Speak Out 8/5/10

Gambling a choice

GAMBLING, like alcohol, is a choice. Both are legal and have people who are for them and against them. The bottom line is, it is a choice for people 21 or over who are considered to be adults, just like bingo. Those who are against can choose not to gamble or drink just as those who are for it should be able to choose to gamble or drink. I don't drink or smoke and I don't think other people should either, but I feel they have the right to. I have been gambling for 18 years at surrounding casinos and I'm not a criminal and I haven't gone bankrupt. All choices require responsibility. So let us have that choice where it can help our city which is failing.

Thanks for kids day

I would like to thank all who helped in the kids day at the Scott City Park. My grandchildren and great-grandchildren had a great time.

Catholics and casinos

THE Speak Out caller who says that there are a lot of church people who aren't Christians and Christians want no part of a casino should be ashamed of himself. I take great offense to that. I'm sure all the Catholics who play bingo every so often would really take offense to that too. I don't think being a Christian has anything to do with going to a casino. You're pretty much free in this country to do whatever you wish, and I don't think church people should be able to tell us that we can't. Maybe the churches should butt out of everybody else's life.

Political disruptions

I'D like to know where you politicians get off disturbing somebody's peace. First, you bothered me on the phone. If you don't answer the phone, you fill up my message machine. Now you come knocking on my door and you wake me up from a nap.

Gambling boat issues

YOUR article in your paper says "Both sides, pros and cons, will have an opportunity to make their cases." When and where will that happen?

Joe the Writer

I always enjoy reading Joe Sullivan's column. It makes me remember my childhood which was so much like his, when people worked hard and family was important.

Homecomers issues

I am agreeing with the business people saying it hurts their business when this Homecomers comes in. The place that belongs is over at the public park and it wouldn't interfere with anybody's lives.

No robo-calls

ALL you robo-calling politicians, I'm not voting for you. I'm voting for whoever does not call me because whoever doesn't call me, they want to hear what I have to say. You? You only want to tell me what I should think. That isn't right, that isn't America and that isn't getting my vote.

Strange story

I'M wondering if there's anyone out there as mystified as I am how the man from Pennsylvania on his way to Arizona wound up in a ditch deceased in Cape Girardeau County a few miles west of Dutchtown. What happened? Being familiar with this area, maybe that's why I'm so curious. Strange story.

Respect for elderly

SHAME on the person for calling and railing about elderly people driving. Would it hurt this caller to slow down a little? After all, this caller will be old one day, too. My experience with the elderly is they drive slower than we do. They don't really cross the line, it's not my experience here lately. What I've seen is they drive slow. It's my duty to pass when safe to do so. I just think it's very wrong of the caller to call in and spew bad feelings toward our elderly.

Dress code concerns

I am concerned about the dress code at the Jackson School District. I hope that the administration will send down a formatted dress code, not only for the students but for the teachers also. The present trend is not very appropriate on either side and they need to take this matter in hand. Low necklines, short skirts that barely cover their tushes, flip-flop shoes, which are dangerous. This is for students and for teachers: Dress appropriately and then you'll get the respect you deserve.

Patrol does vital work

I personally knew Terry when I was with the highway patrol as a road officer. I am currently in federal law enforcement with the DEA. Terry was probably one of the hardest working police officers I have known. He put his family and personal life on hold for the citizens of Missouri. Reading some of the comments makes me sick and angry because people truly don't understand what this country would be like if we legalized narcotics. Do we really want to be like Mexico where they think it is normal to cut people's heads off to send a message to other dope dealers?

No longer Christian

TO the writer who advocates "finding peace" without the military, you make a false assumption. I rarely agree with the president, but when he said we are no longer a Christian nation, he was right. Many of us are Christians, but we've ceased being "one nation under God" long ago. Therefore, your premise that Jesus would intercede for a nation that accepts homosexuality, pornography, abortion and numerous other sins, is totally unbiblical. Look what He did to Israel when "they" turned away from him. Our armed forces are the "only" reason we are still a free nation, and that is quickly being taken away.

Criticism of top

FOR 17 months the emperor has been changing his clothes behind the bush. Perhaps someone will eventually tell him that the bush is no longer there.

Heat is GOP conspiracy

FOR a senior citizen to go out and vote in Tuesday's primary election was, in face of the 110-degree heat index, a death-defying act. I am more convinced than ever that holding primary elections during the dog days of August can be traced back to a long ago, nefarious Republican plot to suppress the vote.

Prop C was fluke

A lot of pandering and posturing politicians jumped the gun in their strong opposition to health care reform. A just published Kaiser Foundation poll shows 50 percent support for the health care reform bill, 39 percent opposition, with the rest undecided. In the next election cycle, I predict their well-known opposition to health care reform will burden their collective necks with quite large albatrosses.

The full story

IF half the people who commented on the blogs actually read the Southeast Missourian's full stories, more people would be thanking you instead of spinning opinion without factual basis.

Let's just get along

DO we really need to have a debate about which age group has the worst drivers? There are bad drivers at every age level. Young drivers are inexperienced and often distracted. Older drivers can have health issues or vision problems that impact their driving. That's the truth. But such comments don't mean all people in a group are the same. Let's just try to get along.

Hey, it's a job

WHEN I got unemployment, I had to actively be looking for a new job and document and report it. When I lost my benefits, I lost them, no big deal. A lot of people have a problem with pride, taking a menial job like working at a fast-food joint. Hey, it's a job! It doesn't have to be permanent. There are things in life you can't control, but not falling behind in your bills, rent and utilities. Those you can do something about.