Speak Out 3/14/08

The media's role

REGARDING THE handling of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's alleged involvement in the prostituting ring: A quick read of the liberal media finds none of the newspapers or television stations clamored for Spitzer to resign. Some suggested he didn't need to. That's a clear example of what conservatives are always concerned about when it comes to the media. The job of the media is to report. It isn't to change elections.

Rates aren't dropping

THIS IS in response to the Business section. Moe Sanford, community president of Bank of Missouri, gave reasons why there is not much refinancing of homes going on. He doesn't list the No. 1 reason: Mortgage rates haven't come down even though the Fed has lowered rates twice and is probably going to lower rates again. Rates have risen a couple of weeks in a row for a 30-year fixed mortgage. The Fed is lowering rates. Banks are not passing the lower rates to customers, which would pump more money into the economy.

No vote for looks

PERHAPS COLUMNIST Gene Lyons misjudges women. I don't think Barack Obama is attractive at all. If I were to cast a vote for Obama, which I have not intended to do so far, it wouldn't be on his looks.

Passion for teaching

I STILL think my son needed more male teachers in sciences and college writing. I don't want to see my son castrated in high school before he even gets to college. Some of these teachers couldn't communicate effectively at parent-teacher conferences. There should be some recourse for parents if this happens. You should be able to go immediately let the school know what's going on. Some female teachers are so hardened that I think they miss the point of being females. There isn't a softness to them that has that love of teaching and passion.

Intimidating calls

SOME OF the telemarketers try to intimidate you to get what they want from you. An example is the State Troopers Association. I don't appreciate these calls.

Fire hazard?

JACKSON SHOULD take another look at all the limbs piled all over town. With spring comes strong winds and storms. We could have a fire hazard with all the piles of limbs.

What a waste

IF IT wasn't such as waste of our taxpayer money it would be humorous. The ones we elected in Jefferson City are considering a bill to name the state beer. It's pathetic the way elected officials waste their time and our money.

What animals think

CONSIDERING NONE of us is an animal, I doubt we really know what they are thinking about, and I don't think a cartoon would be able to tell us.

Stereotyping hunters

TO SAY that all hunters behave in the same manner and consume alcoholic beverages is a stereotypical and bigoted statement. Hunters are a diverse group, and this tradition is enjoyed by all ethnic and economic classes.

Lions and deer

ALL THE deer-hunting talk in Cape Girardeau reminds me of two orchard growers talking in a store in Sullivan, Mo., years ago. One says, "I have a problem with the deer in the orchard." The other man says, "Do what I did. I had a friend of mine get some lion manure out of the St. Louis Zoo cages, I scattered that around the edge of the orchard. It's funny to see the deer come so close and turn and run away from the orchard." If he was serious, I don't know.