Speak out 12/9

Clearing the highway

I WENT to Cape Girardeau after the recent snow and ice Thursday over Highway 25. When I went from Stoddard County into Cape Girardeau County, I thought I was in a different world. In Stoddard County the highway was completely free of all ice and snow. Even the shoulders had been cleared. In Cape Girardeau County the highway had ice and snow. The only place it was cleared was where the traffic had made ruts. The stretch from Delta to Blomeyer Junction was downright dangerous. The hill east of Dutchtown was slick as glass. Why would Stoddard County roads be in so much better shape?

Understanding ratings

I DO not understand the rating system for movies. I went online to check out what is playing in Cape Girardeau. "Solaris" is rated PG-13 for sexuality and nudity. Shouldn't it be rated R?

Accidental death

I WAS shocked to see a motorist had been charged with the death of a fetus in an auto accident. How can this be? Fetuses are aborted every day. Maybe it's a crime only if you're killed accidentally.

Actions are profiled

I WOULD like to commend Dr. Chance McBride for his letter to the editor on racial profiling. If other black leaders would voice this same opinion, the black community would be much better off. It's not what color they are, it's how they're acting that is being profiled.

A strong leader

WE HAVE a strong leader in President Bush to root out radical Arabs and their cohorts. David Limbaugh's article on Iraq's disarmament and regime change spells it out perfectly. President Bush knows what he's doing and will make the terrorists pay for their evil attacks against America.

No hospitalization

I WAS getting ready for bed and noticed my heart rate was up in the 160s. My husband took me to the hospital. The doctor tried everything to get my heart rate down. He wound up giving me this high-power drug that actually stops your heart for six seconds. They had to give me the maximum dose to get my heart rate down to the 80s and 90s. I told my husband I wanted to stay in the hospital in case this happened again. He talked to my doctor, who said I was sick enough to be in the hospital. But according to my insurance, I was not sick enough to stay. Some people come in with a hangnail and are admitted for two weeks because they have Medicaid. I've worked all my life and have insurance, but with a heart rate of 160 I'm not eligible to be in the hospital.

More holiday programs

I WOULD like to know why the Show Me Center does not have more Christmas programs. The only thing they've had that I know of this year is "The Nutcracker" and country singer Neal McCoy. We need more Christmas programs for family members, whether it be homegrown Christmas programs or something else.

Not living in shed

I'M CALLING in reply to the letter that said news coverage was sensationalized and caused more grief about the fire in Dutchtown. I would like to thank that lady for her comments and say that I completely agree. I am a family member. I think it's time that people really look into it a little bit further and understand that they were not living in that shed.

A hot kitchen

THIS IS to the two Limbaugh boys. It seems kind of funny you two can get on TV and radio and in the newspaper to talk about everybody else, but when somebody talks about you, it is wrong. If you can't take it, don't dish it out. Act like Harry Truman. Either take the heat or get out of the kitchen.

Bigger car needed

I'M VERY concerned about this "what would Jesus drive?" business. Everybody seems to think he would be driving some kind of cheap Yugo. He had 12 disciples. I think he would have a SUV or a huge van. And he'd be giving people rides. He would not pass up some hitchhiker.

THE TEACHER WHO SAID she was only making $22,000 a year and taught for 22 years teaches at a Catholic school. You can teach at a Catholic school for 30 years and still not make what a starting teacher does at Jackson. Teachers have a hard way to go with all the students and everything. It would be nice if the Catholic schools would pay more, but at this time they do not.

A silly proposition

IN RESPONSE to the article "Gymnastics at Southeast put in doubt by Title IX guidelines": This sounds like a silly method to round out Southeast Missouri State University within the sponsored sports of the all-mighty Ohio Valley Conference. I would recommend that the other women's sports (athletes and staff) at Southeast take a gander at the unfair treatment of the university as it pertains to equal opportunities for women. Furthermore, I would like to remind the administrators that they are dealing with far more than just numbers.

Do something nice

PEOPLE ARE destroying the snowmen that our children built and our Christmas decorations. Why? If you have that much time on your hands, maybe you need to do something nice for someone.