Speak Out 12/5/4

Hats off to cyclists

THE MISSOURIAN should say more about the motorcycle riders. This year these men and women have given money for toys for kids who are unfortunate. They had five or six runs this year. These people with these expensive motorcycles ought to be congratulated for their community service for the city.

Cruel murder

STRANGE HOW the minds of some people work. A recent caller used the murder of an infant as grounds for supporting abortion, saying an abortion might have been less cruel. Both are murder. Both are cruel. Both end a life painfully.

Cleanup in Chaffee

THE STREETS of Chaffee not only are narrow, but the whole community is an eyesore with abandoned vehicles, trash cans and water not draining off the streets. Chaffee should clean up its act.

Keep them indoors

CATS AND wildlife don't mix. The problem with cats killing birds isn't that they're not properly fed but that their natural instinct is to kill and bring gifts to their owners. Outdoor house cats, tame or feral, are the No. 1 cause of bird fatalities in North America, killing hundreds of millions of song birds every year. Declawing and wearing bells don't help either. Bells actually attract some birds. The best thing for your birds and for the health of your cat is to keep them indoors.

Driving peeves

SAFETY SHOULD be everyone's concern, but when it's raining and dark, about one out of every eight or nine cars doesn't have its lights on. 50,000 people die every year in car wrecks. Are you going to be one? One switch turns on your car lights so do it. And what's up with the handicap cards? It says right on the card: Don't drive with card hanging from mirror. The card causes a blind spot while driving. Another pet peeve is driving when the sun is just over the horizon. I can't see the road even with sunglasses, and here comes a truck with no lights on. When I'm staring at the sun, a car with lights on is seen a lot sooner than one without lights. So turn your lights on and save a life.

Tough on criminals

I DO not believe in the death penalty for anybody. I don't care what the crime is. Every criminal, however, should be separated from us. They should have all their privileges taken away. They should be forced to grow their own food. They should be forced to do all their work or clean up after themselves.

Beautiful articles

WHAT BEAUTIFUL and compassionate articles Bob Miller wrote about the Elfrink family. He is a wonderful writer. I read every word he wrote. My best wishes and prayers are with this family.

Greatest problems

BRAVO TO Eli Fishman for his very well-written column, "Polarization and profligacy." He forcefully and accurately spells out the greatest problems America has: the mounting trade and budget deficits and the growing debts that threaten our very economic existence. If we continue along our current economic trends with these huge debts and deficits, the consequences will ultimately be realized.

Apples to apples

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Southeast Missouri districts that were recognized as high-achieving districts on the MAP test. How many of these districts have high minority populations? How many of these districts have high crime and poverty-ridden areas? How many of these districts have parents who put little or no emphasis on the importance of learning or coming to school? How many of these school districts have escalating problems with discipline? Before you condemn Cape Girardeau's schools by comparing them to others, be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Only 17 percent of all Missouri schools were awarded this distinction. I don't see any inner-city schools on that list.