Speak Out 3/14/06

Specialized voting

THIS IS in response to the comment that men should not be able to vote on abortion laws. If this absurd idea is anyone's standard of voting, then let voting on every topic be done that way. You will soon see how much thought went into that comment.

Street stripes

WHO IS in charge of making sure Cape Girardeau streets are properly striped? Whoever you are, you are doing a terrible job. Recently I was driving on William Street when it was dark and raining. The road was hard to see, and the reflection of the street lights on the wet pavement only made it worse. I found it virtually impossible to see any markings on the road that distinguished between the various lanes. In addition, there were numerous concrete structures in the road ... structures that were not marked at all. Why doesn't this major Cape thoroughfare receive No. 1 maintenance priority?

States need water

MISSOURIANS WHO think barge lines and their local economies are the only ones suffering when water is not released from the Missouri River upstream need to educate themselves. Farmers in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota are suffering from lack of water to irrigate their crops due to five years of drought. I grew up in Missouri and know how rain can fall 3 inches at a time. In the states I mentioned 13 inches of moisture a year is average. In the last five years the average has been far less than that. Businesses are already suffering in those states. The effects of the drought are moving to your area. That is how this universe works. Montana would love to have one of your rain showers that inconvenience your golf game.

Fooling the parents

I DISAGREE that teachers need to pay attention more to what is going on in the classrooms and with at-risk students. Parental environment can prevent a lot of problems, but there are some parents who are involved and believe everything that comes out of their child's mouth over the teacher's word. These students quickly get the message that they can get away with anything, because they have their parents fooled. The real world will not make excuses for their failure. It will be the parent's fault.

Misguided viewpoint

AS A gay male contributing to our society, it saddens me to see people in my own hometown still comparing gays to pedophiles. My faith in a higher power makes me optimistic that someday you'll realize how misguided you are.

Need transportation

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University students don't have transportation to shopping areas. They will have transportation to the River Campus with shuttle buses. Shuttle buses already go to other SEMO buildings that are located off the main campus. Cape Girardeau, not just the students, needs public transportation.

No safe haven

THE INTERNET is not a safe haven for sexual predators. Privacy rights stop when adults are attempting to have sex with a child.

Who really benefits?

THE PROPOSED benefits described in Matt Sanders' March 9 story, "Island shopping," sound great until one realizes that Kaskaskia, Ill., was once a peninsula, then an island and now is more or less permanently moored next to St. Mary, Mo. Island No. 10, site of a great Civil War battle, is no longer an island. There's no bad guy here, but who will truly benefit in the end? And Old Man River just keeps moving along.

No entrapment

I WAS enraged when I read the comment about police entrapping a sexual predator. The police did nothing but post a Web site and waited for a 45-year-old man to attempt to have sex with a 15-year-old girl. The person had no doubts about her age yet continued to attempt to have sex with her. The only intimidation involved came from the adult. I am proud that the Cape Girardeau police made an arrest before a child was hurt.

Abstaining is best

THE COURTS have given women the choice of killing or not killing a baby. Now a man is taking his side to court because women have the only choice. His idea is to decide if he wants to pay support for a child. I say the better choice is if you don't want to pay or to be pregnant, you should abstain from sexual activity. When you choose to have sex, you have made your choice. Perhaps the benefit of abstention is one worth teaching again.

Middle school shines

I ATTENDED family night at Central Middle School. I want to congratulate the students on doing a fine job. It was a neat program. Keep up the good work.

Fire up backhoes

I AGREE with Earl Norman about not being very happy about contractors showing up on private property and digging a sewer line without permission or easement. Just because he is not caving in to everything the city and developers want isn't necessarily unreasonable or anti-development. Cord Dombrowski is quoted as saying he could spend $60,000 to move the line. If this is what was holding up my multimillion-dollar development and 15 expensive homes from being occupied, I believe I would get out my checkbook and fire up the backhoes.

Not in flood plain

IT'S HARD to understand President Bush's desire to have New Orleans residents return home. When you live in a flood plain, the government encourages you not to rebuild after a flood. We should be discouraging rebuilding in an area that is below sea level.

They missed out

ACCORDING TO a recent comment, it was only when Christ came to earth that we were given freedom of choice. It makes me feel sorry for all those ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, Greeks and so on. Those poor folks had no free will.

Protecting life

CAN SOMEONE explain how abortion is murder, but killing inmates on death row and collateral damage in war are not? All three are state-sponsored. Yet most anti-abortionists only oppose one. Don't give me the "children are innocent" line, because a life is a life, no matter whose it is. Either stand up for all human life or stop whining.

No belts on buses

REGARDING SEAT belts on school buses: I drove a school bus for eight years in California, and I feel seat belts in school buses are not necessary. School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation on the road today. The cost of installing the seat belts would bankrupt schools and private carriers. How would you enforce the wearing of seat belts on school buses? Those who want to put seat belts in school buses need to get a license and drive bus for awhile. It wouldn't be long before they changed their tune.

Doing their job

THE CAPE Girardeau police focus on much more than seat belts. The police work hard every day trying to stop all the crime in the city, but that's impossible. The police are doing part of their job. Give them a break.

Special healing

THE BEAUTY of flowers, the beauty of delicious food and nourishing music are medicine, goodness for the soul.

More meddling, please

WE HAVE second-rate health care in the United States, and we are paying more than a first-rate price. We are paying over $3,000 a year each more than Canadians, and we have a shorter life span. If the government's meddling in the health-care system brings about that, then that's exactly what we need.

Poor judgment

ANY JUDGE who would interpret the freedom of speech amendment in such a way to include the abstract concept of money as speech is logically poor.

Belts in buses

SEAT BELTS in cars are the law. Why are we putting our children at risk in school buses without the same protection that is mandated in our personal vehicles? Please put seat belts in school buses.

High utility bills

I HAVE lots of insulation in my house, and my utility bill is still high. I believe the utility company charges you whatever it wants to. I think it should be stopped.

Animals need homes

KFVS12 did a sweet story recently about a woman adopting a dog that had been left homeless because of Hurricane Katrina. While I support all efforts to find any homeless animal a good, loving home, I don't want area residents to forget that we have a wonderful animal shelter right here in Cape Girardeau where there are hundreds of animals looking for homes. If you have an open home and heart, please give our local shelter a visit, I'm sure you'll find the perfect new furry addition to your family.

Pets train us

I ABSOLUTELY loved "A shaggy cat, and her story." It was humorous and entertaining. Cats (and dogs) seem to be able to train their owners to get attention, pampering and treats. We spoil them endlessly. This would be a terrific story to send into the series "Chicken Soup for the Soul."

Getting soaked

TO THE owner of the car that parked in the handicapped spot at the restaurant during the rain: I'm sure you were concerned about getting wet. As a handicapped person who needed that spot and could not use it because of you, I was more concerned about how painful and slow it was for me to walk in from farther out in the lot, getting soaked because, unlike you, I can't run to avoid the rain.

Unwanted children

I AM a woman who is not in favor of abortion, especially as a means of birth control, but I am also a person who doesn't believe I should push my will and lifestyle on others. I think it should be a choice. If you don't like abortions, don't have one. What will pro-lifers do with all these babies who will be born? We can't feed the ones we have. And don't even say adoption. Adoption is the hardest thing to achieve in the United States unless you are wealthy and can broker your own private adoption. Why do you think so many couples go outside the United States to adopt? Think about all these children who will be born to people who didn't want them in the first place. Are you going to feed, clothe, shelter and pay for these children?