Speak out 5/7/02

Not an accomplishment

A RECENT editorial praised the former mayor for all the city's accomplishments during the past eight years. It didn't mention that the city is operating in the red for the third consecutive year. Now the council members are looking for some kind of tax or fee increase to cover the budget shortage. Is this progress? Need we say more?

Protecting our rights

REGARDING THE recent comment about Highway 34-72 in Jackson and MoDOT's decision: If it's such a safety concern, why are all the five-lane highways in Jackson and Cape? If any of the aldermen had property that was affected, they would be voting against it. If any of the big businesses had been affected, they would have protested and it wouldn't have gone through. I think it's pretty sorry that just because they're small businesses and individuals, they're just getting their rights tromped on and no one's taking up for them. That's what the aldermen are elected to do: stand up for the rights of the residents. We are disappointed in their decision.

Amazing education

I JUST had my kick for the day, and it wasn't from the cup of black coffee I just finished. It was from reading the Southeast Missourian. "The female chickadees find other lovers if mates falter song." Read that article. Wow, I think we are for the birds. Isn't that like people today? Another article is "New evidence found for violence among Neanderthals." Who cares? They've been dead thousands of years. What an education I got after 80-plus years. Boy, am I smart to take this paper or am I smart? Oh, well, who gives a hoot anyway?

Driver apologizes

TO THE person whose red car I almost hit Sunday afternoon at the turnoff at Kelso-Scott City, I apologize and thank you for being a defensive driver.

Power of prayer

FOR ANYONE doubting how the youths of today impact others at school, you needed to witness what happened at the National Day of Prayer meeting that was moved to the church. We had some awesome children praying for the nation and youths of today. There's a lot of impact in the Jackson schools and other schools that these youths have. Don't doubt the youths of today.

Nothing is free

THE MINDSET of people who call for national health insurance is amazing. These people apparently have no concept of how our government is funded. They don't realize that every dollar they receive in free government handouts is a dollar that has been taken away from a productive wage earner. There is no magic pool of money in Washington, D.C., that suddenly appeared out of thin air. In Canada, which has national insurance, the tax rate for the average worker is almost 50 percent due to this so-called free medical care. Furthermore, the quality of health care in Canada has declined dramatically with hospitals going broke and doctors leaving the country. These people need to realize that if national health insurance were enacted, instead of paying their doctor, they would be paying the government who in turn would pay their doctor. Nothing is free.

A decent living

THE MISSOURIAN editorial that bashed the Cairo teachers just is another example of how the conservative right talks about the importance of education, but when it comes time to put your money where your mouth is, the true priorities come to light. Teachers are highly educated and have a great deal of professional training. Compared to other professionals with similar credentials, teachers are vastly underpaid. The Cairo teachers are not asking to be paid on an even level with their equally qualified peers. On the other hand, no one said that when you go into teaching you are taking a vow of poverty and don't have the right to provide your family a decent life just as any of the rest of us would.

Look at statistics

I'M NOT a student at a university studying criminal justice. I'm just a guy who has to use common sense about the weapons bill. How many times have you been in a situation where you wish you had a gun because of a crazy roommate, an ex-lover or a rapist? If they make the bill into a law, it would be easier for you to make that wish come true and defend yourself. If a criminal-law student would just look at the numbers on crime after a state passes a concealed-carry law, he would see crime is down. Do you think people who are mentally ill, unstable or a spurned lover will worry about a concealed carry law? I don't think so. As far as using deadly force as the police do, look at the stats. If the bill becomes law, people may be less likely to start trouble if they think their victim may be armed.

Poor talk

SEVERAL OF my friends and acquaintances have coffee at a local restaurant on occasion and I'm always amazed how poor most claim to be with statements like "We poor folks can't afford this or we can't afford that," "They're all against the poor man," "We poor folks must stick together" and "They always put it on the back of the poor man." I know these men. They're all retired, all drive new cars or trucks, have nice homes paid for in nice neighborhoods, take vacations and go hunting and fishing. Some would hold a nickel until the date wore off, yet that is the mindset of so many. Everyone is better off than they are. I was a child in the Depression as some of them were. I was poor. I saw poor. It wasn't the way they live. Some folks are spoiled, and some have just forgotten what really being poor is. And also how to be thankful.

Chivalry isn't dead

I'D JUST Like to say I'd like to thank Buck and Will. I am so glad chivalry is not dead. They stopped and helped me change my tire in the rain recently. I really appreciate it, and I'm so glad it doesn't take a national disaster for people to help their neighbors.

Watching city workers

I'M A resident of Cape and was reading a Speak Out comment about how taxes may be raised in the city, which means the workers would have to work harder for the same amount of money that they're being paid now. Has anyone else in Cape besides me ever driven by where city workers are working and there are five or six of them with their little green vests on? While one is working, the other four or five people are standing there watching. I've seen this on more than one occasion. So if they've got time to stand there and watch, they're being paid to do basically nothing. I just thought maybe someone else might have noticed this too.