Speak Out 6/21/05

Personal choice

I AGREE with Walter E. Williams in his column about Click It or Ticket. I too wear my seat belt, but I do not think it should be required of me. The ads on the radio tell me that 60 percent of those who don't wear seat belts and are involved in accidents die. That means 40 percent live. It is almost a 50-50 chance of living. A friend just experienced this. If he hadn't been ejected from his vehicle, he would have been crushed to death inside his truck. Not wearing a seat belt saved his life. Tell me why he should be required to wear a seat belt ever again. I don't think I want the cops to make this life-or-death decision for me.

Tricky

If Bush doesn't soon start fixin'

Our financial and other woes

He'll be remembered as the new Nixon

As down the tube all goes.

Too many credits

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University claims to want to educate our kids. My son is within two semesters of graduating with a bachelor's degree in education. He has been denied financial aid because he, like so many kids, changed majors. SEMO says he has too many credits to be eligible for any financial aid. By the way, this is the university's own rules, not state or federal rules. It hurts to see your child so close to having an education and watch a committee take it away.

Memories of Riverfest

AS A former resident of Cape Girardeau, I always enjoyed coming back to town for Riverfest. It was the first festival of the summer. The five-mile run was one of the few evening runs in the area. The downtown atmosphere was fun, and the weather could be hellish. It all made for a great evening to return to town.

Reckless laws

THERE ARE laws in place to protect us from reckless drivers. Doing anything in your car that causes you to be reckless -- putting on makeup, talking on a cell phone -- is against the law. Any new law to regulate something that is encompassed within the reckless driving law is overzealous. Some people can talk on a cell phone and not be reckless, just like some people are reckless even without doing anything except trying to drive.

Weeds on highway

ONCE AGAIN it is summer, and once again the weeds on Highway 74 between Cape Girardeau and Dutchtown are chest high. The Johnson grass is going to seed already. The highway department can keep other roads mowed. Why do the thousands of people who enter our city from the southwest every day have to see these ugly weeds all summer long?

Sincerest condolences

IN RESPONSE to the story "Religious group to protest at funeral for Ill. soldier": I thought I'd heard or seen it all until I read this story. This makes as much sense as people flying into buildings and killing innocent people in the name of God. My sincerest condolences to this young soldier's family. I truly hate to see this group showing up at this young hero's funeral. They must know a different God than the one I pray to. I don't think God punishes innocent people for the actions of others.

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Learning about racism

HOW BLESSED I am to live in America where the press and the judicial branch continue to teach me new things. Take the lesson that I, because I am white, am the only color capable of being racist. Any hate spewed at me would be because I am the racist. And now I learn from two court decisions that I am incapable of sitting on a jury dealing with any minority and rendering a non-prejudicial verdict. So much for the time I spent on a jury that found in favor of defendants of Asian ancestry. Here I am in my latter years still learning so much about my ignorance due to my color or lack there of. What else can I learn?

Appalling protest

IN RESPONSE to the story "Religious group to protest at funeral for Ill. soldier": This is so wrong. If the protesters want to protest, that's their right, but this is an intrusion of a family's grief at an already difficult time for them. The protesters can't possibly call themselves Christians. No true Christian would use this as an opportune time to express their beliefs. I'm appalled.

Four contenders

LIKE IN the pre-Civil War era, there will be four viable candidates for the presidency in 2008. Besides Republican nominee Rudy Guillani and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, John McCain and an electable anti-war candidate will contest for the office.

Dressing down

IF EVER a criticism was well-deserved, it was ABC's Dr. Tim Johnson's dressing down of U.S. Sen. Bill Frist for demagoging the Terry Schavio situation. In the words of Johnson, Frist (as a physician) "knew better." As a politician, Frist was, of course, pandering to the Christian right. That is understandable in today's moral and cultural climate, since Frist wants to be, first and foremost, president.

Litter complaint

I TURNED in someone with their name on trash, and all the sheriff's office did (after I signed the complaint) was to tell me they'd talk to the individual. I hope our new sheriff won't follow such practices.

Repair the streets

I HAVE a notion to drive one tire on the street and one on the sidewalk. At least, I would have one tire on something besides holes, bumps and cracks. To have installed sidewalks instead of repairing the streets in Cape Girardeau is another bad idea and such a waste. I see very few walkers using these sidewalks.

Not a godly act

REGARDING THE story "Religious group to protest at funeral for Ill. soldier": I am a native of Southeast Missouri but moved to North Carolina, home of the Camp LeJeune Marine base. I read the Southeast Missourian online daily to keep up with my hometown. I was so angry when I read the article about this so-called religious to protest at the funeral for a fallen soldier. This is not an act of God. They give Christians a bad name.

Pairing up candidates

REGARDING THE comment about Hillary Clinton beating George Bush in opinion polls: I guess I'm missing something, but won't George Bush be ineligible to run for president in 2008? Won't Hillary have a different opponent to face?