Speak Out 9/23/06

Long detour

THE COUNTY has started preparing County Road 381 for pavement by bringing dirt and gravel in to raise it, but it is not going to begin paving until the spring of 2007. The road has been closed, because it is impossible to drive on without a four-wheel-drive vehicle, especially after it has rained. We taxpayers who use this county road for a shorter distance to Route U are now having to detour several miles until next spring.

Thanks for opinion

My sincere congratulations to the Southeast Missourian for its Sept. 17 Opinion page. It was excellent.

Understanding war

AT AGE 18 you are considered an adult and you have the right to vote. If the military raises the enlistment age to 21, someone surely will have something to say about that as well. Yes, 18 is young. There are mature 18-year-olds in the world. It is just an opinion that these young soldiers may not grasp the reality of their enlistment. However, in my opinion some understand and grasp this decision with all that they are made of.

Thanks to families

I WANT to express my sincere thanks and extend my sympathy to our families in Jackson area who have give their family members in the armed forces for my freedom and protection. Thank you. Two families that come to mind are the Shank and Davis families.

Burden of proof

MISSOURI SECRETARY of State Robin Carnahan doesn't want to "unduly burden" voters who would have to spend money for official documents to obtain the required photo ID. I don't recall her having a problem when the law was passed to require burdensome paperwork for proof of who we are to obtain a driver's license.

Prefer new pool

INSTEAD OF spending money, time and attention on irrigation for flowers and grass along our busy interstate ramps, I think most families in our city and county would much prefer a new all-season swimming pool.

Appropriate term

FASCISM BY definition includes racism, imperialism, intense nationalism and dictatorship. The minority of extreme Islamists exhibit some or most of these characteristics, although their movement is international rather than national. Their ultimate goal is to establish a worldwide Islamic theocracy. The term Islamofascist is for the most part well-grounded in reality and an apt definition.

Ethanol debacle

MICHAEL DEVANEY'S evisceration of the ethanol debacle is worthy of national attention.

Showing respect

AS A member of the funeral procession for Jeremy Shank, I can't say how proud I am of Jackson for the outpouring of support for the Shank family. It was such a sight to see all the people who took the time to show respect to the family. It made me so proud to be a person who lives in Jackson.

Historical LifeSavers

I DON'T think LifeSavers should be banned from school if a parent wants to send them. Even their name sends a positive message. They are a part of American history. Has anyone ever lost a tooth from a LifeSaver? They make the perfect little gift. Come on, schools, lighten up.

Cleanest fair

WHAT A great job people cleaning up the fair did this year. It is the cleanest I have seen it. Keep up the good work.

Tax for cleanup

SMOKERS SHOULD be happy with the small 80-cent-a-pack tax increase on cigarettes. The cigarette tax should be increased at least twice that amount so some of the money could be used to clean up the cigarette butts and empty packs that smokers throw everywhere.

No exercise time

I WONDER how children are supposed to get exercise when they come home from school with five to six hours of studying and homework they have to do?

Touching cartoon

REGARDING THE comment that editorial cartoons aren't always funny: Sometimes they send a message. I don't like the serious messages in some of the cartoons. That is a personal preference. The Steve Irwin cartoon was meant to be touching.

Not much risk

Sixth-grade GIRLS shouldn't be getting vaccine for cervical cancer. Unless it's in your family, the risks are small. It is ridiculous to give a vaccine to all sixth-graders for cervical cancer.

Right connections

I just read an article that said cigarette companies are being allowed to increase the nicotine in cigarettes, especially the brands that younger people smoke. It goes to show that if you have the right political ties, you can get away with pretty much anything.

Plan and save

I read about Wal-Mart ending its layaway plan. I like what the professor had to say: If you don't have the money, don't buy it. Lay the money away. Plan ahead. Learn to save.

They're my roads too

To the people who live on County Road 616, 617, 618 and 619: I did not turn around in any of your driveways. To say that those county roads are yours is snobbish. I contacted the sheriff's department and the Jackson Police Department. They informed me I can drive on the county roads any time I feel like it. If I want to drive by and look at your houses, there isn't anything you can do about it.

Empty promises

It occurs to me that many political candidates say if you vote for them, they will do all these different things. They don't realize they will be, if elected, a small spoke in the wheel. They don't have the authority to do all the things they say they will do.

Not responsible

Someone said the warm-up performer for Ronnie Milsap made an inappropriate comment or joke about the pope and said Milsap should repudiate that comment. Why should Milsap answer for something someone else did? He doesn't control the warm-up performer. You should demand an apology from the warm-up performer.

Banned treats

Not only are the public schools banning some sugary treats, they also are banning mothers from bringing their own baked goods to the various festivities to earn money. This is ludicrous.

Do it right first time

I think our city officials need to take a close look at our engineering department, which is in charge of making decisions about streets and other city projects. What I have noticed is that the simplest of projects take forever or have to be redone numerous times. Those costs come back to the taxpayers. It's also inconvenient for those of us who drive around the down. How many times has the roundabout been redone? I don't have any faith that it is finished this time. There's spots on Lexington Avenue that have been dug up and patched repeatedly. This work needs to be done correctly the first time.