Speak Out A 02/14/02

Lots of repairs

I RECENTLY heard that the Missouri Department of Transportation got an award for the highway being in good shape between Benton and Sikeston. I drive that road every day, and I have lost count of repairs. I don't know where that award came from, but that road is terrible.

A sow's ear

I THINK it's funny when people say the River Campus will bring people to Cape Girardeau and increase interest in the arts here. You cannot make a silk purse from a sow's ear. And that's what Cape Girardeau is.

Praying for callers

I'D LIKE to urge any of you Christians out there who happen to read the Southeast Missourian and Speak Out to please pray for all these people who have so much hate in their hearts. There's so much venom and hate in Speak Out. I'm praying for you callers who are so filled with hate.

Speak English

I'M READING that the AARP is going to start putting out information in Spanish so they can get more Hispanic members. This is a sad day in our country when people have lived here long enough to be retirement age and they cannot understand or speak English. We need to make it so that anybody who cares enough to live in our country will speak the official language.

No message of love

I SERIOUSLY cannot believe that the Ministerial Alliance is bringing Jerry Fallwell to Cape Girardeau. I have a very deep faith in God and in Jesus Christ, but I cannot bring myself to accept his teachings. He does not spread a message of love. He simply spreads hate. I truly hope one day he will be touched by the true God.

Time-consuming drives

EXAMINE THE quote: "Gambill and the other two commissioners ... plan to take the hour-long drive to Bloomfield soon to look at that county's juvenile center." That's an hour-long drive for the juvenile officers each time they need to meet with their clients or transport them to court. Also, the hour they speak of is from Cape Girardeau. Add the additional half-hour both ways if the juvenile is from Perry or Bollinger counties. What a waste of money and time to be having juvenile officers running back and forth to Bloomfield. Get real, commissioners. Statistics show we are in a time of increased juvenile crime on a national basis, and it will keep increasing for several years. Why would you think that our counties would not be affected by the same increase?