Speak Out 2/14/06

Thanks, school janitors

I WANT to thank all the janitors at all schools throughout this area. They are doing a wonderful job at keeping schools nice and clean. I don't think they get the credit they deserve. Thanks.

Unseasonable attire

I HAVE to say to the silly people who wear shorts and short-sleeve shirts in this weather: Just imagine you are at a Fourth of July celebration and it's 92 degrees and someone shows up in a snowsuit, heavy boots and a wool hat. That just doesn't fit, does it?

Horse manure

IF ANYBODY can tell me the difference between horse manure and the Medicare drug plan, I would be happy to know what it is. I just talked to the pharmacy that I use. The pharmacy doesn't know what the premium will be for the coverage. I tried to call the carrier. I went through all the rigmarole of punching the buttons, and I finally was informed the wait would be 40 minutes or longer. If that's the best our government can do, God help us.

Liberty and safety

I'M SO tired of hearing the "They that give up liberty to obtain safety deserve neither" quote. If people who say this had children who were about to be murdered, would they give up a little liberty to save their lives? If not, they're either brutal or stupid.

Spying on our enemies

I WISH the news media would stop using the term "domestic spying" to define the NSA communications surveillance program. Either that or name an American citizen who has been surveilled. If all these Americans are having their rights violated, let's get them into court to testify. It's not going to happen, because the people being spied upon are either foreign nationals or traitors who are agents of countries and organizations that wish to do us harm and have declared publicly that they are at war with the United States. There are no physical wiretaps. The NSA is monitoring incoming and outgoing communications, using computers to search for key words and following up if there is a reason. Do you really think that in the 3 to 5 minutes these conversations last there would be time to get a warrant?

Pleased with protection

AS A resident of Oran, I'm fed up with the rash of ignorance that has plagued our small town. I can't imagine someone complaining about enforcing the law. Aren't the police here to protect us and keep our kids safe? I was raised in a small town with no police patrol. Let's be thankful we have this much. We should shake the hands that may have saved our kids from harm. It's time for a reality check.

Wrong to sell bonds

I AGREE with House Speaker Rod Jetton that the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents acted irresponsibly several years ago in approving bonds to finance the River Campus. That approval should not have been granted until the state legislature gave its OK. Now the financial burden will be placed on the students in the form of increased tuition. SEMO President Ken Dobbins defends the action and says our local legislators did not raise objections at the time. That was not their job. Such comments by President Dobbins are certainly counterproductive in maintaining credibility with the legislature.

Loss of freedom

REMEMBER WHEN U. S. citizens had freedom of speech and expression? These days we are supposed to keep our mouths shut and accept all the hogwash this administration is tossing our way. I don't know about you, but I am having grave concerns about this.

Burden on students

WAY TO go Dr. Ken Dobbins and Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents. Not only do Southeast students have to pay for a new aquatic center, they may be saddled with paying for the River Campus too.

Road caution

OUR CURVY, hilly county roads are filled with blind spots. Please don't make these driving conditions more dangerous by driving in the middle of the road.

Dig deeper

I WOULD like the newspaper to have gone more deeply into the legalities of what the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents did for the funding of the River Campus other than House Speaker Rod Jetton's word that it was wrong. That doesn't count much with me from a man who thinks he doesn't have to let the taxpayers know who he gets his perks and trips from. He isn't the most qualified person to be telling the university how to operate ethically.

President needs to go

THREE CHEERS to House Speaker Rod Jetton for demanding the ouster of three Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents members. How about asking for the resignation of university president Ken Dobbins also? Without Dobbins' approval, the board would not have gone ahead with its ill-advised funding scheme.

Love the publicity

WHEN ARE you going to stop putting Cairo on the front page? Do you not realize that some of those people love the publicity and will keep this going on forever?

Fiscal sense

I CAN understand how Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton thinks those three regents should resign. They make about as much fiscal sense as going with the bond issue before they had state funding as it would building a house on land you didn't own -- but you're hoping the guy who owns the land will sell it to you.

Regents should resign

AS USUAL, Rod Jetton is correct. The members of the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents who voted to start construction of the River Campus with no visible means of financial support ought to be asked to resign from the board. But on the other hand, it's not very diplomatic to ask them.

Hiding spot?

AFTER READING about House Speaker Rod Jetton's request that three Southeast Missouri State University regents resign, I understand why he needed an office in a vault.

They should resign

I SEE where House Speaker Rod Jetton has called for the resignation of three Southeast Missouri State University regents because of the bond situation. I applaud him and anybody else who stands up for what is right. University president Ken Dobbins along with the regents should all resign. They were wrong. Now the university plans to raise student fees. All of them need to resign so new leadership can run this school properly. My wife and I are SEMO alumni, and we feel strongly about this.

On the bandwagon

I HAVE never been a Rod Jetton fan, but after reading his position concerning the financing of the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus, I may get on the Jetton bandwagon.

Cartoon facts

THANK YOU for printing the cartoons of Don Greenwood. Since the demise of Roy Smith and Thad Bullock, many of us were wondering who was going to take up the torch for the hard left in the cafe society, the downtown liberal contingent, and we're glad to see Mr. Greenwood do this. In his latest cartoon, we see a bully pulling a house away from a little girl, and we learn about eminent domain. Mr. Greenwood is a little light on the facts. The bully should be the government. That's who took it away, and the government gives it to other people to make more money, empowered by Mr. Greenwood's liberal members of the Supreme Court.

Poor business decision

THE THREE Southeast Missouri State University regents should resign immediately. There's no reason students should have to pay for the mistake the regents made. They made a poor business decision. We can do without them.

Protecting our money

CONGRATULATIONS TO House Speaker Rod Jetton for doing the right thing and standing up to years of business as usual. It's time to clean up all areas in which public money is spent.