Speak Out 6/12/05

Crazy driving

WHAT IS it with the incredibly rude drivers in the Fruitland area? And where are the police when those nuts are speeding up the left lane, cutting people off and driving through the ditches to get one car ahead? This is not a one-time thing. It's normal to see craziness there.

Those who serve

THERE ARE some small-minded people in this community who constantly want to discredit others' service. I'm speaking to a small minority of people who feel the 1140th Engineers are receiving too much attention for their service in Iraq. Please understand that the wonderful things the 1140th Engineers accomplished in Iraq in no way, shape or form diminishes others' service. Having said that, I must also tell you that the 1140th Engineers have always set the standard for engineering excellence, and their performance in Iraq was no exception. Their exceptional performance earned them a Meritorious Unit Commendation recommendation by the group, brigade and corps commanders. Thank you, 1140th Engineers, and thank you to all the great men and women who serve this country by wearing a uniform.

Blame foreign cars

GM PLANS to cut 25,000 jobs. I hope everyone driving foreign -made cars feels good about themselves today.

Proud American

I'M PROUD to live in a country where we ignore the problems at home to focus on no-win situations abroad, where politicians speak for me yet never listen to what I have to say, where lobbyists and special interests have more control over Congress than the air we breathe or the water we drink, where the death penalty is spiritual yet spewing hatred at a young woman for exercising her right to choose the most uncomfortable decision of her life is acceptable, where priests can fondle children and get away with it, where someone can lose an election and still become president, where the poor and the sick mean less to us than the Saudi royal family, where the government has more money than all other countries on Earth yet can 't seem to find a way to provide health care to those in need, where alcohol is the No. 1 cause of vehicle-related deaths and is legal for people to consume yet the government tells us that marijuana is harmful to people dying of disease. I'm proud to be an American. And that's why the rest of the world hates me.

Another museum

REGARDING "THE Simpsons" recent episode and the comparison made to the River Campus: The point of that cartoon was to spoof the craze to have architect Frank Gehry design yet another performing arts center or museum in an attempt to uplift a down-and-out town, just like when the fictional Springfield thought the town needed a monorail, and much like when we all thought life as we knew it would end if we didn't get riverboat gambling in Cape Girardeau. Frank Gehry will never set foot in Cape Girardeau -- and that's a good thing.

Too much money

THIS IS about the school fund balances I saw in the paper. Why are school districts allowed to keep way more money than they need to run? It looked like only the little schools can do that, but why can they? It's not their money to keep. Spend it or send it back.

No respect

AS A Bible-believing Christian, I do not believe anyone's holy book should be destroyed. The problem seems to come from the lack of respect for the Bible and life that the terrorists show in all they are doing. They don't care who they kill as long as they kill. They show that truth is not a part of their vocabulary or their training. The only thing terrorists seem to hold holy is the Quran. Some of our friends in the Arab world are destroying Bibles and arresting Christians for witnessing to others. How can you expect respect for one when you despise the other?

Curb those cats

THERE ARE cats all over the city, especially at night. Stop turning out these predators. Cats kill small animals. The mindset of some cat owners is to take pity on the cat, but to heck with other animals.

Cell phones

WHY PICK on teenagers about the use of their cell phones while driving? What about the older people? They are just as bad. I saw an elderly man driving and talking at the same time. All this guy would do is ride his brakes, and he made a right turn without signaling. He could have caused a bad wreck. I think there should be a law: no talking on telephones unless you stop and park. If you have to talk, get off the road.

Didn't fool anyone

REGARDING THE Timber Creek Subdivision: Come on, Planning & Zoning Commission. Obviously you don't think of the residents on Old Sprigg Street or West Cape Rock Drive matter. Keep in mind you didn't snowball anybody when you rushed your vote before any of the opponents were available to speak.

Essential sidewalks

I LIVE in an older part of Cape Girardeau that has sidewalks. The sidewalks are key to the sense of neighborhood in my area. I've always been astounded that new subdivisions are built without sidewalks. People pay huge prices for their houses, yet their children walk and play and ride their bicycles in the streets. Sidewalks are essential to the sense of community.

Police in schools

PUTTING POLICE in schools is one thing. They can curb problems that arise during school. But a bad home life really isn't the police department's business. The police should be in school for one reason only. If they're going to start prying into family life, they need to be out of the schools. I've never really felt the need for police to be in my child's school in the Jackson School District.

Doggie doo

I LIVE on Revlon Drive in Cape Girardeau. It's a wonderful neighborhood except for dogs that run loose and use my yard as a bathroom. I'm tired of that. I'd like for the owners to get their dogs on a leash and take care of its business in its own yard.

Campaign promises

As seen throughout our history, voting politicians out of office has done nothing to correct campaign promises that will never be met. Until we insist they not make promises without guarantees of success, we'll continue to be inundated with the promises the campaigners know we want to believe in.