Speak Out 8/28/08

Pro-choice VP candidate

MCCAIN WILL have my vote more than ever if he picks a pro-choice candidate. In fact, that's what I have against McCain now is his pro-life stand. I don't know if it's enough to keep me from voting for him but it certainly is a concern of mine. As a 50-year-old woman, I just want a pro-choice president but that won't be the only issue I vote on.

Bush did tough job

WHAT IS the caller talking about, Armageddon, Bush speeding things up? Ridiculous. If you're going to comment politically, leave the Bible out of it because it really has no place in a serious, political discussion. Russia's been brewing for a long time to assert itself so that's not Bush's fault. North Korea progress has been made. Kim no longer thinks he has to have his nuclear facility. Somewhere the war against terrorism has to be fought and as a sign off I-55 says, "it's better it was fought off American soil." Kudos to President Bush. He had a tough job, he did it and we don't need callers belittling what he has done. I'm glad he was my president when terrorism hit because he was strong enough to say, "this will not be tolerated."

Road rage in Jackson

I WITNESSED my first road rage in Jackson on Saturday. I was sitting down at 101 waiting to get out on the highway and a lady in a pickup had stopped with her flasher to turn into the 101 and some guy in a beige sport utility vehicle pulled up behind her and he was blowing, laying down on the horn and waving his arms like he had lost it. He just went bananas. Finally the lady got to turn on in, but the guy sitting next to me said, "that must be the soccer pop the way he's carrying on." The guy needs help.

Gambling a problem

THE CALLER'S all wet that says casino gambling's OK because it's the elderly who do it. Well, if you read Dear Abby from time to time, you know it is a problem and people don't need grandma coming to them for money because she spent it all on gambling. Two wrongs don't make a right. Just because there's bingo and lotto doesn't mean we have to even complicate it further by having casinos. And perhaps it was wrong to have lottos in the first place because it does take money away from legitimate businesses like stores, restaurants, etc.

Biden a good choice

I AM so pleased that Obama selected Joe Biden as his running mate. I am tired of Bush's ignorance and may I add, the Limbaugh brothers. I want the servicemen to come home. I realize it can't be done tomorrow but I pray very soon. It is so sad that our country has had to put up with what it has the past eight years. I have lived to see the late President Roosevelt in office who was great along with Kennedy, Truman and Clinton. I met Nixon and his wife, Pat, and was not impressed with him. I was very much disappointed that Robert Kennedy never had a chance to serve as president. He would have definitely changed the United States. Please vote Democrat when you go to the polls. I want the best for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren and everyone else's.

A slap to Hillary

BARACK OBAMA said that in selecting a vice presidential running mate, he wanted someone that would challenge his own thinking. Since Hillary was doing exactly that throughout the primary and almost half of the Democratic voters supported her, then is it not a slap in the face to her and her supporters by selecting anyone else?

Raise the drinking age

RAISING THE legal drinking age to 25 is a fantastic idea. Alcohol being a mind altering substance that destroys brain cells, waiting until the brain is fully developed couldn't hurt.

Bus suggestion

There is a handicapped student who lives on William Street, on a corner. The bus stops and it blocks traffic on William Street at about 8:20 every morning when people are trying to get to work, right there on the corner. All the bus driver has to do is turn the corner and pick the student up on the side street which is actually where the driveway and the walk comes out. Instead, the parent pushes down the driveway, up to the corner and around to the bus and the traffic is blocked. This needs to be fixed. Bus, turn the corner, pick them up at the driveway on the side street. Thank you.

SEMO Fair overcharging

ACCORDING TO Tipoff magazine, there are several events with free admission and free parking such as the annual Popeye picnic, East Perry Fair, Bollinger County Harvest Days, Jackson Homecomers, and Big Oak State Park Living History Days. However, SEMO District Fair is another story. Admission fee of $4 for adults and children over 12 is ridiculous. The free attractions listed on the back of the pamphlet are free if you have to pay $4 to get into fairground. Mayor Knudtson, city officials and fair board apparently have no clue or, better yet, do not care about our failing economy. I'm sure eats, drinks, games, etc., are higher this year also. The average family cannot afford these prices. It's about time Cape Girardeau takes a lesson from other communities and drops admission and parking charges. Have heart and you may find more fun for the family with less financial burden.

