Speak Out 7/14/05

Facing lawlessness

ISSUES CONCERNING lawless activities are staring all of us in the face and cannot be ignored any longer. Police won't be abused for doing their jobs, and citizens won't be afraid to walk down the streets at night. This gang mentality has to stop or be stopped by whatever means available before it completely consumes us. We have already fought wars on foreign soil for safety's sake and should surely be allowed to enjoy a safe feeling in our own community where we live, work, pay taxes and raise our children. Thanks to the Cape Girardeau Police Department for picking up the sword and defending us citizens who are afraid to complain.

Finding answers

THE PROBLEM on South Hanover Street isn't about the police. It's about people who think the way to resolve any disagreement is by yelling, screaming, intimidating and resorting to force. As long as people think the only answer to their problems is anger instead of discussion, there will be problems like this. It's a mentality that's only furthered by the idolization of criminals who get rich by rhyming a few words and acting tough. As long as gangstas are heroes, morons will emulate their behavior.

Trains in Chaffee

YEARS AGO, if a train blocked some crossings, the crew would unbuckle the train so motorists could cross. Now they don't do that. I know of an incident last summer in Chaffee where trains had the crossing in the middle of town blocked, and the one south of it was blocked. No ambulance or fire truck would have been able to get to the eastern side of Chaffee. This lasted for 30 minutes. What if someone needed help? People living along the track don't need twice the number of trains going by blowing their whistles and making squealing noises on the tracks. When trains stop at certain places, several driveways are blocked.

Tells it like it is

Gene Lyons writes it as it is. It's the only chance we've got of hearing the other side. We're entitled to Lyons' columns. He knows what he's talking about.

Using force

I READ where some individuals are accusing police officers of using excessive force. If these individuals would only follow the police officers' instructions, no force would be used. Striking a police officer in the head with a metal object is going to provoke the use some sort of force.

Hanover concerns

I'M CALLING about the situation on Hanover Street. I've lived here for a while. Most people do not realize how much worse it is than the altercation on July 4. When people don't even have enough respect to keep from throwing their garbage, alcohol bottles and drug bags in your yard, what do you expect? They're not going to have any respect for the police. They have no respect for anybody, not even themselves. We who live here and own houses can't sell our houses because of the bad element down here. Our houses aren't worth anything. It's just absolutely horrible. It's almost like the police and the city don't care about anybody on this side of town.

Locating the trouble

THE WHOLE south side of town is not the tough side of town. Most of the trouble occurs in the southeast part of town, not the south-central or the southwest parts of town.

Bad memories

I THOUGHT the front-page headlines about Margaret Smith's murder were insensitive toward the Abbott family. I knew that Abbott family a while back, and my heart goes out to them. The father, Jerry Abbott, was a nice hard worker. The family didn't have much money. They did the best they could to raise the family. Jerry and his brother were orphans when Jerry wasn't 6 months old. This articles brought back such bad memories for his family and relatives.