Speak Out 12/12/03

Good for Dobbins

I SAY hats off to Ken Dobbins and too bad for these malcontent professors. Dobbins is trying to take Southeast Missouri State University back to where it used to be when SEMO graduates were not too good to do manual labor. Let Mizzou, Rolla and SIU educate the bosses. SEMO graduates need to have strong backs.

Winter decorations

AH, THE winter months in Cape Girardeau. Like magic, plastic cups and plastic bottles bloom from the ditches and along the curbs. Maybe Cape should change its nickname from "City of Roses" to "City of Litterers."

Downtown holidays

I WOULD like to commend the downtown merchants who participated in the downtown open house events. I haven't shopped downtown in several years, and it was nice to see the new shops and nice attitudes at the stores. It really had an old-time Christmas feel to it.

Measuring dissent

THE DIFFERENCE between constructive and damaging dissent is that the former agrees and the latter disagrees with a point of view you favor.

Do not forward

TO THE people saying we should pay for the seniors bills: Please put your names and addresses in the paper so the bills can be sent to you.

In poor taste

I AM very disappointed to learn that a corporate symbol of the world's largest brewer will be a part of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge dedication. Anheuser Busch using a Department of Transportation ceremony to promote their alcoholic beverages? Does anyone else see the irony in this? What's really ironic is that on this very site hundreds of alcohol-related accidents have occurred over the years linking Missouri and Illinois. The people of Missouri and Illinois deserve better than this. Shame on MoDOT and IDOT for allowing this cleverly disguised alcohol advertising at the dedication of a beautiful new bridge.

Don't manipulate us

LAST SPRING Cape Girardeau taxpayers told City Hall they did not want to pay more taxes. Either City Hall chooses not to listen, or officials are just plain arrogant. City Hall is using scare tactics to show how bad off our police and fire departments are. This shows an inability or unwillingness to manage city affairs as taxpayers want them managed. Sometimes officials act as if they don't work for the public. City Hall officials act as if they know what is best for the public no matter how they vote. Please, mayor and city council, serve the people. Listen to the people. Manage the city the way the public wants. Don't manipulate the taxpayers.

Hating authority

TO THE person who said he has no respect for police officers or firemen: I worked in Menard Correctional Center and can tell you a lot of people I used to guard are in agreement with him. That's why they were there. They had bad attitudes toward authority and they hated prison guards.

Hiding assets

I DON'T think senior citizens should be put out of their homes, but they should not be able to hide assets so they can leave something for their kids and then go on public welfare. That just isn't right. The taxpayer has no obligation whatsoever to insure someone who is able to leave an inheritance. That is not proper anyway you look at it.