Speak Out 4/11/16

A setback

It's simple. The use tax went down in large part because the organized opposition to it was made up of key elements of the base that elected the city officials who did not push hard enough for it or educate the public enough about the need for it for fear of alienating further the aforementioned mentioned base. In the interest of full disclosure, I voted for the use tax and would hope that in the future proponents of tax increases for public projects will be more aggressive in taking on knee jerk anti-tax ideologues. The failure to pass Cape's proposed use tax was a huge setback for what otherwise seems to be a community on the move.

Classy

If it didn't appear in last Sunday's Southeast Missourian, I would have said it was an April Fool's column by Gene Lyons. I am not sure who Lyons talks to, but for every one person from whom he hears that Obama outclasses Cruz and that Michelle Obama is the most elegant first lady we have every had, I can find you 10,000 people that disagree. And this lady he spoke of cried when she saw the first family getting off the plane in Cuba because they are the most wonderful White House occupants she can remember. Does he really believe what he writes?

Not haters

Christians have lived in harmony with nonbelievers for centuries. The intolerance of making people go against their belief in God and the word in the Bible is a man made dictate. Freedom in this country is to worship, speak in the manner I choose. If you believe a person or business is not accepting of your life style choices, so be it. Christians are not forcing you to convert and they are not requiring you get married in their church which prohibits this union. Christians do no care where you get married, buy a cake, order decorations or host a party as long as it does not infringe on their religious beliefs. This is a country of "live and let live." It is a diverse society. So, no, Christians are not haters or intolerant, they are following their beliefs and rules for their salvation.

Bikes on Broadway

Prohibiting the riding of bikes on Broadway in Cape Girardeau is reminiscient of revolutionary Russia during the rule Nikolai Lenin.