Speak Out 9/4/08

Humane treatment

Please do not blame the people at the Humane Society for the euthanizing of the animals there. There is gross overpopulation of animals, and there always has been. Too many puppy mills, pet shops, irresponsible owners, people let their animals reproduce at will. Every pet should be spayed or neutered. Every one. It should be mandatory when you buy or get a pet. Death is not the worst thing. It's really not. Some of those animals are cruelly treated, hurt, hit by cars, starving, abandoned, open to disease and suffering, killed by shooting, drowning, etc. That is why it's the "Humane" Society -- so these poor unwanted animals can have a dignified end even if their lives were not that way. Go volunteer to be with these animals and you will get a different view of what is going on there and why it is necessary to euthanize, but even more, to spay and neuter your pets.

No comparison

Sarah Palin, you're no Margaret Thatcher.

Babe on the ticket

Rush Limbaugh has become so cynical and sarcastic I can no longer tell if he's being serious. Does he support McCain's pick for vice president or not? He sounded enthused but at one point, referring to Sarah Palin, said "All right, we've got a babe on the ticket!" I don't have a problem with it, but I know that such descriptive language will in the eyes of many voters diminish their opinion of her, whether it's justified or not. I also am sure that Rush Limbaugh realizes how wrongfully many voters might stereotype "babes" and knows that could cost her votes. I guess what I'm saying is that if Rush is really serious in his support of Sarah Palin he should be more careful in his choice of words, a request whose chances of being met are zero, considering the impulsive nature of the verbiage spilling from the motor mouth of Maharishi Rushi.

A psychic?

The degree of insight Senator McCain has is almost beyond belief. He was able to know that Sarah Palin was the right choice for vice president by talking to her only one time, and that was on the telephone. That is amazing, folks. In his ability to judge a potential president of the United States, McCain just may be psychic.

License plate issues

Once again, I traveled behind a large truck, this time a dump truck, on a two-lane road. I was behind this truck for over 15 miles on a curvy, hilly road, and the entire time the truck was at least half of the way over the center line. Had someone come around the curve, they would have been hit by the truck and injured, maybe even killed. I called the highway patrol and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department. Both offices asked for the license number of the truck. The problem is that because large trucks don't have to have a rear license plate, I wasn't able to provide one. I want to know why I have to have two license plates on my car, but trucks above a certain weight capacity do not. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed by our state legislature, and I'm hoping somebody reading this can respond with some information about getting this matter addressed. Thank you.

Underestimating women

The idea that women are going to vote for John McCain just because he picked a woman for vice president is a breathtaking underestimation of the wisdom of female voters.

Bad implication

I wish columnist Cal Thomas would quit implying that supporters of Barack Obama are godless. It's not true and a terrible way to try to cajole and intimidate people into abandoning Barack's bandwagon.

Thanks to Jackson officers

I want to thank Jackson Police Department for its help with the traffic issues out at South Elementary School in the afternoon. I would like to see some help in the morning also. It is not an easy place to turn left. One day something really bad is going to happen there.

Decision-making ability

I think the voters of this country need to think long and hard before they vote for McCain in the upcoming presidential election. In the event that something should happen to McCain, if elected, do you think an inexperienced, first term, former beauty queen can really make solid decisions regarding foreign relations and balancing the economy?

Palin argument doesn't wash

I love John McCain but wonder about the hype surrounding VP candidate Sarah Palin. I don't buy it, but if it's true -- as Republican pundits keep telling us -- that her experience as governor of Alaska trumps that of Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the Senate, then doesn't it trump John McCain's in the Senate also -- so shouldn't the ticket be Palin -- McCain rather than the other way around? McCain has better arguments -- but the 'Palin has experience' argument just doesn't wash.

A crackdown on dog doo

I LIVE here in Cape Girardeau and I am appalled at the people that walk their dogs on a leash and let it mess up somebody's yard. When they try to mow the yard, there's a mess that you can't avoid stepping in. I think that it's nasty. I think there should be a little more of a crackdown.

Early lunch at school

I'M CALLING about the student at Jackson High School. Yes, 10:30 lunch is pretty ridiculous. I imagine by the time you get home in the afternoon, you're starving. There's got to be some way they can change that. 10:30 in the morning is just too early to eat lunch and expect these children to finish out their day with nothing else to eat. I would also like to bring up the fact that when you have a full-time job, you are given a half-hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks by law. Shouldn't we be doing the same for the children?

Aren't there laws?

ABOUT THE professor on the news last night on channel 12, how can a professor at Southeast Missouri State University be on the news campaigning for a political candidate? I thought it was against state policy that employees could not openly campaign for candidates. I think he should be fired.

TSO not coming to Cape

I JUST checked the concert schedule for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and see once again they're not stopping in Cape Girardeau. Would please, please somebody pull some strings and get them to make an appearance? I think the mayor should get involved and call some favors in. Christmas just isn't the same without them.

Slap in the face

JOHN MCCAIN had two great Republicans to choose from for vice president, both with impeccable records. Choosing Sarah Palin was a slap in their face and puts America in jeopardy.

No experience

I SEE where there's a lot made about a vice president been chosen that had no foreign policy experience. That is against a presidential nominee who has no foreign policy experience. I don't really understand which is worse, a vice president with no foreign policy experience or a president with no foreign policy experience. That's kind of puzzling.