Speak Out 3/10/05

Inspiration to all

THANK YOU to the Bank of Missouri for collecting donations for Kelly McLendon. Kelly's story is an inspiration for all of us. I encourage those who are able to make a donation to help make Kelly's dream of going to college come true.

Need better music

RIGHT NOW there aren't any really talented bands. There are all these punk bands that only play five chords and make millions because they are pretty boys. Then there's all this pop music that takes no talent and has edited voices. There's hip hop -- these guys don't even take the time to write their own music. What happened to the good days of Motley Crue and Van Halen? We need people to put more time into their music and learn what they are doing.

Too much litter

JOE SULLIVAN'S column on littering was so right. This town has a serious littering problem that needs to be addressed. It is just unbelievable, especially out by Sam's and Wal-Mart. When you live on a busy street, your front yard is used for dumping. People who litter should be ashamed of themselves, but if they were, the trashing of Cape would stop, wouldn't it. This town has more litter than a big city I once lived in.

Afraid of children

I USED to live across the street from a family who thought it was best to let teenagers drink at home. What they didn't foresee was that the kids didn't stop at the door. Drinking at home does not solve the drunken driving problem. Do the parents open up the bedrooms to teenage sex? If you think they're going to do it anyway, then it applies to both sex and drinking. It's a parent's job to teach children the truth: They can have way more fun without the booze, it's against the law and it's not cool. Tell them no. You might be surprised at the results. Too many adults are afraid of their children.

University's impact

I AM so tired of people complaining about the university and how it spends its money. Most of the time the university has no choice when it comes to situations like this. Money is often donated by community members or alumni for projects such as the new entrance on Henderson Avenue. The university has to use the money for the designated project. College students and the university bring more money to Cape Girardeau. I guarantee if the university were not in Cape that there would be half as many restaurants and stores.

Give them new roles

I DON'T know if you ran those Sunday front-page stories side by side to get us thinking, but if you did, it sure had the desired effect with me. We could solve two problems quickly. Waive Callie Clark Miller's (she wrote about the trials and tribulations of being a substitute teacher) residency requirement if she doesn't live in Ward 3 and convince her to run for the city council. She'd make a darn good representative. Then waive the "no felons as school teachers" rule and allow Ward 3 city council candidates Todd McBride and Stan Wicks to be substitute teachers. They'd keep those kids in line.

American theocracy

THE NEW World colonists came here to establish their religion, for which they had been persecuted in the Old World, as the official religion of their colony. Those on the extreme right would like to re-establish a colonial-like theocratic America.

Above evaluations

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS should not have to be subject to evaluation by the public. They have already established their mettle. It would be superfluous and a waste of time. They're above it.

Help prevent injuries

I WOULD like to know why the city does not repair the huge potholes at Doctors' Park. There are several that are just tremendous. I have a medium-size car, and I believe I damaged my tie rod. The weather is warm enough to get those streets repaired.

No joy for thief

TO THE person who stole my ceramic sun face out of my front yard: I hope you enjoy it as much as I and people who passed by on the street did. But it's hard for me to believe that a thief can enjoy anything in this life.

Rally against litter

OBVIOUSLY THERE are people traveling along Greensferry Road in Jackson who have no regard for human decency. The areas just before and after the city limit sign have degenerated over the past month to little more than a playground for idiots who are serial trash dumpers. There has been one jerk who has thrown out over 30 soda cups. Last week, someone tossed out a large cardboard box with two large orange pipe containers. Today I came home to a 40-gallon water heater discarded in a ditch. Don't tell me to pick it up myself. People who do this kind of stuff are breaking the law and should be punished. If the Jackson police or the sheriff won't do something, then I will. I'm retired, I've got the time. I've had enough. Remember in the 1950s when Missouri was the laughing stock of the entire country? They said that at night "roads shined like beer cans on a Missouri highway." Looks like we're trying to win that dubious honor again. Not in my neighborhood.

Its time has come

ALAN GREENSPAN is endorsing a national sales tax and tax simplification. Both are really good ideas, but let's talk about the national sales tax. Right now there are lots of people who don't pay income taxes because they just don't file: illegal aliens, drug dealers, people who just cheat on their income taxes. All those people would get to pay sales taxes every time they go to the grocery store, so it would help a lot to have everybody pay taxes and maybe we wouldn't have to pay so much. This is an idea whose time has come, I endorse it.

Cleaning up litter

I WOULD like to say hooray for the city's decision to use the city prisoners to do some cleanup. We welcome their help in trying to make Cape Girardeau the beautiful place it can be. I suggest they also try cleaning up along Hawthorne Drive. Thank you, city, for putting to work persons who are available.

Chilly impact

KUDOS for the editorial on the Supreme Court death-sentence ruling. Talk about a classic case of educated idiots throwing common sense to the wind. I predict a chilly impact for the Columbine copycats who now will figure, "Hey, if I can survive the SWAT team, the state will support me for the rest of my natural life."

Wrong message

I THINK the death penalty is a deterrent even to minors. The day after the Supreme Court said no death penalty for juveniles, a 14-year-old shoots his bus driver. It seems that sent a message to this young man that he could get away with something for no good reason.

Pickup trash

I JUST read Joe Sullivan's column about littering. He forgot one group of people: those guys who drive pickups. They put all their trash in the back and let it blow out. Get 'em, guy.

He's wrong again

I WAS reading about George W. Bush running for Congress and being defeated in 1978. He said Social Security would be bankrupt in 10 years. He was wrong then, and I think he's wrong now. Bill Frist had surplus money after he ran for the Senate and invested it. Today it has $440,000 less value. There could be a lesson in this.