Speak Out 12/2/06

Oversold parking

MY DAUGHTER went to Southeast Missouri State University and got several parking tickets, even though she had a parking permit. The university oversells parking spaces. Students who can't park in their assigned lot because it's full go to another parking lot, and they get tickets. I think this should be straightened out. Southeast has made lots of money over the years on students who have purchased parking permits. This should be against the law. The university should refund parking fines to students with permits.

National health

IT'S TIME to have a national health-care program like other industrialized countries and control drug prices like they do. We pay a lot more for our health care than any of the industrialized countries. We keep saying we don't want socialized medicine. We're too dumb to know what we have is worse than nothing. We pay for the development of drugs, and the rest of the countries get the benefit. That is asinine.

In the spirit

THE CHRISTMAS Parade of Lights was a beautiful parade. It put me in the Christmas spirit. Bravo, and merry Christmas to everybody.

Downtown restrooms

DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS are trying to get people to shop and eat. But downtown needs public restroom bathrooms. There are none, so you have to leave the area. Please look into having some clean public restrooms for the downtown area.

Reasons to burn

WE BURN leaves because the city does a poor job of picking them up. And leaf burning renews the soil and plant life.

Time to get out

THE UNITED States has approximately 139,000 troops in Iraq. Our buddies, the British, have 7,000 troops in Iraq, and they're going to move some of them out. Why don't we do the same thing? I heard that Poland is bailing out. What are we doing in Iraq? Get out.

Thanks for purse

I LEFT my purse in a Wal-Mart shopping cart in Jackson. I am so grateful to the person who took it inside. God bless that person. Thank you so much.

Noisy stereo

I LIVE in Jackson. There is a white sport utility vehicle driven by a young man that goes by my home every day with a loud stereo that rattles my windows. I've also been awakened by this at various times throughout night. This may very well be a fine young person who will grow up to be considerate of others, but if this continues, I am going to get his license-plate number and sign a complaint for peace disturbance.

Students won't walk

I WENT to a university that has more than 40,000 students. We walked everywhere, to classes and to where we lived, and it didn't hurt us a bit. Students today act like a bunch of pansies.

Gun training

CONCEAL-CARRY gun permit holders in Missouri are some of the most law-abiding citizens there are. Not only is there a background check before you can purchase a handgun, we must also undergo training, shooting qualification, more background checks (including an FBI check) and fingerprinting. Permit holders have been educated on the laws regarding legal use of force and know when it is legal and appropriate to use that force. In Missouri that only relates to when I am in imminent danger for my life and doesn't include if someone is mugging you. I feel safer knowing there are people like myself who have taken the time and the responsibility of legally carrying a handgun for self-defense.

Problems in Oran

I DON'T know who's trying to paint a rosy picture of Oran since we lost our police force, but you should listen to the police scanner and find out what's really going on. We've had everything from drive-by gun firings to domestic violence.

Paying teachers

JUDGES NEED more money? What about every other profession in Southeast Missouri that is underpaid, especially teachers? Making $20,000 to $30,000 year, they put in just as much time, if not more, into their work educating your kids. The richer the rich, the poorer the poor. If you want money, become a rock star.

Too many permits

GRANTED, STUDENTS should not park where they are not supposed to. But I think it is Southeast Missouri State University that should be given a lesson on proper parking. I had to pay for my parking, which was in one of the closer lots. Often there were no spaces for me when I arrived at the university. All of the spaces had cars with proper stickers. The university gave out more permits than there were parking spaces. If you ever visit the campus, there is no place to park.

Misplaced blame

ONCE AGAIN, public schools are being blamed for issues that they have no control over. The recent debacle regarding the poor MAP scores and the transferring of students runs deeper than the administration in any school district. The governing body for public schools in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, does not have its act together. DESE mandates actions that school districts must comply with within a particular time frame or face retribution from the state. After school districts have complied with the mandate from DESE, it decides the mandate needs tweaking. Then it's the school district's responsibility to scramble to fulfill the new mandate while picking up the pieces from the old mandate, all the time being yelled at by the public, which does not have all the information to place blame. Go ahead and blame the teachers, administrators and everyone else who is not responsible for these messes. You blame them for everything else that's wrong with the world.

Open adoptions

BEING ADOPTED, I know the pain and confusion a child can feel not having any answers about why they were given up, medical issues and many other things. It is selfish to say adoptive parents do not want to share their child. This should all be the adopted child's choice. I chose to search for my biological mother. I only spoke to her once, but I got most of the answers that had haunted me my entire life. I am so appreciative of my adoptive parents' support and understanding. I am all for open adoptions. Had I had all the information I craved earlier in life, it would have saved much pain mentally and emotionally.