Speak Out A 04/02/03

Back our troops

I THINK the American people should get behind our troops who are scattered throughout the world to keep our freedom in this country. If you know a veteran, young or old, thank them for what they have done in the past and will do in the future. These people are fighting these wars to keep our country free, and we need to back them 110 percent.

Defending our rights

I WOULD just like to say how grateful I am to live in a country that has an ACLU. Part of my reasoning is as simple as the styles students wear to school. I felt the mohawk haircut was extreme at Oak Ridge, but there are less extreme examples. Sometimes the schools will get after one student. If the student is not articulate and can't defend himself, his rights as an individual can be mowed over. Schools can be very inconsistent, telling a boy how he can wear his hair while a girl is wearing a shirt that says "Playboy." I think it's good to have something like the ACLU to defend your rights in a free society.

Test repercussions

STUDENTS AREN'T stupid. They realize they will be held accountable for scores on their driver's license tests. Thus, most of them are well prepared for the exams. On the other hand, they know quite well that the same is not true for scores they make on MAP tests. Posturing politicians should either hold students accountable for their MAP scores or deep-six them. They probably won't, because it's just too juicy of a political issue to exploit.

Help is available

A RESIDENT expressed the view that the trash is so bad around here that it needs to be cleaned up by prisoners. Heaven forbid. But if the trash situation gets even worse, it could get to the point where the non-incarcerated are asked to clean it up.

Icing on the cake

I ALSO differ with using incentives such as burgers as inducements for students to do better on MAP tests. However, I disagree with the comment that seemed to suggest it was the teachers' responsibility to provide inspiration to students. The teacher indeed has a role in the developmental stages of our children. However, the ones most responsible for laying the groundwork and establishing a foundation conducive for learning are the parents. What the teacher does at school is then the icing on the cake.

Not a real choice

TO STERILIZE or not to sterilize. When a drug addict or alcoholic is given the choice of jail or sterilization, it is not a real choice, because the weight of the government (jail time instead of treatment) forces women to make a choice against her right to bear children at some future time. The government is then in the position of weeding out the unfit from our society. If the government chooses to either look the other way or participate, what is to stop it from deciding that the drug addict or alcoholic would be better off eliminated with dignity?

Try taking action

WHY ARE people constantly complaining? They act as if they only know how to nag. If you really want something done, do it yourself. Calling Speak Out is not going to do anything. The last time I checked, a piece of paper could not stand up and move.

Key funding missing

PRESIDENT KEN Dobbins at SEMO said he isn't worried about state funding for the River Campus. Would it be financially responsible to start a project that doesn't have it's key funding from the state in place? Our state and city have enough issues.

Use the tourism tax

WITH THE announcement regarding the state's position on funding for the River Campus, why doesn't our city council use some of the money from the tourism tax for the proposed water park instead of raising our taxes?