Permit not right

I DON'T think it's right of Springfield, Mo., to make you get a permit to give away a puppy. It just seems like only businesses get to get ahead and you can no longer help your fellow man by giving them a free puppy or kitten because there's always someone got their hand out wanting to make a profit off you whether it's the local government making you get a permit or the business industry.

Dog returns home

I WANT to say thank you to the guy that found our dog up here at the Hanover Lutheran Church and took him to the Humane Society on Aug. 25. I picked him up, brought him home, and the children surely do appreciate it. Thank you again.

Doesn't cost a penny

I KEEP seeing these people on TV, part of their ad is, this didn't cost me a penny. It cost somebody. They don't care if somebody else paid for their stuff, they just want it free. Does that make things great? Somebody has to pay.

Following the party line

WAY TOO many people are falling for the Republican Party line of blaming the Democrats for high gas prices because they won't allow offshore drilling. That's garbage. Oil companies already have leases for land that they could be drilling on right now; they just won't.

What about seniors?

HAS ANYONE out there heard either of the candidates for president say anything about the senior citizens? If you have, please call Speak Out. I haven't.

Campaign or advertising?

AS I read about Rock Finch deciding to run for county commissioner as an independent, I got down through the article and it sounds to me like he's running an advertising campaign for his insurance consulting company. I'd have to think twice before I'd vote for this guy.

Use your ashtray

I JUST wanted to thank the lady who threw the cigarette out into my driveway as she drove by on 72 in the long line of construction. I really appreciate that. Next time, there is an ashtray in your car. Use it instead of using my driveway as my ashtray. People need to learn some consideration for other people's property.

Another lane needed

I JUST have a question for MoDOT. At the Cape Girardeau-Jackson exit, if you're going northbound and you get off at that exit, there's two lanes to get into. If you're going southbound, there's only one lane. Why is that? I mean, there's just as much traffic going either way. I think if you're coming from Perryville down to Cape Girardeau and get off at that exit, they should have that a little wider and have two lanes there.

Disrespect to Hillary?

HILLARY CLINTON has been a Democrat her entire life and loves the party and believes in it. Her supporters who say they will vote for McCain are stabbing her in the back and shooting themselves in the foot.

Gas prices

I WAS wondering, can someone explain to me why gasoline is $3.33 a gallon in Perryville and $3.29 a gallon in Festus? My best guess is, there's a little bit of the Cape Girardeau County price gouging going on. Someone needs to look into this.

An insult to gamblers

WHY WOULD a Speak Out caller think a casino in Cape Girardeau would bring in more drunken drivers and thieves? Does that person think only drunks and thieves go to casinos? I am insulted. That is so ridiculous.

Tired of tax increases

IT MAKES me sick that Cape School District is going to raise our property taxes again. The school district fails year after year regarding No Child Left Behind. What really makes me sick is paying over $41,000 for a sound system at the junior high. Why not take the proceeds for the musicals there to pay for the sound system and use the $41,000 for better teaching?

Texting during funeral

I WENT to a funeral in Cape Girardeau this week and the man across the aisle from me was text messaging all during the service at the church. I guess there isn't even any respect to the dead when it comes to cell phones and text messaging. I think this was very, very tacky.

Excited about fair

WELL, IT'S hard to believe that the SEMO District Fair is just right around the corner. I get excited thinking about the draft car shows and classes coming up. I'm sure that as usual our local exhibiters, the Mangels family of Oak Ridge will do well in this tough competition with their outstanding showmanship and expert riding. But it's classes. If you want to share in this excitement, come and watch the show and arrive early if you want a good view of the events.

Absolute horror

YOU WANT a Cold War movie that will scare the living tar out of you, get on YouTube and type in "threads" or the "war game," and watch either one of those. Absolute horror.