Speak Out 2/17/06

Signing up for war

IT'S CORRECT that soldiers have no choice about being sent to a war zone. However, a statement saying that National Guard (or any other military branch) units did not volunteer to go to Iraq is not correct. When these men and women sign up, they are not signing up for safe jobs in safe places. They know full well their future duties might include fighting in a war zone. If they cannot accept what may be the bad with the good, they should not be in the military.

Picking up trash

THERE ARE lots of inconsiderate people in this world who are too lazy to deposit trash in the right places. They would rather toss it out their car windows in the country, degrading the land. I have started going out on Tuesdays to pick up trash. I pick up until I'm tired. I'm 64. I've kept up on 4 miles so far, which takes about 2 1/2 hours. I extend the route each time I go out, because there is less to pick up each time. I have picked up two tires, a skeleton of a deer (spine and back legs) a bag of bones with fur, two mufflers, a toilet tank, lots of bottles and plain trash. What makes me mad is that by the time I deposit a truckload and head home, people have already tossed more junk out along the road. The people who live along the road have to look at the mess. It would be wonderful if we all carried a plastic sack with us and stopped for a few minutes to pick up what others have tossed. And it's good exercise too. At times it doesn't seem like I'm doing much, but I feel good about it. That's all that counts.

Project's timeline

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University president Ken Dobbins and the board of regents deserve praise for saving the taxpayers of this area money in starting the River Campus construction given the timeline of state support. Private, local and university money was already in place. And the legislature had appropriated the funds only to have them withheld because of fiscal tightness. Throughout this period, state legislators expressed their support of this project. Now that the funds are available, though, some of them want to hold up the money until the university buckles to outrageous demands. That's blackmail, and House Speaker Rod Jetton should be ashamed. As for all those people who say Jetton is right, I'm glad you prefer to see the University of Missouri received $90 million while our university receives nothing. Jetton isn't saving money. He's supporting it being spent elsewhere.

Don't turn on the lights

WHY DID Cape Girardeau County bother to install lights in Klaus Park if Jackson decides it's illegal to be in the park after dusk?

Benefits of ethanol

SOME DRIVERS do not know that, if they drive cars that are less than 20 years old, they can burn 10 percent ethanol in their cars. Gasoline with ethanol is usually 2 or 3 cents less than regular gasoline. It's better for the environment. We don't have buy as much foreign oil. And your cars will run cleaner.

Not to worry

A SPEAK Out caller recently wondered where all the liberals are going to go now that Canada has voted in a more conservative party. As for this liberal, I'm going to China, because that's where all the jobs are, religion is outlawed and the Chinese don't spend all their time and money worrying about terrorism. But tell the caller thanks for worrying about me.

Where's the concern?

IN IRAN, a teenage girl was sentenced to be hanged for stabbing a man who was attempting to rape her. This is one of many examples of horrible abuses heaped upon women in the Muslim world where a woman is officially considered one-half of a man. Why don't we hear outcries from feminist groups? Are they so busy keeping baby killing legal that they ignore the killing of innocent adult women? Where is Amnesty International? It's more concerned about the treatment of captured terrorists than innocent victims.

Trains leave cracks

PEOPLE WHO live near the Burlington Northern track between Sikeston and Chaffee, check your home for new cracks in your ceilings and walls. Also check your foundations and basement walls for new cracks. The trains are causing damage to people's homes. People deserve compensation.

Time for wedge issues

IT'S AN election year, time for politicians to pull wedge issues out of the closet, dust them off and put them out center stage so they can divide our country. I wonder if voters will have the courage to vote the way they honestly feel or if they'll just vote the way their preacher tells them to.

Look in the mirror

DAVID LIMBAUGH wanted to know who would be upset at having a telephone conversation secretly listened to by this administration. If he would look in the mirror, he would see someone who would be up in arms if the Clinton administration had listened to his telephone conversations as someone they thought might be a threat to the country.

Alaskan example

AS ONE might expect, the good citizens of Lesterville, Mo., and the surrounding area assisted the family that was swept away by the rushing waters of the Taum Sauk dam break. Now the cleanup is underway to restore Johnson's Shut-ins State Park. I hope Ameren will be accountable for all of these costs since the dam is its responsibility. If you think that this can go the wrong way, look to Alaska and see what Exxon has done -- or, I should say, not done -- regarding their oil spill several years ago. This is the same company that had the largest quarterly profit of any company in U.S. history.

Travel expenses

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University has a business college. Has anybody figured out the annual expenses for moving students back and forth to the River Campus and for having patrolmen and security down at the River Campus? The expenses every year will drive up the cost of tuition.

Disagreeable lot

MOST OF us who think for ourselves disagree with Democrats and Republicans at times. The Southeast Missourian and the Limbaugh boys are determined to condemn anyone disagreeing with them or our president. I thought they believed in freedom.