Speak Out A 03/28/02

Too much traffic

THIS IS in regard to the editorial, "Cape's good problem, growing churches." The residents on New Hopper Road and old Hopper Road don't want a church and recreation center in our residential neighborhood. We bought in this area because of the location. It's residential, and that's the way it should stay. How many times and how many ways do we have to tell First Assembly of God church that this is a residential area, and we want to keep it that way? The traffic that will be generated by this project will be horrendous. City officials don't know what they're talking about when they say the new Hopper extension can handle the traffic. Do they not realize how much traffic will be generated by the day-care center alone?

Spending big bucks

WITH OUR two hospitals spending big bucks on billboards, full-page newspaper ads and TV commercials, I wondered what services were suffering. From Friday's front-page article, it looks like it's nursing staff. When is the advertising war going to stop for these hospitals?

Union example

I SINCERELY hope the nurses at St. Francis Medical Center will not unionize. Teachers have their unions, and look what happened to our education.

Anyone would do it

ANY PRESIDENT would have a high rating at this time of crisis. Any president would have support behind him. That's the only patriotic thing to do. I only hope he doesn't take full credit for it at election time. He's doing what any president would do.

Not the answer

I ALSO work at St. Francis Medical Center, and I am not for the union. I have been there many years, and our management has always been fair to us. We have some of the best benefits around. These nurses who are for the union had better understand their union contract, because I think they will get the wrong end of the deal. This union is not the answer. It will cost more than it will do. All the union wants is to get nurses to pay union dues. All the nurses have to do is sit down and talk to management. They will listen. I would hate to see just a few negative nurses make the whole decision for the nursing staff. So I urge all the nurses to vote. The union means nothing but trouble.

This is a Democrat

YOU CAN always tell a comment in Speak Out that was submitted by a Democrat. He doesn't know the platform of his own party or its stand on issues. He believes anything spoken by the Democratic politicians or liberal spin machine. He claims he has voted for a Republican candidate but really has voted a straight Democratic ticket all his life. He wants more government benefits but doesn't want more taxes. He wants better schools and teachers for his children but votes no on every school bond issue. He doesn't like his boss, his company, doctors, lawyers or those rich people, but he is very religious and doesn't want someone else's values forced on him.

Jobs go abroad

IT'S THE duty of this government to take care of its own just as it's Mexico's duty to take care of her citizens. Our country has allowed major corporations to ship most manufacturing overseas to take advantage slave labor and sweatshops. Corporate coffers continue to swell, but the savings aren't passed down to the consumer. We haven't seen a real wage increase in the United States since the 1970s in real dollars. Who's suppose to help the Americans?

Ultimate betrayal

THE POPE speaks out against the ultimate betrayal, but I think the ultimate betrayal is that the church knew this sexual abuse has been going on for years and years and swept it under the rug. Some 20 years later the church decides to bar someone who engaged in these acts from serving as a priest. If these priests aren't continuing to abuse children today, I think it's pretty bad to act on something that happened 20 years ago.

THREE KIND firemen came to my assistance when I thought I had a potential fire hazard. I did not get their names, but I think they said they were from Fire Station No. 1. I want to express a most grateful thank you to them.

Residential area

I JUST want to remind the citizens of Cape Girardeau that Lexington is a residential area and that you should follow the speed limit and abide by the laws of the area. Also, could we get big trucks to not go up and down this street?

Teachers' respect

With a child in elementary school, I am concerned. Teachers' attendance at the annual meetings has gone down considerably. When they do attend the meetings, substitutes are hired. This thoroughly disrupts the children's regular schedule. This is not cost effective. The PTA has only a few meetings a school year, and they never discuss concerns. The teachers and principals want the parents to be involved as long as we don't question or criticize. I volunteer, and I see some caring teachers who are hard-working. But I see a lot who are not. I will always make the teacher's life easier by making sure my child's homework is done and respect is properly shown. But I expect the same from them, too.