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OpinionMarch 3, 2005

Too close for comfort; Look for change; Wrong complaint; Going overboard; Bus system is safer; Yield right-of-way; Action against litter; Common courtesy; Special consideration; Think of the children; Traumatic decision; Mark the procession; No choice at all; Cuts aimed at scams; Worn-out workers; Universal truths; Outdoor loudness; Students on boards

Too close for comfort

POLICE OFFICERS here seem to follow everybody awfully close. What would happen if somebody slammed on his brakes? And they never pull anybody over. They just follow them real close. Can't they follow people like normal people do?

Look for change

WHY DO people need illicit drugs? Maybe it makes them feel good. Maybe with today's image-conscious culture, they enjoy diminishing inhibitions. Perhaps they have never experienced a natural high. Intellectual thought, accomplishment of some goal, personal mastery of an art or craft or even the astounding wonders of nature all instill joy. Perhaps they could concentrate on self-cultivation, becoming a better person and learning to accept or change their antagonistic afflictions. If you do this, you will change. So I leave it up to you.

Wrong complaint

TO THE person complaining about the government taking his money and putting it in Social Security. He should be complaining about the government taking his money and putting it in Iraq, taking away the lives of our soldiers over and the people in Iraq. To me, that's a bigger waste of money than anything. Social Security, at least, stays home.

Going overboard

WHILE RONALD Reagan was a good president, I don't think state Rep. Nathan Cooper needs to go overboard. If St. Louis want to name a bridge for Reagan, so be it. But I just don't want my children subjected to one more special day of people they need to think about.

Bus system is safer

CAPE GIRARDEAU needs a bus system. It would help people who are down. It also would be safer than walking in the street. Cape is a safe area, and I hope it remains so. But I think a bus system could also help the people be safer too.

Yield right-of-way

AS AN emergency medical technician who works for the local ambulance service, I would like to address an issue that in my view is a serious problem in Cape Girardeau County. When you see emergency vehicles approaching, please yield the right-of-way. Please pull to the right and stop. This is for your safety as well as ours. To those who choose not to follow this rule, remember this: Someone's life maybe hanging in the balance, and some day that someone could be you.

Action against litter

REGARDING HIGHWAY litter: Contact your state senators and representatives. Have them enact laws that would require refunds on all glass and plastic containers. This has been introduced before by my friend and former state representative, David Schwab, but it's always been shot down by the retail lobbyists who say the merchants do not want to handle the returns. The solution is to have recycling centers give refunds for all recyclable goods. States that have such laws also have cleaner roads. Also, educate our children in schools about our litter problems. And enact stiffer fines for people who litter with 50 percent of the fine going to anyone informing authorities of the litterbugs. The trash along our roadways has reached a disgraceful epidemic.

Common courtesy

THE FAMILY in a funeral procession is mourning, and it's a common courtesy to give the right-of-way to the dead and their families as they travel.

Special consideration

IT'S A sad state of society when the living show no compassion for the deceased and their mourners. At a time of loss, a mother thinks not of the living who wait out of respect for the procession to pass but will reflect back and take comfort in the respect that was shown. I was a mother of a 14-year-old son whose world stopped, and I would like to thank all people who are considerate enough to give a funeral procession the right of way

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Think of the children

I'D RATHER have the blood of the steer on my hands than the blood of multiple babies. Too many are more concerned about animals, which deserve to be treated properly, than they are with children and the unborn. Instead of having a cow when an animal dies, how about standing with those who cry out when children die unjustly or when babies are ripped from their choice-conscience mothers' wombs. That steer died by accident.

Traumatic decision

THANKS TO Angela Fornkohl Blum for her other side of the coin regarding the search for genetic parents. More than a void that the searchers feel, it is perhaps a curiosity about their natural parents and family. Having given a child up for adoption decades ago and since believing him happier and healthier for that, I would hate to receive a letter saying my natural son wanted to meet me. What a terrible decision that would be: to either refuse contact or disrupt my entire family by sharing such a secret. It seems like that would be very traumatic all concerned.

Mark the procession

A FEW months ago I was leaving Lexington Avenue and turned onto Kingshighway toward the interstate. I turned into the right lane and sped up. I noticed I kept passing a lot of cars in the left lane. I just figured it was the usual string of left-lane-hogs. Before I knew it, I had already passed the lead car of a funeral procession. There was no police escort in front or behind. If you don't want your procession to be passed, have vehicles marking it as such. Otherwise, I will assume it is more of Cape Girardeau signature "Left lane slow, right lane fast" drivers.

No choice at all

THE DIFFERENCE between the death of an animal at a rodeo and the injury or death of a cowboy is that the animal had no choice in the matter.

Cuts aimed at scams

I ONCE worked with a woman at a restaurant who made great tips. She lived with her 16-year-old daughter, and they were both on Medicaid. She deliberately kept her hours under 32 a week so she wouldn't qualify for company insurance and could keep her Medicaid benefits. That's who the governor wants to eliminate from the program: those who are scam artists, not the poor and disabled.

Worn-out workers

THE PROBLEM with raising the retirement age for Social Security is this: Millions of workers are pretty much worn out, physically and mentally, by the time they are 55 or 60. Would you like to be hammering nails on a hot roof or trying to spread concrete, delivering trays of food, teaching ill-behaved kids or stressing out about your management duties when you are 70 or more? Think about it.

Universal truths

IT IS neat to learn there is a Unitarian Universalist church starting in our community. Spiritual beliefs based on united human ideals and universal truths has a lot to offer.

Outdoor loudness

I LIVE in an area close the university. I have some college students as neighbors. I do not have to deal with late-night parties on a regular basis. It is only on rare occasions, so I have no problem with it. My biggest problem is the non-college neighbors who decide midnight or later is the time to get outside and either talk loud, laugh or fight.

Students on boards

IT'S TIME for Southeast Missouri State University students to take an active role in the community. I'd love to see one or two students on some city boards or commissions. One way for students to build respect for Cape Girardeau is to make them feel at home as a part of the town.

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