OpinionMay 19, 2005
Speak Out 5/19/05
Where's that leash?; Small-school success; Dastardly criticism; The long haul; Selective on taxes; No more excuses; Selective praise; Trash exercise; Shoddy journalism; Losing the war; Risking lives; Funding shift; No respect for procession; Credit-card calls; Federal program; Teaching manners; Why they switched; Considerate visitors; Gathering in the street; Caring for the poor; Focus on the positive; Made where?
Where's that leash?
I SEE Southeast Missouri State University is at it again. Cut down the trees on Henderson Avenue and then deny any responsibility for the action. The city says "oops," and the property owner is left in the cold. When will someone get the leash back on the university?
Small-school success
THOUGH SOME larger schools may offer more AP classes than smaller schools, I suspect a higher percentage of students in smaller schools who take the AP exams (whether they've had an AP class or not) pass them than do those in larger schools. Once again, it seems to show that students who really want to succeed are disproportionately represented in smaller schools.
Dastardly criticism
PUBLICLY ATTACKING the medical treatment given to Mr. Landewee and Mr. Trickey on ideological grounds -- concerning which there is disagreement -- is dastardly and almost inhuman.
The long haul
WITH CIVIL war now a fact in Iraq, the U.S. must exert extraordinary effort to keep the warring factions apart and work overtime to ensure that a viable Iraqi government has the force necessary to squelch the war as well as protect its own members. In this instance, staying the course may mean maintaining a strong military presence in Iraq for at least another three decades.
Selective on taxes
I WOULD gladly pay more taxes if I knew the money was going for education, health care and needed services. But I can't stand my money going for the war and the military contractors.
No more excuses
I APPLAUD Walter Williams on his courageous and frank column about the victory African-Americans earned decades ago with civil rights. Williams is sure to catch flack from blacks, much like Bill Cosby did nationwide last year, but he speaks the truth. This problem does not apply only to African Americans. We live in a society that would rather make less money and collect benefits from the federal government than earn more money by working a less-than-desirable job. My advice to blacks, whites, Latinos and whoever else is reading this is to quit making excuses and earn a paycheck. There are jobs out there if you stay in school, and life will be a whole lot easier if you don't complicate matters by having children out of wedlock.
Selective praise
METHINKS MISSOURI Farm Bureau president Charles Kruse's column extolling the truths of science in promoting biotech rice is selective. One wonders if Kruse is equally as enthusiastic about the well-documented scientific findings as to how corn derivatives like fructose bear a lot of responsibility for turning us into a nation of fatties.
Trash exercise
EVERYONE SHOULD quit complaining about the trash and volunteer to pick some of it up. Then there wouldn't be any, and look at the exercise you would get. Your heart would beat longer and you would feel better. Try it and see.
Shoddy journalism
NOW THAT Newsweek has admitted a faulty source for its story on mistreatment of the Koran that has lead to deaths and riots, how about holding the magazine responsible for any Americans who have or will be hurt because of it? Shoddy journalism cannot be excused or permitted just because the magazine apologized.
Losing the war
I HATE to be the one to tell David Limbaugh that he has already lost what he calls the Culture War to religious-minded secularists and God-fearing moral relativists. Limbaugh should preserve some modicum of dignity and quit writing about the subject lest he be asked that his surrender be unconditional.
Risking lives
CONGRATULATIONS, Newsweek. The magazine is to be applauded for its willingness to risk the lives of our soldiers for the sake of making pennies.
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Funding shift
IF THE Southeast Missourian is even semi-satisfied with the Republican restructuring of the public school foundation formula, then you can rest assured that the editorial staff thinks future school funding for the Cape Girardeau School District will be shifted to other school districts even though in many instances they are no more wealthy than is ours.
No respect for procession
I WAS appalled by the driver who squealed the tires of his green truck to pull out of Park Street onto Broadway in the middle of the funeral procession for John Oliver Jr. Did he miss the flashing signals on the vehicles passing by and fail to notice the rest of us pulled over out of respect? Perhaps he doesn't realize he stopped over half the procession at the red light at West End Boulevard. Obviously he had no respect.
Credit-card calls
YOU'VE GOT to stop these people from calling and trying to get you to apply for a credit card. We only had one when my husband retired. We cut it up because we didn't need it. Now I don't have any and don't want any, but I'm getting aggravated with these people telling you how you can get one for so much cheaper interest. Stop calling me.
Federal program
SCHOOL DON'T pay for free and reduced lunches. Free and reduced lunches are reimbursed by the federal government. So if schools stop providing free and reduced lunches, they will be losing federal dollars.
Teaching manners
I JUST saw on television that there's a place that teaches kids table manners. Can you believe that the parents are so inept and irresponsible that they're not teaching kids manners? Anything that comes along, they've got to have some agency to do it. The parents can't do it. Many parents whose kids cause most of the problems are not doing them anything but giving birth and then acting like the kids don't exist. They aren't teaching them work ethics or how to manage or anything else. They're just letting them go wild.
Why they switched
I HAD to laugh when I read the recent comment from a caller who talked about politicians switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. It's pretty clearly understood that the reason many Southern politicians switched to the Republican Party was that the Democratic Party supported the Civil Rights Act. It had nothing to do with any other politics besides the politics of bigotry.
Considerate visitors
RECENTLY I was in the hospital with bad headaches. Another patient had visitors coming and going in and out of the room all the time. To listen to my TV, I had to turn it up, and I couldn't concentrate on reading because of all the visitors coming in and out of the room. I don't want to begrudge anyone any visitors, but you've got to respect the other people in the hospital too. When you visit people in the hospital, think about the other people.
Gathering in the street
I HAVE an idea. The next time 200-plus people want to hang out after the bars are closed on a particular street, let them go in front of the mayor's house or maybe the police chief's house. I bet that would put a stop to it.
Caring for the poor
PEOPLE SEEM so selfish and uncaring regarding the poor and disabled who are losing Medicaid. Read Proverbs 19:17, which says, "He who is gracious to a poor man, lends to the Lord and he will repay him for his good deed."
Focus on the positive
IT SEEMS like lately every time I turn around somebody's making fun of our community, using words like "provincial." It saddens me that people can't appreciate the fact that every area has positives and negatives. You need to recognize the negatives, because only by recognizing them can you sometimes change them. But you can't focus on them, and you can't make them the center of your life. Cape Girardeau has a lot to offer. We have a low crime rate. We have a beautiful community. Maybe there's some litter here and there, but look past the litter and look at the beauty that's in the river and in the hearts of people here. Look at how safe you feel in this community. Look at the values your children have been raised with and that this community has supported. Start looking for something nice to say.
Made where?
WE HAVE owned both American- and foreign-made vehicles. Until such time that American-made vehicles can compete with the quality of foreign-made vehicles, we will continue to buy foreign-made vehicles. I'd like to see a rundown as to where the parts are made and where the assembly occurs for the so-called American-made autos. Then we'll see what people think about American-made versus a foreign competitor.
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