Speak Out 12/23/08

Good message

A BIG thank you to the youths and directors of New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson for the wonderful Christmas program "Hotel Bethlehem." You all did a great job. Keep up the good work. It was such a good message and blessing.

Support for athletics

SOME BASIC truths about the intercollegiate athletic program at Southeast Missouri State University deserve attention, especially in view of possible university budget cuts. The athletic program offers positive benefits for two groups: the student-athletes who compete and the fans who are entertained. Some will argue that the athletic program adds to the prestige of the university as a whole, a debatable point. All parties can agree that the athletic program does not pay for itself. For the vast majority of Southeast students, the money spent on athletics compromises the quality of their education. Every dollar that goes to sports means more outdated laboratories, fewer library hours, large classes and more part-time instructors. The new athletic director, John Shafer, seems to understand that if the public wants to be entertained by sports, it must stand behind the program with financial contributions. Let's hope that nonstudent Southeast fans will support the athletic program to the same degree as fans at Auburn, Ole Miss and Georgia.

Hit and run

A FEW weeks ago my daughter and her friend were in a car that was hit while driving home from a function at Central High School. They were traveling north on Mount Auburn Road at the Highway 74 intersection. The light turned green, and they began to go through the intersection when a red car traveling westbound ran the red light at high speed. Luckily, my daughter slammed on the brakes and avoided a collision. The red car grazed her car and caused about $4,000 in damage. The red car did not stop. My daughter's car has been repaired, and the girls avoided what could have been a collision with injuries. It disappoints me that the driver of the red car didn't feel the responsibility to top. Since then, I have paid closer attention at intersections. It's amazing how many people run red lights. The holidays are here. Traffic has increased. The weather is challenging. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. There are a lot of motorists talking on cell phones. I encourage everyone to make an effort to reduce their distractions while driving and put safety first. Red lights are not suggestions. Please stop at red lights. Our children are our most prized gifts from God. Let that be motivation to put safe driving.

Take action

FOR THE Jackson couple who has barking dogs: If the barking is as annoying as you claim and you've talked to the owners, take the next logical step that could lead to action. Try calling the police and asking if there is a noise ordinance in Jackson. If there is, file a complaint, and keep filing complaints until the problem is taken care of. If the family with dogs is renting, tell their landlord to do something or you will see if you can file a complaint against him as well. If Jackson has no noise or nuisance ordinance, go to the next board of aldermen meeting and ask it to consider passing one.

Dog was provoked

REGARDING the news report about the dog that attacked a boy in Sikeston: It's not the dog's fault. Any dog, I don't care if it's a pit bull or cocker spaniel, if provoked in its own domain would react much the same way. Children need to learn boundaries.

Pet responsibility

I HAVE found that people who say their dogs don't bark are the same people who think their children are perfect angels. I have dealt with barking dogs, and they will drive even the calmest person crazy. To make matters worse, the dog owners, when confronted, take it as a personal insult. I don't want our city and county governments to think they need to step in and regulate dogs, because they don't. Pets are a joy to have, but they also come with a responsibility. Owners should be responsible for their pets and must also ensure that their pets don't infringe upon other people's happiness.

Taking care of kids

SOME PARENTS are not fit or able to take care of their children. They live in deplorable conditions. As a grandparent I found out that we have no rights to save these children. The courts are unable to help much. It's not their fault, but it's the people we vote into office who need to correct this problem. We need family members like grandparents to be able to take these kids out of a bad situation and put them in our homes to take better care of them. I wish that everyone would call their legislators and demand that they take action on this matter. These children only know what they are taught, so let's not let this go on any longer.

Market approach

I HATE to tell you this, Southeast Missourian editorial board, but the reason shock and vulgarity flourish on television goes back to the days of President Reagan when the FCC decided to take a more or less laissez-faire approach to what is shown on TV and let the market decide. Is the board beginning to see the inherent dangers involved in a government hands off approach to market economics? Probably not.

Total Keynesians

AFTER READING about Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's support for spending tax money to help out the Kansas City Chiefs, I can say for sure that we're all Keynesians now, except for state Sen. Jason Crowell.

Taxing plans

A FLAT tax would be fairer than the so-called FairTax. In a flat tax, a certain amount of your income would be tax free according to the size of your family. Then you would have to pay a set tax on the rest of your income. In the FairTax, you would pay sales taxes on all you bought. The rest of your income would be tax free. Naturally, high-income people would prefer the FairTax.