Speak Out 6/16/06

Hold on to traditions

THE CAPE Girardeau area is rich in history and tradition. Yet it seems time after time new folks move in and want to change things instead of embracing our traditions and history. The changing of the Southeast Missouri State University Indian mascot is one example. Changing Cape Girardeau's slogan is another. What will be next? If you move away from this area for a few years only to move back, would you recognize Cape anymore? Let's not lose anything else.

Dealing with demons

ANOTHER ADDICT was featured on the front page of the newspaper. What's the motive? To increase contempt from law-abiding citizens? Or to teach a lesson to other crack addicts? Few crack addicts will pick up a newspaper for a good read. I am happy this woman is getting her life back together. But let's stop glorifying her struggle. We all have our demons. Most of us can figure things out without doing drugs. Where's our story?

A real bargain

I WOULD like to voice my opinion about the Cape Girardeau School District recommendation for a $5 million auditorium and a $1.25 million stadium at Central High School. A booster says Houck Stadium doesn't best serve school spirit. However, when the school has a winning team, Houck is packed for every game. The cost of renting the stadium is a real bargain. Why spend all of this money for facilities that already exist?

Making it worse

PEOPLE ARE saying wood chips are the best source for making ethanol. If environmentalists say logging for building material is bad for our environment and contributes to global warming, the additional use of timber for fuel would escalate the problem. The decision on whether or not to make a big-time investment in ethanol will not be an economic one. It will be a political one, and the pro-ethanol forces are powerful beyond comprehension.

Good teachers

THERE IS no correlation between so-called highly qualified teachers and student achievement. Teaching is an art, not a science. A teacher with a doctorate could flounder, while one with a GED could get the most out of his students. The 1980s movie "Teachers" makes the point well.

Heroes in uniform

THANK YOU to all the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who are serving our country both at home and abroad. Thanks especially to our local National Guard soldiers for all you have done in the war against terrorism. While I understand that wives have sacrificed during their spouses' deployment, they should leave the spotlight to these heroes.

Repel invasions

OUR GLORIOUS leaders can find a "separation of church and state" that does not exist in the Constitution, but they can't find "repel invasions," which is in the Constitution. What's with that?

Political signs

IF THE city is going to have a sign law, it should pertain to all signs. I was leaving a gas station and couldn't see if traffic was coming because of a big political sign that was stuck in the ground right by the curb. We can't have small garage sale signs in our own yards, but the politicians can still have their huge signs posted wherever they want. I guess the law only pertains to us peons and not the bigwigs in town.

Complex billing

WHATEVER HAPPENED to customer service? Why can't a hospital simply give you the total amount you owe? The hospital wants your account paid off but is unable to supply the patient with adequate bills. One visit warrants an explanation of benefits, a letter stating this has been turned to your insurance and one stating "Please do not pay this balance." The next week I receive a letter stating that my account has been turned over to a collection agency. It is unfortunate that facilities that are able to build multimillion-dollar additions cannot afford to send out a statement of accounts. Hospitals may pride themselves on helping in emergencies, but helping you understand what you owe is too much for them to handle.

School menus

I WOULD be happy if schools served lunches on the published menus. My child is picky, but I want him to learn to eat new food. We look over the menus and decide if he will eat the lunch or take a lunch. At 3 p.m. he comes in complaining that he has not eaten because the food "was wrong." Serve what you put on the menu.

Civil discussion

JUST BECAUSE I disagree with embryonic stem-cell research doesn't mean I am indoctrinated by some right-wing radical or unlearned about real research. Can we not have discussion without the hostile and personal attacks? Believe it or not, I have a brain that has been educated and an opinion formed from my own experiences.

Survey caution

MARKETING SURVEYS are proof that money can buy any result the payer chooses both in politics and in business. Readers need to judge the source of the information and follow the money trail. You have to wonder how the questions are posed and exactly how the random sampling was achieved. Just because the business paying for the survey is an established one doesn't mean it's honest.

Signs of the times

The baby boomers now serving on Cape's city council were far too much influenced by the supposedly pro-environmental songs of decades ago. It's obvious they took too seriously the sentiment expressed in the popular song "Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign," since Cape now allows virtually none. That's a bad sign.

Chiefs and Indians

In reading over a multitude of Speak Out comments and the issues addressed, from school lunches, teacher salaries versus administrative raises, yard sales, potholes, uptown, downtown, it seems as though too many people are aspiring to be chiefs and too few Indians.

The real Shady Deal

Erik Rust's profile of Sikeston-based Jesse Hammock's band Shady Deal was great. In my view, Shady Deal is the real deal. I listened to the songs linked by Rust to the Internet. I'm no music critic, but I think Shady Deal has a chance to put Sikeston and Southeast Missouri on the map big time in the field of Southern rock jam. Congratulations to Jesse and the rest of the guys in the band, and thanks to Erik Rust for the piece in the paper.