Speak Out 9/28/03

Bring them home

SIX WEEKS after insisting the U. S. had "sufficient force to do what is required" in Iraq, the Bush Administration admitted this week more American reservists likely will be sent to the front lines. That announcement contradicts the promise of Joint Chiefs Chairman General Richard Myers who said on Aug. 5, "We're trying to put predictability into the lives of our soldiers, their families and the reservists and their employers." The deceit just goes on and on.

Freudian slip

THE SPEAK Out caller who claimed he liked concealed weapons has a problem explainable only in Freudian psychoanalytical terms and inappropriate for publication in the Southeast Missourian.

Need more sense

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS are being cut at Southeast and they are hiring athletic coaches. Give me a break! They must still have more money than sense.

You're fired

WHOEVER SNEAKED a quote from radical transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson into Gary Rust's column might as well clean out his desk.

Find the poll

WHERE, IN this publication, do we find reports of the latest opinion poll that shows a higher percentage of those likely to vote in the next election think that we need someone else in the White House than think we should return George Bush?

Conforming needs

UNITED WAY surveys of local public needs will be considered statistically invalid until the stated needs conform with those of the Southeast Missourian editorial staff.

Kudos to Dobbins

I THINK the university's decision to review all programs and curricula in an effort to save money is a fantastic idea. Every level of government should do the same to identify and eliminate underperforming and duplicative programs. I am glad that Dr. Dobbins has the intestinal fortitude to take the lead on such an endeavor.

Don't be blind

THE DUTY of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say "no." That is how our freedom began 227 years ago. Now, we must talk and listen and ask questions and understand. If we do not like where we find ourselves, we must once again say "no" with roaring voice and without fear.

Drury's dissent

LOOKS LIKE Jim Drury is once again standing up to Southeast Missouri State University and just saying no. If they are so broke they have to cut teachers and programs, why are they going ahead with the River Campus project? I resent my tax money going for this frivolous piece of work when we so desperately need our streets fixed, our police and city workers could use a pay raise, etc.

Too many taxes

I HAVE lived and Cape all of my 40-plus years. There is nobody in this town who loves it more. When I bought my house seven years ago, my property tax was $846 this last year they were over $1,700. I have made no improvements, nor has anything changed in my neighborhood. I have supported some of the tax increases and rejected others, such as the last ones the city of Cape Girardeau proposed. It makes me sick to see projects done so screwed up that they have waste my tax money to fix something that should have been easily avoided.

Economic idea

I THINK I have a solution to the economic problems. We should cancel all taxes and borrow money to run the government. This will stimulate investment. The people can invest the money in government bonds and receive interest. While we are at it, we could sell extra trillions of dollars worth of bonds and just pass the money around especially to the wealthy so they can invest it. This extra investment would make the economy really boom.