Speak Out 12/31/04

Medicaid works

YOU THINK Medicaid doesn't work? Try telling that to a single parent trying to live on one income. Tell that to a married couple with three children and two or three minimum-wage jobs. Tell that to the person who lost his job because the company he worked for has gone out of business. Those of you who say Medicaid doesn't work should just be honest and say, "I'm a greedy, heartless, selfish individual who thinks that everyone should just be left to fend for himself -- unless you are very wealthy."

No bills, no checks

WHERE IS my mail a week later? I am still waiting. The mail carriers go where they want to go and forget those of us who need our paychecks for bills. I can't tell the water company or electric company that I can't pay them because my mail hasn't been delivered in a week.

Jackson's snow removal

I'D LIKE to express my disappointment in Jackson's effort at snow removal. There was only an 8-foot snow-covered path on our city street for four days. When I ventured out of the city limits, the county roads was almost completely clear as soon as I passed the city limits sign. Way to go, Cape Girardeau County road crew.

Observing holidays

IT'S SAD that so many people are down on Christians because they refer to their holidays as Christmas and Easter. They are afraid of offending people who do not believe in these religious holidays. Well, tough. You don't mind reaping the benefits of the time off for these Christian holidays. If you really don't believe in these, go to work on those holidays. Say what you want. Believe what you want. But Christmas is a day set aside to acknowledge the birth of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Easter is a day set aside to acknowledge the resurrection of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Not fighting in the U.S.

I TOO watched in horror as images of the dining-facility attack in Mosul streamed across the various forms of media. Equal to my horror and disgust of those images is the outright sorrow I have for my fellow Americans who think the war in Iraq is unnecessary or unjust. Terrorists are here, and we're killing them and their fighters on non-U.S. soil. How can you be blind to the fact that we are fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq instead of in New York and Pennsylvania? I am neither your son nor your daughter, so don't speak on my behalf. Have the integrity to speak your opinions using yourself as justification, not America's sons and daughters in uniform. Those of us in uniform volunteered to defend the interests of the United States.

University ratings

IT IS understandable that someone from Cape Girardeau believes that Southeast Missouri State University is on par with Truman State University and Southwest Missouri State University. In fact, the latter both have national reputations, while hardly anyone has heard of SEMO who is not from Missouri. As for enrollment and number of majors, Truman State's consistent rankings in U.S. News and World Report magazine indicates that in higher education, quality is more important than quantity.

Not in public

WHERE'S EVERYONE'S common courtesy? Why do people find it necessary to blow their nose while eating at a restaurant? Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners? Some people cannot stand that. It's common courtesy and manners to use the restroom. Do not blow your nose in public at an eating place. That's rude.

Thanks, neighbors

THANK YOU, Mr. Craft, for clearing my drive. Thank you, Mr. Crites, for pulling me out of the ditch.

Disgraceful work

STREET CREWS on Hopper Road have done a lousy job. It's a week after the storm and Hopper is still not clean. This is a disgrace.