SPEAK OUT

Private activity

FURTHER THOUGHTS on America's drug war: How many lives and futures must be destroyed by the continuation of an ill-focused, losing battle? I'm not defending the rights of violent drug traffickers. I'm speaking on behalf of good people who are being jailed for making the personal choice of smoking marijuana grown and smoked within the privacy of their own homes. Marijuana users have been demonized and stereotyped as irresponsible leeches to society. Over 1 million people smoke marijuana in America today. These are businessmen, public servants and good citizens who earn a fair day's wage and carry the weight of the ridiculous tax burden we all share.

Angry for four years

CALL ME a sore loser or a sore winner. Whichever I am, I am as angry as can be, and it will take me four years to get over it.

Make it specific

WHEN THEY talk about the failure of the 15-year road plan, no one seems to know that only 19 percent of that money raised by the gas-tax increase was used for roads and bridges. Eighty-one percent was used for other things the politicians wanted. What's the use of passing another increase when they'll siphon most of that money for something else instead of roads and bridges? Let's pass a road and bridge tax and not attach everything else to it. This is misleading the people, and I don't like people lying to me.

Discourteous shoppers

I WAS out shopping today. Talk about rude people walking right out in front of you, stopping in front of you, not moving because they're standing there talking. People like that just don't have any conscience at all. People in this town lack so many courtesies. They have no respect for other people, and it's really annoying.

Simple concept

I'VE BEEN reading all the comments concerning the roundabout with total amazement. Anyone with normal intelligence and motor skills should be able to navigate a simple roundabout. After all, it's not a new concept. There are towns all over the world that use this type of intersection.

Self-congratulations

IT'S QUITE obvious that the person who was praising the roundabout was someone who was involved in its construction.

Keep to the right

IN THE course of my job, I drive back and forth between Jackson and Cape several times a day. I'm appalled at the number of people who do not realize that unless you're passing someone, you're supposed to stay in the right-hand lane. I'd really appreciate it if some law enforcement would get out there and do something about the driving on that road. People either drive really slow or they go 70 mph, and there's never any police.

Ban open burning

WHEN IS Cape Girardeau going to ban open burning? On a recent beautiful spring day, all you could smell was burning leaves everywhere in the city. You can't open your windows for fear of your home filling up with smoke. It's time for our community to step into the 21st century and ban open burning within the city limits so we can all enjoy smoke-free, clean air.

All those IOUs

I SEE that the Democrats are fighting the income-tax cut. Why don't they explain how many IOUs the Democrats have put into the Social Security Trust Fund? They're wanting to fix Social Security, but they're the ones who put Social Security down.