Speak Out 7/25/07

Rallying around

I WAS amazed how the Scott City community rallied around the Aaron Stewart family this past week. The churches worked together. Thanks to the Assembly of God for hosting the funeral dinner and Father's Arms for the benefit sale. Thanks too to the newspaper for the publicity during this trying time. Southeast Missouri, you have shown that you have love for your fellow man this week.

Teachers' hours

UNDER CENTRAL High School principal Mike Cowan's plan, teachers would not be working a longer day. They are currently contracted to 2:55 p.m. daily, and that would not change. They would gain an additional prep period. Additional money would be needed to employ more teachers to allow for the two preps and six classes of instruction expected of the full-time faculty.

God's guidance

DAVID LIMBAUGH wrote that President Bush is "exercising the ultimate humility in prostrating himself before God to ask for God's guidance and blessing." That is very admirable but also presumptuous and frightening if Bush believes (as I think he does) he is doing what God wants him to do and is directing him to do.

Parental pressure

THE ISSUE of whether Central High School will have a longer school day will be decided by parent communication directed toward the board of education as dictated by their high school age children.

Late arrivals

THIS IS to all the thoughtless, inconsiderate people who come into a restaurant a few minutes before closing. Most of the employees, especially the manager, have been at work for over 12 hours. They cannot shut anything down until the last person is out of the store. So cleanup and paperwork cannot begin until you are gone. There is a 24-hour restaurant in Cape Girardeau. Go there. Try to be more thoughtful.

It's for the veterans

REGARDING THE suggestion of putting the World War I memorial at the Missouri Veterans Home. That would be the perfect place. Those are the people we want to honor. It would be nice if they could see it. It would have been nice to have other memorials there also. It's something to think about.

Build the lake

PLEASE BUILD a recreational lake between Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties. It would help the economy out there. Money talks. It would give landowners much more for their land. How nice it would be to have a recreational lake so close. It is absolutely beautiful out in Bollinger County. Let's get started now.

Time for ethanol

THE EARTH is not full of fools. It's only fools who don't realize that the time has come for ethanol and that Brazil is run on ethanol. It makes one wonder why the U.S. can't do it too. Gasoline prices were already going high before ethanol, so to blame the increase solely on ethanol is folly. It makes sense to find other alternatives.

Misguided advice

DEAR ABBY'S writer, Jeanne Phillips, apparently doesn't know what confrontational is. It would be confrontational to tell someone he needs to clean something, especially an automobile. It would be nonconfrontational to mention that your daughter's clothing was soiled because of melting crayons or food. Then a smart person would realize he needs to clean his car better. And I'm sure when that person feels the ability to do that, he'll get to it. But telling someone he needs to clean something is confrontational. I would suggest that people think twice when reading some of these advice columns.