Speak Out A 02/18/02

Lack of billboards

I RECENTLY had the opportunity to drive on U.S. 67 west of here. It was a nice drive. There is nothing between Poplar Bluff and Fredericktown but trees and hills. The part I enjoyed most was the apparent lack of billboards as compared to other highways in Missouri. It was quite relaxing.

Leave judging to God

THE PRESENCE of Jerry Falwell in Cape Girardeau will serve only to divide our community. In the name of God, he spews his hateful opinions of who's right, who's wrong, who's good, who's bad, who's deserving and who's not. Too bad we can't leave those judgments to God. Then we could live our lives trying to be good to each other and not judge each other.

Restaurant manners

MY FRIENDS and I recently went to a restaurant in Cape Girardeau. Looking around the room we saw men eating with their hats on at about five different tables. I called attention to this to my friends. We discussed how rude and out of place this looked to us. I am from an older generation, but my dear old mother would have dismissed me from the table in a minute if I had came to the table with my cap on. I am sure some of these men had not had the training I had as a child. Two of them were older than me. Also we saw one chap about 30-something sitting sideways in a booth with his sneaker-clad feet up in the seat. Where were these people from? Where were they raised?

Matter of timing

THE TIME to be pro-choice should be before conception, not after. Negligence is no excuse for murdering a baby in the womb.

Getting away with it

I'VE READ the front-page article about the way EPA allows our taxpayer money to be spent. Inside, I'm reading about where the Missouri senators and representatives are wanting to extend the term limit to 12 years. I would ask any sane person why would they want to extend the terms of legislators when they allow this type of thing to happen to the money they take away from you. There appears not to be such a thing as a good legislator, because you don't hear any of them complaining about this. Some reporter has to go in and discover it and publish it. Legislators would like to hide all this stuff.

Adopt a dog

I WAS out at the Humane Society's animal shelter and saw a wonderful dog named Butch that was already neutered and had the saddest eyes. One of the girls who worked there told me no one had looked at the dog, and I felt so sorry for him. I just hope someone might have room and might open his heart and home for this poor dog. I know there are so many puppies, and this dog's chances of adoption are not good. Surely there are some people who don't have pets who can go out to the shelter and adopt a friend.

They do good work

IT SEEMS many get a kick out of criticizing and chastising the people who work for and keep our city going. From the police department to street maintenance and trash pickup, no one is perfect. But I think they do a great job. Many seem not to appreciate these important jobs that carry a lot of responsibility for helping our city and its citizens. I've lived in this city all my life, and I appreciate the job they do, as most people do. But there are a few who gripe about anything and think decency and laws don't apply to them.

Drug war continues

JUST LIKE President Bush's battle plan in the war against drugs, you have to get to the root of the problem: traffickers and their suppliers. Then you will need to provide treatment for all drug users who can no longer obtain drugs because the supply has been cut off. Way to go, President Bush. Keep the pressure on these drug providers here and abroad. Stop the flow of drugs into our country that is ruining our young people. Drug-infected brains cannot learn. The schools and teachers cannot penetrate a drug-addicted student.

Dead or alive

I WONDER if anyone has determined how much President Bush's rogue statement of "dead or alive" has cost us in moral support to fight terrorism, and how much it has cost us in actual tax dollars. That would be information, I'm sure, that a lot of Americans would like to know.

Still campaigning

LEST WE forget, the people selected Al Gore by majority vote. The Republican-controlled Supreme Court (seven Republicans, two Democrats) selected George Bush. I wish someone would tell him the election is over and he can stop campaigning every time he is on TV.

Honest angels

NOW I know that God puts the angels in this world. After leaving Sam's parking lot, I realized my wallet had fallen out of my pocket. My daughter and I returned to the parking lot in search of the wallet and found nothing. Upon returning to our home, we received a call from a young lady who asked us to return her phone call. It turned out to be two honest Jackson High School girls who had found my wallet, gone to the police station to get directions to our house and returned the wallet with nothing missing. In today's world, it is sure refreshing that we still have honest and trustworthy angels among us. To these girls, Tiffany and Brandy, we give many, many thanks. And to their parents we give gratitude for raising such honest kids.

Not a sponsor

THIS IS in response to a Speak Out comment. The Ministerial Alliance is not sponsoring Jerry Falwell. At the most recent meeting of the Ministerial Alliance, his name or that crusade weren't even mentioned.

Choker decision

LOOKS LIKE Cape has another choker shoved down our throats by the city and the college. First, the Show Me Center and now the River Campus Project. So much for what Cape really wants.

The Bible says ...

A SPEAK Out caller said he had a deep belief in Jesus Christ but can't believe the crusade organizers would invite Jerry Falwell to Cape. How hypocritical can one get? Is it because Falwell thinks homosexuality is wrong? The Bible does. Is it because he thinks abortion is wrong? The Bible does. If this is spreading hate, I think the caller has a problem, not Jerry Falwell.

A substitute

TO SATISFY those who don't want the Rev. Jerry Falwell to be invited to Cape, I think the Rev. Jesse Jackson should be invited to take his place. He is a man with their values, who thinks nothing is wrong with gay rights or abortion rights and who was President Clinton's mentor. He could make a great speech on adultery and out-of-wedlock pregnancy based on his own experiences.

Time to move on

I READ with great joy about Jim Drury being defeated by the Supreme Court. It is a tremendous point in time for Cape Girardeau to be able to move forward, and it is a wake-up call for Drury to realize that he cannot call all the shots. It is a victory for Cape, a well-won victory. Drury should be ashamed of himself for carrying on for so long over this situation.

Feel the chill?

ON JAN. 14, The Washington Post ran a story reporting that scientists have found that temperatures on Antarctica have been falling steadily for over 20 years. The story said this is a departure from global trends. It means that ever since 1978, the great frozen continent had been getting colder while many climatologists have been telling us that the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere were causing the world to warm up at a rate that will cause serious problems over the century ahead. Some scientists want to believe human activity is causing the earth to heat up. They have ignored satellite data showing that there has been no significant increase in overall global temperature since satellite measurements have began.