Speak Out 5/3/04

Start of something good

I JUST wanted to say bravo, Show Me Center, on having the musical "Cats" here in Cape Girardeau. It was perfectly organized. The sound system was great. The performers were outstanding. We hope this is the start of more musical plays to come to the Show Me Center.

Great pageant

THANKS TO the wonderful people at First Baptist Church in Jackson for the Easter pageant performance again this year. We have gone every year, but this performance was the best yet. Congratulations to all who worked so hard and put in so many hours to put this on for our community. It was great.

Timely commentary

IN THE current issue of the American Legion magazine in the commentary section is an article titled "A deficit of decency." U.S. Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia is right in his commentary. I'd like to share a couple of paragraphs. "Arnold Cornby, who wrote the acclaimed 12-volume "A Study of History" once declared of the 22 civilizations that have appeared in history, 19 of them collapsed when they reached the moral state America is in today. Cornby died in 1975 before seeing the worst that was yet to come. Yes, Arnold Cornby saw the famine -- the famine of hearing the words of the Lord, whether it is removing a display of the Ten Commandments from a courthouse or the Nativity scene from a city square, whether it is eliminating prayer in schools or eliminating 'Under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance, whether it is making a mockery of the sacred institution of marriage between a man and a woman or, yes, telecasting around the world 'Made in the U.S.A.' filth masquerading as entertainment."

Need P&Z control

AS I sit on my deck on Country Lane, I am looking down at the neighbor's junkyard. It's an awful view when you are trying to enjoy a nice, quiet afternoon. The weeds are high as the windows in the back yard. There are old bicycles, an old tractor, old wood, old weeds and old junk. I sure wish we had planning and zoning out here on Country Lane.

Critical suggestions

I HAVE been a resident of Jackson for 20 years. I'm 34 years old, and my job is to work with young adults and children. My criticism is of the Jackson Parks and Recreation Department and the Jackson School District on two issues. The first is the skate park that has been proposed. A metal park, as proposed, will rust and deteriorate. It will be hot in summer. It is not the best value for your money. Anytime anybody is making anything for children, children's views should be taken into consideration. The second criticism is of the proposed plan for the high school campus. I find it interesting that well over half of the campus is dedicated to athletics, and there is a tiny little space for the library. The library is the center of learning for any student in high school. You had better make sure that there is a lot in the plan for a library.

Talking and driving

THERE'S BEEN a lot of talk about driving and talking on cell phones. I saw a school bus driver try to negotiate a turn while talking on her cell phone. The bus was full of children. I think the driver should have known better than that.

Vaccinations important

WHILE I applaud the Southeast Missourian for the excellent series of articles on autism, I must point out that the reporters have not done a good job with respect to vaccinations. There is this terrible myth in America that vaccinations are somehow connected with autism. The facts say otherwise. The only responsible thing your journalists could now do would be to interview area pediatricians, 100 percent of whom will support vaccinations for children. They do so because all the scientific data support the fact that vaccinations will help keep our children healthy. There is no conclusive scientific data to suggest otherwise.

Thoroughly enjoyable

WE GO to the Fox Theater in St. Louis three or four times a year to see musicals and plays, so we were thrilled when "Cats" came to the Show Me Center. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Plenty of culture

I SUPPOSE Southeast Missouri State University students are tired of doing without a mascot, and that would be one reason for the change. However, Cape Girardeau County is not culturally deprived. One can tell this by number of art galleries. It's not socially deprived either.

Making public aware

I WANT to thank the Southeast Missourian for the wonderful job you did with the articles concerning autism. I was so impressed with the updated information and the accuracy with which the articles were written. As a grandparent of an autistic child, I think very few people realize the struggles and heartaches that families go through. These articles have made the public aware as never before. I never thought the lay public would be more informed concerning the education of their children than the educational system. Baby steps are being implemented in several schools, but the road is a long and rough one. Thank you again, Missourian, for you interest in the future of our children.

Show respect

I ENJOYED Emily Hendricks' column in the paper about dysfunctional families. I think we're all dysfunctional but to different degrees. I hope we'll not lose sight of what's really important: Respect each other, sometimes keep our opinions to ourselves and learn to love each in spite of our mistakes. We all fall short. None of us is perfect except for Jesus.

Appeal to voters

I WOULD like to send a message to those residents of Cape Girardeau who do not choose to vote. I know several people have their own opinions about voting, but the voting turnout in Cape is under 50 percent of those who are registered. This is your community, and your vote does make a difference. The residents of Cape Girardeau deserve to be represented well. If you do not vote, then people who may not reflect your needs and wants will be representing you.

Skate park a good idea

I THINK the skate park in Jackson is a wonderful idea. This will give kids an opportunity to keep busy and off of the streets. I think it will give opportunities to kids who do not usually get many. Some parents cannot afford to keep their children entertained all of the time. I think the skate park will be a wonderful alternative for them.