Speak Out 3/6/06

Cost of medical care

I'D LIKE to comment on the article about medical care for Cape Girardeau County prisoners. I think the prisoners should have to pay for their own medical care. I have to pay for mine.

No-cell section, please

WOULDN'T YOU love to see a sign on the front door of at least one restaurant that reads "Please turn cell phones off upon entering"?

Report both sides

THE SOUTHEAST Missourian won't print anything negative about Oran. All you print is positive stuff. Are you in cahoots with the chief of police? I read in the Southeast Missourian where someone in Cape Girardeau would like to have Oran's chief of police because he'd straighten up the south end of Cape Girardeau. You can have Oran's chief of police. He will be needing a job pretty soon because Oran is going to be a ghost town. Be honest. Report both sides of the story.

Getting action

IN THINKING about the shape of our government today, I can't help but think back to the Clinton administration. I became permanently disabled during that administration. I was raising two kids alone. We had no income. We were in pretty desperate straits, and Social Security was dragging its feet. I wrote a letter to Hillary Clinton. She not only replied immediately, she forwarded my information to the main Social Security office with a note to review it promptly. Within two weeks of mailing that letter to her, Social Security approved my application.

Cartoon cheap shot

DON GREENWOOD'S latest uninformed jab at George W. Bush redefines the term "cheap shot artist."

Opera critique

I CANNOT believe the comments that were made about the Southeast Missouri State University production of Aaron Copeland's American opera, "The Tender Land." The professors of the music, dance and theater department are amazing and truly dedicated to their students and profession. As a former student of the department, I can honestly say I received an outstanding and well-rounded education. There are many forms of art in this world, and I am not surprised that the closed-minded people of this community would not understand the show and find the beauty in something eccentric and different from the norm. If all you can do is criticize, then I say come audition for the next production and see if you can do remotely better.

Great show

IN REGARD to "The Tender Land": I had never been to an opera before this. My husband and I both loved the play. Not everyone hated it. I thought the price was harsh. It is around what my brother paid to go to the Fox Theater in St. Louis. But the show was great.

Lifestyle changes

I DESPISE pedophiles. But if they hang on a few more years, maybe some brilliant scientist will convince us all that they were born that way and have no choice. Perhaps pedophilia will be called an alternative lifestyle. Anybody want to bet this can't happen? Remember, several decades ago homosexuals were shamed, despised, ridiculed. Their unnatural sexual practice was considered deviant behavior. Now it is ingrained into our society. Just try changing it.

Big electric bills

EVERYONE IS going to be broke if we keep shelling out a wad of money for these outlandish electric bills.

Sowing the seed

CONCERNING THE topic of banning abortion, which is murder: A nation that kills its babies before they even have a name is sowing the seed for even more justified killing. Perhaps when we all get older someone will propose that we have enjoyed enough living and should be put to death to make way for the next generation.

Politicians should listen

OUR STATE politicians refused to listen or take any advice from us ordinary citizens before passing their sweeping, ill-advised Medicaid cuts. Now, in the backlash created by their discompassionate cuts, they are backpedaling. I have little sympathy for their political plight now: They should have listened. After all, they should be committed to representing our needs. That's what we're told when we question whether or not we have taxation without representation. It's time our government started listening to those of us who pay their salaries. Many would argue that point, but the bottom line is most Americans are more intelligent about financial matters and budgeting in our real world than our politicians who live in a societal bubble far above the heads of the average taxpayer.

Bad representation

IF YOUR church is represented by the World Council of Churches and the WCC represents your views, this is not for you. If you are unaware of or do not agree with these views, then it is time to change leadership. These individuals have found a need to repent for the sins of this country pertaining to the war. How dare they think they represent enough in this country to stand in a foreign country and say how wrong we are. I'm tired of those who go to other countries and talk about us as if we are the enemy.

Public transportation

THERE ARE many students at Southeast Missouri State University who don't have cars to do their shopping or to hold jobs. This is a good opportunity for the university and the city to team up and make a difference with some sort of public transportation system. Cape Girardeau is getting big enough that we need to start thinking about this sort of thing. Walking trails are great, but they don't get many people to the store.

Political agenda

WHY IS it that state Sen. Jason Crowell and House Speaker Rod Jetton are taking all the heat over the River Campus at Southeast Missouri State University? I would like to chide them for pushing their agenda and not getting our fair share, but why hasn't our own state representative been more active in this debacle? Maybe he could put Jetton on his payroll to make sure this doesn't happen again.

Broadening horizons

I ATTENDED "The Tender Land" opera and loved it. I believe it was one of the better productions Southeast Missouri State University has provided in a long time. Opera is such a misperceived art form, and it is good for the area to broaden its horizons. Thank you to the musicians, instructors and all of the behind-the-scenes people who made the opera an enjoyable experience for me and the rest of the audience.

Best of its kind

SCOTT MOYERS' BizBlog is the best of its kind I have ever seen. I spend a minimum of 18 hours a day surfing the Internet and assessing the worth of business-related sites.

He caved in

HOUSE SPEAKER Rod Jetton did take a tough stand on the River Campus battle. However, he shamefully caved in, compromised and abandoned his longtime commitment to never compromising on the matter of deep-seated principle.

Pillage and plunder

I AM appalled that President Bush and our legislators think it's OK to balance the federal budget by selling off public lands. These are lands held in trust for future generations. It is obvious to anyone who manages a budget that the idea of selling off the capital (our forests) rather than living off the interest (tree harvesting) is insane economics. They want huge tax cuts for the wealthy, and they'll sell off our land to pay for it. This is Republican rape, pillage and plunder at its worst.