Speak Out A 02/24/03

Not all the same

AS A 17-year-old, I am outraged that anyone would generalize about teenagers. Although I don't have a job (for academic reasons), I don't drink and I get to bed at a decent time. I think a community having things for teenagers to do is a wonderful idea. Still, the kids who are out drinking and staying up past their bedtime are probably going to continue their activities. However, saying that we all "whine, cry, and complain" is absurd and very stereotypical.

Circular reasoning

I CAN'T understand the people who oppose the war by saying Saddam Hussein possesses no weapons of mass destruction, yet complain about the threat faced by our troops from chemical weapons. What form of circular reasoning is this? If you do not feel this war is necessary, state your reason. But do not claim that Saddam has no chemical weapons and worry about the safety of our troops.

Subconscious impact

I THINK terrorism affects us all in ways we aren't aware of and maybe in decisions we make subconsciously. If I were planning a vacation, I would tend to stay away from the East Coast. I have a spouse who travels, so I worry if he goes to a big city. I feel safe in Cape Girardeau compared to a bigger city.

Meaningful statement

IF ALL the people who turned out to protest the war had gone to the Red Cross and donated blood, they could have made their statement, whether for or against action in Iraq and, at the same time, provided a practical and needed service for the people of this area.

Lots of good people

I WANT to thank the man who stopped to fix my flat tire. He worked for the fire department. When he took the spare out of the trunk, it was also flat. He put the tire in his truck and went to the fire station and put air in it. In the meantime, a nice young woman stopped to see if I needed any help. While talking to her, another man stopped to help. I'll always be grateful. I didn't know there were that many nice people in this world of turmoil, but they have always been there. I just never had a flat tire before. Thanks, and God bless.

Presidential notice

I KNOW that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man and deserves a lot of credit for his contributions to his race and our society. However, I was disappointed to see that the media had little, if any, recognition of our past presidents and their enormous contributions to this nation. In fact, if it hadn't been for the Presidents Day sales that were advertised by local merchants, it might have slipped by without notice.

Go straight to the top

TO ALL the parents who are complaining about the snow days: Please remember that when you complain to other parents or to teachers, it does absolutely no good. We teachers have no say in this. What you need to do is call and complain directly to the superintendent and the school board members. There have been several days we could have started at 10 o'clock and gotten a day in. In years past, we've had days when we had alternate bus routes. We could do that.

Especially nice

I READ with shock in the paper about the former Otahkian basketball player, Christine Roski, being killed in a car accident. My daughter was a ball girl for the Otahkians for several years. All the girls were nice to the ball girls, but Christine was one of those who was especially nice. She always had something nice to say to the girls. She was just a pleasant young woman. This loss is a terrible thing, and I hope that the Otahkians will do something to honor her at their next game.

Time for support

HOW CAN we stoop to the level of the terrorists when they are the aggressors? We are simply protecting our homeland. Thank God we have President Bush in these troubled times. Maybe it's time we start supporting him and our military.

Firefighters at No. 1

THE CITY election is coming up in April. I'm not against buying new equipment and giving city workers a raise. But I will not vote to build a fire station for $1.8 million when most of the firefighters are at Fire Station No. 1 all the time doing classes. Why have outlying fire stations to make it quicker to get to the fire when almost on a daily basis the firefighters aren't there?

Urgent necessities

THE DOWNTOWN merchants work very hard to get customers, but until they address one problem, I think they will miss the mark. When my children were young, I could go into a store and ask to use the bathroom. I was told, "No, I'm sorry, we don't have one," or "I'm sorry, it's broken. Go to the gas station down the street." If things have improved, I'd like to hear about it. Maybe I would shop Main Street again.

A plan for peace

FOR WEEKS, I have read comments in the Speak Out calling President Bush everything but a human, but I see no one asking for the most simple way to end the problem, which would be what the world and the United Nations have asked of Saddam Hussein. It's simple to not have war. All Saddam has to do is disarm. That is not that hard. Why can't people see that is an option also? Why does no one want to ask him to disarm? They just want to oppose Bush.

Delivery compliments

I WANT to thank the person who delivers my Southeast Missourian. I live on the 1300 block of Big Bend Road. My paper is here each morning regardless of the weather, even double-wrapped when the weather is bad. I also salute the mail carrier. Good job. Thank you.

A different approach

WHEN IRAQ threw out the weapons inspectors back when Bill Clinton was in office, the United Nations and the president did nothing but talk, letting the problem fester. Now we have a president with the guts and foresight.