Speak Out 2/15/06

Headed for problems

I THINK some parents need to take a stronger stand with their children's interests and behavior. I was appalled when I had to take my grandson to a doctor's appointment and a mother came in with her two older boys and allowed them to take over the small waiting room. The mother buried her face in a book and occasionally asked them to stop. The rowdiest boy acted like she didn't exist. When she finally got him off the floor, he threw a tantrum. I can see this child headed for run-ins with authority.

No guard, easy escape

MAN COMMITS crime. Man is arrested. Man is in jail. Man does not post bail. Man still in jail. Man needs doctor. Man goes to hospital. Man gets left at hospital without guard. Man walks out. Am I the only one who wonders why somebody who needs to be in jail waiting for trial gets to go to the hospital without a guard?

Swinging away

YOU HAVE to give Cape Girardeau credit. The city loves to mess with streets and traffic flow. Unfortunately, it isn't very good at it. From the roundabout to the Mount Auburn Road-Independence Street intersection, the city keeps swinging away. I hope it eventually hits a home run.

University excess

IS SUPPORT House Speaker Rod Jetton's stance on the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus. He is holding those responsible for that mess to task. I am a graduate and grad student of the university, and I am against having the River Campus paid for by taxpayers or for students to be saddled with the expense. Waste and overspending are instilled in each department. The university needs to cut the fat like everyone.

Silencing expression

WHILE SOME Muslims may be incorrectly resorting to violence to protest offensive cartoons, their goal is no different than that of the Christian right in this country: to silence any artistic expression that offends them. We have our own fundamentalist movement here at home that is undoing the First Amendment. Just because it's nonviolent does not make it right.

Protecting grants

SEVERAL YEARS ago, while employed in the atmospheric sciences department at a major Illinois university, the academics and meteorologists encouraged students to convince everyone that global warming is valid because, as they said, it would bring in more grant and research money. The bottom line: Global warming is a fallacy, but if the public could be convinced that it were real, then more power to them.

Constant complainers

WHEN YOUR house catches fire and the fire station close to you had to be closed because it was no longer safe to house ancient equipment, your cry will be, "Why didn't they build a new fire station and get new equipment?" I believe the city can do no right for some people. If they don't complain, they aren't happy.

Show civic pride

IT'S A shame when Cape Girardeau leaders try to do something to instill pride in the community, such as the beautification along I-55, that same community nitpicks it. What have you done lately to show pride in your city?

Dangerous platitudes

COMMENTS SUCH as "If you're not doing anything wrong, you would have nothing to fear" regarding drug testing and phone tapping are platitudes that are dangerous. For a country known for its freedom, America certainly is heading in the direction of total disaster where personal freedoms are concerned. When it comes time for government to place video cameras and recorders in your homes, will you use the same argument?

Tracy Street drugs

I CHALLENGE the Jackson Police Department to do something about the drug activity on Tracy Street involving minors. You know about it and continue to do nothing.

Awesome facility

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University President Ken Dobbins is working hard to give Cape Girardeau an awesome facility: the River Campus. Even if some don't appreciate it now, I guarantee that in 20 years the city will be happy to have such a wonderful landmark.

Too many prescriptions

WHILE READING Sunday's article about the Medicaid cuts and the increasingly high out-of-pocket medical expenses, I thought of the many senior citizens I know. Almost all of them take a dozen or so prescription drugs, and these drugs are horribly expensive. Are all these medications really necessary? And why are doctors today so eager to attack our problems with pills and medications?

Time for change

THE SOUTHEAST Missouri State University leadership has a long history of making arrogant and irresponsible decisions that continue to increase tuition. The fountains, River Campus and aquatic center continue to confound the local area. The country needs students schooled in math and science. What type of expertise will the River Campus develop? I applaud House Speaker Rod Jetton and state Sen. Jason Crowell for shining a light on this incompetent SEMO leadership. I have three members of my immediate family going to SEMO. I know plenty about the waste, incompetent instructors and rising tuition. Does anyone really think a SEMO degree is comparable to one from Mizzou? It's time for a change.

False complaint

STUDENT TEST scores are not failing across the board. In fact, there has been substantial improvement in some areas. Failed education achievement has become a false and tiresome complaint of those who like to pick on the youths.

Bucket of sand

DOES IT surprise anyone that the U.S. is being held responsible for the cartoons that a Danish paper published? Does it surprise anyone that instead of the Muslims calming down, everything is being done to inflame them? Are the liberals of this country still willing to allow terrorists the right to do whatever they want without being watched? If your answer is yes, I suggest the bucket of sand your head is stuck in be removed.