Speak Out 7/5/05

Time to fix overpass

I WANT to comment on the condition of the Interstate 55 overpass that many people cross daily as they leave Cape Girardeau on South Kingshighway. Motorists trying to get onto I-55 South or who get onto old Highway 74 to get to Dutchtown have to cross a bridge that has potholes and bumps in it, It has been patched many times. Maybe it's time for a new bridge deck. Let's get this fixed. It's dangerous. I hope no one is injured there.

We had a ball

THE ORGANIZERS of the Red House Ball should be commended for the good time had by everybody who attended. The music, food and activities were great fun. Cape Girardeau needs more events like this.

Problems at the core

WITH ALL the fuss about litter, dressing up our Route K front door and the walking trail Cape Rock -- all round the edges, who's minding our real problem at the center? Why not fix what's really rotten? Our public schools have the worse record in this state for graduating some of our kids. Is the new superintendent coming here all the way from South Dakota to fix things finally, or to just fiddle-faddle with the frills?

Scott City interchange

WE NEED a new interchange in Scott City a lot worse than a new one between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. They already have several ways in and out of town. We only have one, unless you want to take the long way around. We need a better design, and the money would be better spent.

Not a good idea

THE IDEA of rationing gasoline is ridiculous, especially in an area like Cape Girardeau where there are so many people in the countryside who depend on driving to Cape Girardeau for their groceries and for their clothing. That's why Cape is a growing city. Rationing gas would infringe on other people's pursuit of happiness.

Water Street beauty

I WOULD like to compliment Cape Girardeau, the engineering staff and everybody who worked on Water Street. I was there Sunday afternoon, and it's beautiful. I don't know how it could have been done any better. I do wish some of the buildings on the west side of the street would take care of the eyesores. Another problem I saw was the trash and grease bins from the different restaurants on that side of the street, which is unsightly and probably unsanitary. And there needs to be some signs saying you can't stop your car and gawk when you've got 10 or 15 cars behind.

Funeral courtesy

JUNE 27 was the funeral of my brother at a funeral home in Cape Girardeau. As we drove out to a rural church for burial, it was evident that there are courteous people in this area. His children were surprised to come back home and see people stop while the funeral procession passed. They asked me to call Speak Out to express their appreciation.

Dogs give love

ANYONE WHO says we don't need four dogs and eight cats has never been loved by a dog. I would rather have my dogs around me than most people, because people use you. They want something out of you. The only thing my dogs have ever wanted is to give me unconditional love. They're happy to see me. They're glad to be around me.

On the rabid right

I'M CALLING about the David Limbaugh column "Rove is right." Limbaugh continues to show himself to be out of the mainstream of American political thought by invoking the liberal word immediately. It's the old conservative standby: demonize your enemy, distract from the fact. Limbaugh overlooks the fact that most Americans understand that Bush's policy is a failed policy, has been a failed policy and will continue to be a failed policy. Limbaugh is a mouthpiece for the rabid right. Please, give equal time to common-sense mainstream Americans.

Face the facts

TO THE person who thinks the armed services are having trouble recruiting because of what might or might not happen in 2008: These 18- to 22-year-olds are looking at up to two-year stints in Iraq fighting for people who never wanted us there and risking their lives for a president who distorted the truth about WMDs and other issues to make them fit the plans he had from the beginning. Bashing Hillary Rodham Clinton won't change the facts.

Helping both

A recent Speak Out comment said that instead of having more than a couple of animals at home, you ought to feed hungry children. We do both. We have more than what the city has come down as the number of pets you should have. We also have supported for years three kids, one in China, one in South America and one in Africa through the Save the Children Foundation. What we gave up are new cars and fancy clothes.

Stopping terrorism

President Bush is so right. To cut and run in Iraq would be playing right into the hands of terrorists. This war is against global terrorists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and will prevail until the terrorists are no longer a menace.

Thanks for checkbook

I WOULD like to thank the person who found my checkbook at Wal-Mart. I only wish I could thank you in person. Thanks for your honesty. You saved a lot of trouble for an old man.

Private numbers

Businesses are forever asking you for your Social Security number. My understanding is that Social Security numbers are not to be used as identification. Who has the right to ask you for your Social Security number?

Grading system

CENTRAL HIGH School officials are wondering why they have such a high dropout rate. It has set students up for failure by having an accumulative grade point system. Our children only receive letter grades every four months. Their grades are built up over these four months instead of every two like most other schools. The finals are worth 15 percent of the students' grades. Departments make up the tests instead of individual teachers. Even our straight-A students have a difficult time holding their heads above water at this school.

Curb on fireworks

I WAS curious why the Cape Girardeau Fire Department has not restricted fireworks usage with the drought conditions we have. There are many places where there is grass dead on the yards. Many houses, especially older frame houses on the south end of town, are vulnerable. It seems that we're not being protected.

Lagging enlistments

FOR DECADES, I have exercised my right to vote. I remind myself that right is protected by men and women in service. There are many reasons enlistments in our military services are down. President Bush is commander in chief of our armed services, and enlistments are under his watch.

Now there's funding

SCOTT CITY has been waiting for a new I-55 off ramp for 30 years and was told the state did not have funding. It is amazing money is always available when it comes to the bigger cities.

Good impression

ATTRACTIVE CITIES attract more occupants and more businesses. And some areas of Cape Girardeau need all the help they can get, especially Broadway. Chances are the people who are earning the money spent are turning around and putting that money back into the community.

Cut the labels

THE U.S. Supreme Court justices are independent. Whether appointed by a Democratic or Republican president, they simply can't be neatly fit into a conservative or liberal mold as much as media mouths would like. Come to think of it, there simply is no all-encompassing definition of conservative or liberal that would be accurate and satisfactory to all. Thus, the use of the words should cease forthwith.

He said it best

IN CASE you missed the comment from the best syndicated columnist writing in the Southeast Missourian, Paul Greenberg: "The big problem with the strict constructionist/literal-minded version of constitutional law is that it lacks the genius of the Constitution itself, language that is so flexible it opens up a whole future of possibilities while remaining rooted in past rights and practices." Beautiful.