Speak Out 6/20/05

Help from the city

WHEN YOUR neighbors let their yard grow up in grass and weeds, call the city, which will see to it that the yard gets mowed.

College funding

IF THE state government can spend $2.4 million on building an entrance to the university and six figures to tear down a communications tower, please don't come whining to me that the state education system needs more of my tax dollars to survive. No wonder Southeast Missouri State University has to balance its budget on the backs of the students by raising tuition.

Dangerous cats

THERE ARE mountain lions in this area. I shot one 10 years ago in self defense. I didn't tell anybody because 20 years ago I took plaster tracks of a mountain lion, and the Missouri Department of Conservation tried to tell me it was a dog. Imagine what a 150-pound cat can do to rabbits and birds. It's their nature to kill, and they're very effective because of survival. They kill for meat and for pleasure. The conservation department is playing this down so irresponsible folks won't go out looking for cats. As a hunter, I can tell you they will find you first. These animals are dangerous and need to be dealt with promptly.

Spending money

BOONDOGGLE No. 1: the Lexington Avenue area with miles of sidewalk along trees and bushes, not houses. The money could have been better used to resurface Independence Street, which is one of the roughest streets in town. Boondoggle No. 2: Southeast Missouri State University's useless and expensive change on Henderson Avenue. All that was needed was a stop sign. Now the university wants to increase student fees. SEMO and the city council always find money to spend but at other times, moan and groan about needing new funds. Look out, taxpayers.

Major issues

WHAT DO you think of all the birds flying around in retail stores? This is unsanitary. Why doesn't the health department do something about this? Also, America needs to start taking care of its own people. We have people living in poverty all around us, especially in the Appalachian Mountains and the Ozarks. We can't continue to take care of the world. It's time our politicians take care of the people who elected them. Stand up, America, for what is right. Bring our jobs home and have decent health care for people.

Different party now

A SPEAK Out comment compared Howard Dean to Harry Truman. Dean, who now speaks for the Democratic Party, is about as far from Truman's values and political views as you can get. I'm old enough to have voted for Harry Truman before Democrats with an agenda like Dean's took over our party and left those who believe in God's values and decency with no party we could respect. Dean is especially what this party is: hate and socialism together.

Think for yourself

WE'RE HEARING so much talk about the poor treatment of the prisons at Guantanamo. I've heard little criticism of the criminals' barbaric military treatment of our people. I haven't read where we've cut off any heads or hands. I believe our military could be home already if it wasn't for all this effort to try to make the president look like a failure. I pray that people think a little bit for themselves.

Judging others

I WOULD like to point out that many of this area's backbiting gossips are Christians. They think that gives them the right to point out everybody's shortcomings and talk about them.

Smoother pavement

WHEN ARMSTRONG Drive is constructed in western Cape Girardeau, I hope the pavement is smoother than Siemers Drive, which is bumpier than most county gravel roads.