Speak Out A 08/26/03

Take pride

CAPE GIRARDEAU is truly a beautiful town. However, I'm astonished at how little some people care for their property. I've noticed businesses, churches and homeowners who mow their grass and blow the clippings into the street and onto driveways. Keep Cape Girardeau clean and beautiful. Take care of your property.

Mascots and symbols

I HAVE never, when I was in college or now, considered the Indians as a mascot. To me the Indian chief was a symbol of the courage and fighting spirit shown by the young men on this college's sports teams. Get a dog, cat, mule or goat for a mascot, but keep the Indian as the university symbol of its dedicated sports teams, courage and fighting spirit.

Thanks for check

TO A real nice person who found my check at John's Pharmacy, I thank you so much. There are honest people living in Cape Girardeau. Thank you so much.

Embarrassing tour

RECENTLY WE had out-of-town guests. We took on a tour of Cape Girardeau. We knew the city doesn't really keep up areas that might be of interest to tourists, but we didn't realize just how bad things were. Our guests were first to notice the many bars in the historic downtown area. We took them to Cape Rock Park and told them the history of the rock. We were so embarrassed when we got there. No one got out of the car. There were tall weeds, paint peeling and signs you couldn't read. We didn't even bother going to Trail of Tears State Park. We didn't want to be embarrassed any further. We need to clean up and repair and promote what is already there.

Church with a heart

I WOULD like to publicly thank New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church for the yard sale variety giveaway it sponsored this past weekend. It is a church with a heart. Thank you.

Jackson's history

FIRST A judge at Jackson gets arrested for DWI and he doesn't lose his job. Then the Jackson police chief gets accused of sexual assault and he doesn't get charged. Does John Jordan actually think charges will ever be filed against the mayor?

Fair and helpful

I SUPPORT Mayor Paul Sander of Jackson, and I believe in him. I have worked with him on many situations. He has always been very fair and helpful. Tough times pass. Tough people stay.

Lanes don't line up

REMEMBER THE old cartoon about two railroad lines constructed so they would connect to each other? All the dignitaries are standing around scratching their heads wondering what to do because, as the result of poor planning, the northernmost rail of the eastbound track was lined up with the southernmost rail of the westbound track. We have a similar joke in Cape Girardeau. It's called the widening of Mount Auburn Road. The driving lanes don't line up. Right at the top of a blind hill, everybody has to shift, suddenly, one lane to the left. But there's nothing funny about this joke. It's an accident waiting to happen. Will someone have to die before they fix the results of this poor planning?

Familiar with war

JUST FOR the record, the war protesters are well aware of the names on the pillars behind them at Freedom Corner. Some of those who have died in battle were friends of some of the protesters. More than a few of the protesters have seen battle themselves. Others have been in the middle of ungodly violent wars, though not in the military. Why do you think they protest at Freedom Corner? They know exactly what those people on those pillars died for. They also know that those who are dying now in Iraq are doing so without good reason. That's why they protest, and that's why they protest where they do.