Speak Out A 05/11/02

Protecting loved ones

SOME PEOPLE think only criminals should carry concealed weapons, leaving the law-abiding citizens who have to protect themselves and their families at the mercy of the criminals. Statistics show crime has gone down in states where legal concealed weapons have leveled the crime field. It's definitely a deterrent to crime. Leaving your loved ones unprotected should be a crime.

Street repairs needed

TAXPAYERS IN the northeast section of Cape would like to know why we can't get some of that transportation tax money up here in our part of town. You have to have a shoulder belt and a lap belt to stay in your car when pass over the slab of concrete on North Main Street across from where the shoe factory used to be. The curbs are all broken up. On the corner of Mason and Main, where the tractor-trailer trucks cannot make this corner, the sidewalk is completely busted all to pieces. I wish somebody would drive up by there and check it out. It is high time that we get something for our money.

Protecting ourselves

THIS IS in response to the person who claims only rural rednecks want the right to carry arms. I am not a rural redneck, and I want the right to defend myself and family on the road, whether it is a vacation or business trip. Statistics have proven that after Texas passed this same law, crime went down drastically. Why people believe that keeping good citizens from the right to arm themselves is a good thing I'll never understand. No matter what laws there are, the bad citizens will still have all the weaponry they want.

Honoring the fallen

OVER THE past weekend, two St. Louis firefighters were tragically killed in the line of duty while heroically trying to save the life of another. While driving by Cape Girardeau Fire Station No. 1 on Monday, I was appalled to see the American flag flying at full staff. In the past, any death of a firefighter would be honored by fire departments flying their flags at half-staff.

Terrorism at the pump

I HELPED assassinate people. I helped give money to foreign gangs. I helped give money to terrorist organizations. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong. I was only buying gasoline.