by Cape Splash the other night and saw the Christmas lights and they look great. My 2 1/2-year-old daughter thought they were amazing. Thank you to the city of Cape Girardeau for putting that together.

Parking lot

I am the part of the community that is mad that Trinity Lutheran purchased the historical building on Broadway only to tear it down to make room for, of all things, a parking lot.

TV, radio ratings

IF you want to know what kind of state our country is in, just look at the programming and emphasis marks on TV and radio. Check all the stations.

Dress code

The issues at hand for Central Junior and Senior high schools cannot be solved by a switch to uniforms. This would instead exacerbate the problems students already face. More than 9 percent of families in Cape Girardeau live below the poverty line, and more than 30 percent of families with children subsist on a household income of less than $30,000 per year. Sixty-three percent of Cape Girardeau students are eligible for free or reduced lunches. This has risen even since I graduated from Central High School, as has the crime rate in the city. So our way of solving their disciplinary issues -- which are but symptoms of a much deeper socioeconomically inflicted brokenness -- is to force their already struggling families to buy more clothes?

Class warfare

IN 55 years I have never seen a president invoke such a state of class warfare in order to get his liberal Robin Hood mentality shoved down everyone's throats. In a time when we should be uniting, Obama continually tries to escalate this type of warfare in the name of getting re-elected.