Speak Out 7/8/09

Tax-supported protests

DOES anyone consider it to be an oxymoron that the tea parties are held in parks provided to us with taxpayer dollars, using the very system that is being protested?

Capitalist greed

IN the middle of a recession, credit-card companies are rushing to increase interest rates before new regulations take effect, thus illustrating the rapaciousness of unregulated capitalist greed.

Late fireworks

I used to brag to my buddies back in the city about how peaceful and pleasant Cape Girardeau is, how nice and considerate the people here are. I generally don't bring up the week of the Fourth of July. It doesn't matter what time the police say you have to stop shooting off fireworks. As a guy with young children who has to be on the road driving a semi at 5 a.m., I'd appreciate it if my neighbors would stop earlier. I don't sit in their backyards making horrible noise while they and their children try unsuccessfully to sleep. I was raised to be considerate, I try to be as unoffending as possible to my neighbors. My lawn needs to be mowed, but I won't start a loud mower until a reasonable hour, because my neighbors might be asleep after being up all night shooting off fireworks.

Elitist concept

LEAVE it to state Sen. Jason Crowell and the Republican-dominated Missouri Legislature to establish an autism center in Cape Girardeau, but only for high-functioning autistics. Is there no area of these legislators' lives where the guiding principle is not elitism? It reminds me of the adage in education: "Educate the best and shoot the rest."

Great Fourth

I want to thank the Joint Veterans Council for a well-done Fourth of July celebration. My family and I went both Friday and Saturday and enjoyed it. I also want to let the Patriot Guard Riders know that it was a good feeling to see so many there And to Rodger Brown: Good job. I hope it can be done again next year.

Setting the tone

THANKS to popular Colin Powell for criticizing fellow Republicans who are going for the jugular in opposition to the nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Family values

COLUMNIST Paul Greenberg's column on the importance of family values was almost as good as President Obama's Father's Day address.

Religious freedom

IT really doesn't matter whether or not the Founding Fathers were Christians. Their genius is reflected in the fact that they established a secular nation with an impenetrable wall of separation between church and state, thus assuring freedom of religion for all.

Great fireworks

WONDERFUL fireworks, Cape Girardeau veterans. Thank you. Having it at Arena Park was a great idea. There was good parking and plenty of space. I hope to see it there next year. Maybe vendors could share the bigger shelters in case of rain.