Speak Out 6/10/05

Patience on mowing

SOME PEOPLE work day jobs and can't possibly mow their lawns until the weekends. But in some neighborhoods people are threatened that if their lawns are not mowed by certain days, someone will be sent to mow your lawn for you and you will be charged for it. How unfair is that? It's not like folks will let their grass grow up to their waist. They just need to wait until Saturday when they have the time. Patience is a great virtue.

Police on cell phones

MAYBE THOSE of us who live in Cape Girardeau might find it funny that the police are in favor of a cell-phone ban targeting teenagers on the road. We have all seen police officers in their cruisers talking away on cell phone themselves. Once again, it's "Do as I say, not as I do" with the authorities of this area.

Something special

I AGREE with what has been said about supporting the Show Me Digital Film Festival. I think it's a great thing for us to have in our city and something our city could be proud of. I also think it's unfortunate that the arts council and the city haven't supported it. It's something that will be beneficial to our region, both culturally and economically. I think it's important for all of us to support something special like this.

Please clean bridges

I WOULD like to make a comment on how trashy the northbound and southbound bridges over the Diversion Channel look. Could the Missouri Department of Transportation please sweep the debris on those bridges? And also the bridges over Ramsey Creek before you get to Scott City.

Ribbons should stay

THE PERSON complaining about the faded ribbons on I-55 must not have family or friends in Iraq. Those are up there until all of our men and women come home.

Who's a hero?

NOW THAT we know who Deep Throat is from the Nixon era, many Democrats are proclaiming him an honest hero and a man of character. For years, the Democrats called Linda Tripp, the one who spilled the beans on Bill Clinton's and Monica Lewinsky's secret sex, a traitor to her party, a sellout and a lot of names you can't print. President Richard Nixon should have resigned for what he did, but it wasn't as bad as what Clinton did, but Clinton wouldn't resign. His party now reveres him.

Money speaks

WHEN THERE are 669 recipients of farm subsidies in the ZIP Code area of 63701 for a total of nearly $14 million from 1995 through 2003, is it any wonder that the president cannot get a 5 percent reduction in subsidies?

Responsible for safety

SOMEONE COMMENTED that you should live your life the way you want to as long as you don't harm anyone else. If we were isolated and our actions did not affect others, that would work. The fact is that if you are a part of any family or social unit, you hurt others when you hurt yourself. Another person latched onto the part saying that a child's safety is the parents' responsibility. When you fail to make the decision to protect your child, you are, in effect, deciding to place your child in harm's way. It's really no different than leaving household chemicals within the reach of children or not putting a child in a car seat. Responsible, reasonable people use reasonable measures to protect their children. Those who don't are negligent.

Park and talk

I GOT a chuckle also from the caller who doesn't know, as today's editorial mentions, that some of us are "competent to drive, talk on a cell phone and chew gum at the same time." I've used the cell phone while driving, but unlike some I don't scrabble around in my purse to find it when it rings, nor do I distract my driving by dialing out. I call out while parked.