Speak Out 5/1/05

No free beer

FREE BEER at university baseball games is a bad idea. It does not bring fans to the game. It brings drunks. Those who come for the free beer do not support the team. They are there for free beer and nothing else. Then they drive home. There are a few who might live close enough to walk home, but even a few driving is a few too many. The community needs to buckle down on drunken driving.

Prosecuting abusers

THE COMMENT that children who have been sexually abused and placed in foster care never have their abusers prosecuted is dead wrong. Making generalized statements like that is misleading. Every case that has evidence of sexual abuse is investigated. It doesn't matter how long ago it happened or who abused the child. Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties have a good record of prosecuting child-abuse cases of both juvenile and adult offenders.

Bridge to be restored

I HAVE heard the Old Appleton bridge will finally be reconstructed. It seems the leaders of Old Appleton have worked hard to make this happen. I would love to see this historic bridge restored.

The Plane Truth

The TSA

Should go away.

Have safer skies.

Privatize!

Hanging tags

DUE TO my health, I was issued a handicap-parking permit. The tag I hang on my car mirror clearly states to remove the tag when driving the car. Why is this not enforced? I see hundreds of cars with tags hanging while cars are driven. I think there should be a fine given for not removing the tag. They are issued for convenience, not for public information.

Many won't forget

THE SHEER fact that Jane Fonda is able to sell a book about her life says that many have forgotten what she did to those fighting in Vietnam. I don't condone spitting in her face, yet sometimes words can never express what an individual has done. Her fraternizing with the enemy during war will never be forgotten by those who lived during that era. I have not heard her say she was either sorry or wrong.

Dandelion blemish

I FIND it amazing that the city is worried about dandelions. It reminds me of when I was a teenager and had a blemish. If you have a problem with dandelions, why not gather them and make dandelion wine? Or maybe if you wait, the blemish will go away.

Graffiti on Broadway

I CAN'T believe how trashy Broadway has become since I moved away. I visit Cape Girardeau on a regular basis, and the graffiti on the side of the buildings near the Caruthers Avenue intersection is terrible. It looks a gangland. Can't Cape make business owners keep their buildings in a respectable condition? Homeowners are expected to.

Paying the bills

I FIND it disturbing that Medicaid recipients found the time and the money to go to Jefferson City to protest. Meanwhile, I am the taxpayer they want to pay their bills for them, and I sit here at work, unable to take time off and unable to afford to go to Jefferson City to tell my legislators what I think.

Smokers, wise up

IF I'M sitting by a person who is drinking liquor, it does not affect me physically. If I'm sitting by a smoker, if affects me physically, and I should not have to deal with that in public places. Smokers need to wise up. Why would anyone smoke in 2005? The answer: ignorance.

Rude, rude, rude.

THE APRIL 28 headline regarding Stedman Graham was rude. He has a life aside from being Oprah's boyfriend. He is a highly regarded and accomplished man on his own merit without Oprah's help.

Protected market

IT WAS a good editorial, but the sentence "Rice farmers want to protect their market" would have been more accurate had it been written "Rice farmers want their market protected -- by the government -- with large amounts of welfare courtesy of the taxpayers."

Tackle real culprits

MICHAEL JENSEN'S mini-tract calling for massive Medicaid reform in Missouri was mesmerizing. His infallibility remains intact. Still, I wish he would use his considerable talents to take on already wealthy recipients of corporate and other government welfare.

Spitting justified

THAT MARINE had every right to spit in that traitor's face. There is nothing that Jane Fonda could do to make up for or apologize for the acts she committed.

Students want pool

I WISH people would check their facts on the Southeast Missouri State University pool issue. Everyone seems to blame the regents for putting the pool in. The regents are only acting on the wishes of the students. The student government voted overwhelmingly in favor of the pool. The students want the pool, and now they are getting it.

Three issues

I'M RESPONDING to three Speak Out issues. First, I agree that something needs to be done about drunken driving. Too many people are driving after getting smashed at the bars. Have a designated driver. Second, being a recent Southeast Missouri State University graduate, I understand the concern about fees. Regents, stop building. Start paying your faculty and staff better. Third, we do need to improve Broadway. Bring some businesses to downtown Cape Girardeau. Everyone in this town needs something to do besides get drunk at the bars or cause trouble by the river.

Controls, not cuts

I FEEL Medicaid should be monitored more closely rather than be cut. The same should go for food stamps. WIC is a great program. It lists specifically what you can buy. The same needs to be done with EBT. Being a cashier, I've seen people without food stamps buy more healthy items than the ones with food stamps. Control over EBT-eligible foods needs to be tightened. Why should our money go to people who are going to buy candy and soda with their EBT cards rather than fruits and veggies? Medicaid shouldn't be cut. There are better ways to control spending than by cutting health insurance.

Need video cameras

I SEE the Cape Girardeau police are getting new squad cars. I hope they finally install video cameras. In fact, all local law enforcement should have cameras. Don't say they can't afford it.

Drink responsibly

WE CAN'T seem to blame ourselves for the things that happen to us. We blame everyone else. If you drink responsibly -- where have I heard that before? -- you won't kill anyone.