Speak Out 5/5/10

Paid for books

ABOUT a week ago I went to a bookstore to exchange some books. When I went to the counter to pay for my purchases, a woman told the clerk she wanted to pay for my books. I tried to pay and refuse her offer. She insisted. I thanked her then and would like to tell the people in Cape Girardeau that this elderly veteran thanks her again for being so thoughtful.

Smoking business

THE day you decide not to hire a smoker just because he smokes is the day you lose my business. Do you think discrimination is OK? Do you have deep pockets? If you don't, you'd better think twice, because you're likely to have a lawsuit coming your way, and rightfully so.

Honoring veterans

I think it is wonderful that these veterans are getting the chance to take the trip to Washington, D.C. My husband was in Halsey's fleet in World War II, and I would give anything if he could get to go, but his health won't let him. So, all you veterans, thank you so much. I know how proud your wives and families must be of you, and I wish our country was as proud of you as we are. God bless each one of you.

Taking control

MANY kudos and thanks to the governor and the people of Arizona for making an effort to control illegal migrants coming into the United States. It's about time that someone is trying to cure a problem without high-government people interfering.

Damage control

IN response to "Those atrocities": Most people read the original comment as stating that, despite reduced media exposure, Democrats still view rendition, torture, domestic spying and the Iraq war as atrocities and have not stopped pushing for their end but that due to the magnitude of damage done by the Bush administration it will take years to correct all of the failures of that administration.

Not the same

A recent quip said that the BP Gulf Oil spill is "Obama's Katrina." Think about the difference. We had been warned and knew for decades what a Katrina-sized hurricane would do to New Orleans. We knew for weeks Katrina was out there. We knew for days that New Orleans was in her sights. It still took the Bush administration nearly a week to act after landfall. On the other hand, BP's oil rig explodes, and that day the government is grilling the company as to the risk of a leak and what assistance BP needed to contain the potential catastrophe. BP released an official report stating there was no leak and no assistance was necessary -- that is, until the oil slick showed up and it could no longer cover up the blunder. At that point the government was asked for their assistance in an attempt to minimize the impact. The BP Gulf Oil spill is no Katrina for the current administration.

Border incentive

SO, if the conservatives (term used loosely) in Arizona are so concerned with illegals, why don't they nip the problem at the source? Fine and punish those who employ them so severely that they stop hiring them. Since the GOP of Arizona is ardently claiming that illegals are coming in and "taking jobs away from honest, legal US citizens," and therefore they have been "forced" to pass this atrocity of a law, they should instead be focused on dissuading those who are hiring them in the first place. Take away the reason for coming over the border, and maybe they'd stop coming over the border.