Speak Out A 07/31/03

A LOT of our troops in Iraq are great men and women. I think they're the best. A lot of them are coming to their senses. They think staying in Iraq is meaningless. This war is unnecessary, a lot of them are saying, and they think Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld should resign. They're on the right track. We weren't attacked. It wasn't Iraq that attacked us.

Grudge reports

WHAT IS this world coming to? I think it is terrible that anybody can write a report on someone else's driving skills. Talk about freedom. There doesn't seem to be much of it left. Anyone can concoct some sort of a grievance against a person if they have some sort of a grudge.

Stop the gifted program

I KNOW of one way the Cape Girardeau School District can save money: omit the gifted program. How much money does it cost the district to pay for these extra buses to pick up these students from their own school and transport them across town to the gifted facility? And who pays for their trips to get ice cream and trips to St. Louis plus the cost of two gifted teachers? We have gifted children in every area at school like music, art and physical education. If we can't have a gifted program for all of our children, then we shouldn't have it for anyone.

Medicine and food

WHAT IS the difference in medications from foreign countries and the food we eat that is imported? How clean are the factories?

Don't insult tall people

MANY OF us have American Indian ancestry. Can you believe this politically correct whining we have in our society today? Why not take this as a compliment instead of shame and insult? Isn't this liberalism at its worst, taking everything in a negative light just for the sake of argument? Next they will protest calling a baseball team the Giants. It may somehow demean tall people.

Try Mudsuckers

A NEW team name for SEMO: the Southeast Missouri Mudsuckers. It is politically correct and does not offend anybody. And the Convention and Visitors Bureau can use it in its new slogan, "Come to Cape and See the Mudsuckers."

Maybe it was rain

HOW DID people eat before the farmers had irrigation?

Tired of waiting

GEORGE BUSH asked for our patience to get the Iraqi nation under control. Where was his patience before the war? He couldn't wait on the United Nations or on the inspection teams to complete their work. In his words, he was "sick and tired of waiting" to begin the invasion in Iraq. Well, I'm sick and tired of our young men and women being slaughtered.

Leave old drivers alone

I THINK they should leave the older and younger drivers alone. What about the in-between age group putting on makeup? I think older drivers deserve the right to drive as long as they feel they are able. These do-gooders have nothing else to do but try to cause trouble. They should get a job.

What's offensive?

I'D LIKE to comment on SEMO changing its mascot names, the Indians and Otahkians. I think it's a shame the university is doing this. It's related to political correctness. I would like to see some letters from some American Indians who are offended by this and have them explain what it is that offends them.

No animal names

THIS IS in regards to the mascot names for Southeast Missouri State University. I am an animal lover and think if that offends the Indians, which should honor them, it should also offend the animal lovers when animal names are used. Let's use some common sense. The mascot names are to honor the Indians.

Spend it on roses

I TOO believe Cape Girardeau should take that $42,000 and invest it in roses and let the city become the City of Roses again. I can't think of anything better.

Responsible teen

I HAVE a teenage son who appears to be a good driver. He has a full-time job during the summer and has worked real hard to fix his car up. He was in a Jackson parking lot when someone hit his car and ran. Now who needs to have his driving tested every two years? Teenagers? We don't know the age of the person who hit my son's car, but it certainly was somebody who was irresponsible. It doesn't mean it was a teen or elderly driver.

Criminals in prison

IF YOU pay attention to the news, you'll hear that crime is down but the prison population is up. Let me tell you why. Crime is down because the criminals are in prison. Why else?

Tax tans and cell phones

I WOULD like to make a comment about the Head Start program and all these other programs that are going to be cut back because of lack of money. We ought to do what the Democrats do: come up with more ways to tax. Smokers are already paying taxes on the cigarettes. I say it's time to go after these people who get suntans. Put a big tax on these tanning beds. Wait until you see how many people prove they got the cancer from suntanning bed, and these claims are going to be expensive. And tax cell phones. If you're caught talking on a cell phone while driving, let's have what they have in New York City: a $150 fine for the first offense.