Speak Out 5/6/10

Works both ways

I loved the story about the Marine who saved the girl from the lion. Of course, this story can also be told making the Marine a Republican. I believe that would be more true in today's time.

Homeless potential

DID everyone see the picture and story about the homeless living in the tunnel in St. Louis? Where is the Rev. Larry Rice when you need him? Is this what we want for Cape Girardeau? I certainly don't. If Rice gets our old federal building, this is what we can look forward to. Let's show him we're smarter than that.

Storm water

WHEN I drove by the new water park, I see progress. When I drive on North Perryville Road, I see deteriorating sidewalks. When I drive on Evergreen Drive I see lawns full of trash from Perryville Road. Where are the storm-water improvements? The city took away our beautiful trees, raised the street level and passed a storm-water project. So where is the progress in all of this? Cape Girardeau take a good look at the problems on North Perryville Road and Evergreen Drive. Twice this past week the streets have been covered with storm water. We need progress.

Bigger classes

AS a parent of a fifth-grade student as Central Middle School, I was appalled to find out that officials have again eliminated a fifth-and-sixth-grade teaching position for next year. The same thing happened last year. Now my child will be in a class with 29 or possibly 30 students. This may work in some cases, but middle school has huge issues with bullying and discipline. Also, I have been in those rooms and can't see how they could possibly accommodate that many children and desks. I am concerned about the effect this will have on students and teachers. On the other hand, I read an advertisement for the hiring of an assistant principal at the high school. Middle school has already been under fire for not making adequate yearly progress MAP tests. Cutting staff will only make this more difficult. What are the priorities of this district? They value administrators more than teachers, and now that they have their bond issue they don't care what happens to the students. I will be scraping together the money to put my child in private school.

Casino image

A casino is a great idea for this town. Why would we want our own residents to spend their money in another city and state? We need this revenue, not to mention the jobs a casino would bring to the community. Cape Girardeau has already established an image, and we need to better this image, not keep it where it is.

No need to vote

We voted on casino gambling in 1993, and it passed. Why do we have to vote on it again? Casino gambling is no different from playing the lottery or bingo. There are a lot of people addicted to those games.

Don't need it

LT. Gov. Peter Kinder is right. We don't need any new health care. I like paying $600 a month. While we're at it, let's also do away with Medicaid and Medicare. I'm tired of all my tax money going to the poor and elderly.

Good law

I believe Missouri should have the same type of immigration law as Arizona. We have too many illegals.

Easy choice

Profiling versus the invasion of America? Seems like a ridiculously easy choice. I'm not Hispanic, but having to prove your citizenship status on an occasional basis seems like a small price to pay for the security of this nation. Racial profiling? Well, of course it is. But why is that considered such a bad thing? If a fox is raiding your chicken house, you don't start hunting rabbits, do you?