Speak Out 8/22/08

Abortion issue

I JUST finished reading David Limbaugh's column. Here we ago again with abortion. I'd like for Limbaugh to tell me what the Republicans did to abolish abortion.

Wonderful evening

WHAT A great performance "Sing, America, Sing" was. Mike Dumey and his young, talented teenagers did a fantastic job. It was an enjoyable, fun evening with a variety of music and food. Thanks, Mike, for the wonderful evening.

Fantastic singers

THIS IS to praise Mike Dumey and the cast of "Sing, America, Sing." They give a phenomenal performance. I encourage anyone who has not gone to see one of these performances to please go see this. It's worth every penny. The singers are fantastic. The guy on the motorcycle and Elvis were hilarious. Everybody did a great job. This is one of the best performances yet. Great job, kids.

Disgusting topic

I'D LIKE to comment about Bob and Callie Miller's column in the Sunday paper. I thought it was disgusting.

She will be missed

IT SADDENS me that the first Jackson Homecomers queen, Ruby Johnson Conrad died. We are sure going to miss the little, lovely lady here in our senior garden.

Cell phones in school

WE SAW on 9-11 how beneficial cell phones are during a disaster. But cell phones should be turned off during school. They should only be allowed for emergency use and with a teacher's permission, unless it's a disaster. Teachers shouldn't be e-mailing in class either. They should be the examples.

Gold medal attention

I FIND it amazing how Michael Phelps was able to receive eight gold medals. What's even more amazing that he was diagnosed with ADD as a young child. Maybe swimming is an avenue to pursue for others with ADD.

Freedom lacking in China

FROM THE time that it was announced right up to the beginning of the Olympics I was opposed to communist China hosting such a grand event. But I was wrong. While we have witnessed great raw competition, we've also seen the leaders of China attempting to hide the real life of communism. Through this exposure, I'm reminded of a freedom that we have, particularly freedom of public worship. This also raises a disturbing question, Why are we so determined to feed this dragon? Well, if we don't think that those $30 shoes and $12 toasters won't eventually challenge our very sovereignty, then we may be living in Fantasy Land.

No weightlifting

JACKSON SOFTBALL coaches, enough is enough. Weightlifting before school is just ridiculous.

McCain not worth much

HIGHER PRICES, the depression's on its way. Groceries going higher, gas going higher, wars coming on, and guess what? Depression is already here, it's not coming, it's already here plus a recession's already here. And I approve this message if McCain gets in office because he's just like Bush. He ain't worth two cents either.

Mountain out of molehill

MY HUSBAND'S been working for Procter & Gamble more than 30 years and the allegations about how they all go making those nooses and all that, they are not nooses. I used to work out there with Manpower. Before they got the plastic wrap around the boxes, they used to use that rope to tie them down so that each row of boxes were tied down and the forklift come and pick them up with a pallet and they wouldn't fall off. What someone did is make a mountain out of a molehill.

Kids today have it easy

I WANT to talk about busing. I can't believe that's coming back up. I mean, so what if your child goes to this school and that child goes to that school. They do that so the teacher doesn't have 30 or 40 in one classroom. I see nothing wrong with it. It's school, they're learning and they're in this part of Cape Girardeau and that part of Cape Girardeau or that part of Jackson. When I went to school, we had four people to a seat and sometimes people were sitting on other people's laps and standing up. I mean, we had more than 100 children at one time on one bus. Another thing that bothers me: If there's a half-inch of snow on the ground, they call school off. We used to stand there in the football huddle, as we called it, with frozen feet, frozen hands and icicles from our hair. There was three or four inches of snow or ice on the ground and the only reason why we didn't go to school that day is because the bus driver picked us up and we slid sideways down Bloomfield Road when it was blacktop and only two lanes. He took us all back home, called the school and told them that he wasn't bringing us. There is nothing wrong with busing.

Less e-mail, more talking

THAT'S FINE and dandy for the person who does e-mail in Jackson, but I would suggest that a phone call to parents would be a nice thing versus always hearing "e-mail." Any teacher who would lets a good student fail or a student who isn't working up to their potential fail is not really worth having in the school district. They need to make sure that parents are aware of how their children are doing so there's no surprises on grade day.

Police cars at home

I JUST have a comment about our taxes in the city. My question is this: If the city is in such a bind financially and it's always pleading for more taxes to make ends meet, why don't we not buy police cars for every policeman to take home all the time? Looks like to me if you would cut back on the cost of cars to where we don't have a police car at every policeman's house 24/7, we might, just might not have to pay so much in taxes.