Speak Out A 08/29/03

Too many children

MY SON attends kindergarten in Jackson. The district sent us a letter that classes would not have more than 25 students. My son's class has more children than that, including children who have special needs. The teacher does not have an aide. How can one teacher possibly meet all the needs of these small children? I cannot believe that the administration does not support the teachers and children more than that.

Going to the dogs

I'M CALLING about Jackson. If we get the mayor and all the aldermen to resign, maybe we wouldn't lose our freedom to shoot fireworks and we'd keep Homecomers uptown. I'll tell you, Jackson is going to the dogs.

Jackson street

I'M CALLING in about Immaculate Conception School in Jackson. The Catholics want to take over part of Ohio Street. This will only cause traffic problems. Next thing you know, the Catholics will want all of the streets around the school to be one-way to fix the mess they got themselves into. I think Alderman Dave Reiminger and Alderwoman Barbara Lohr should abstain from voting on the issue. Both are Catholics, and this is an obvious conflict of interest.

Cape has to grow

CAPE GIRARDEAU, you need to wake up. We were going to have a riverboat casino here. We were going to have a water park here. The city says it doesn't have money. If the boat were here, we'd have plenty of money. Schools would get some of that benefit. If we had a water park, hotels and restaurants would fill up and possibly provide enough money for the people that are out there protecting and serving our city to have better equipment and better raises. Cape has to expand and grow. Vote for some of these things to come to Cape.

Make it earlier

IN RESPONSE to the article about Jackson Homecomers: I never saw it mentioned that in previous years Homecomers was held before school started, and we didn't seem to have these problems, because the kids weren't trying to get to school in addition to the people trying to get to work. Whatever happened to holding Homecomers a week or two before school starts? That worked well.

Sander a good man

JACKSON DOES not have a black eye. I have never lived in a city as caring and ready to be a good friend and neighbor as Jackson has been. The business people, politicians and everyone with the authority to care about the people are ready to come to your aid. Paul Sander was raised in this town. He was raised to do a good deed when it was necessary. He is a good man, a good husband, good father and a good friend to all. If he came to someone's aid when he was needed, then we should also be grateful that we have a mayor of Sander's quality and thank God for him.

Thanks for checkbook

I WOULD like to thank the person who found my checkbook in the Target parking lot and turned it in at the police station. I will be forever grateful. Thanks again for being an honest person.

Get the facts

TO THE person who called in about the Bill Emerson Bridge and the layer of concrete only being 3 inches thick. I don't think that person got the total information. I think that is only one layer. He should ask someone who knows how thick the total floor of the bridge will be.

No way to fight a war

I'M REALLY having trouble understanding how you fight terrorism using big military forces. This just makes the people in Iraq angry and pushes them toward joining the terrorist groups. I don't think we can win this thing in Iraq, and I don't think it's making us any safer, that's for sure.

It's just a blanket

IGNORANCE IS not bliss. It's merely a blanket over the eyes of knowledge, waiting to uncover truth and understanding.

Thanks for purse

TO THE lady who turned in my white purse at Wal-Mart, I am so very grateful. God bless you.

Politics and music

I MISS my country music but I've been avoiding radio stations that ban the Dixie Chicks. After all, they apologized. I guess some radio stations didn't like the way they apologized. Toby Keith bashed President Clinton, and nothing was said about that. I'm a Dixie Chicks fan, a good American and a Democrat. I try to leave politics out of country music. I wish the country music radio stations would do the same thing.

At last, agreement

DAVID LIMBAUGH is under attack by his conservative friends because he believes in upholding the law and abiding by the Constitution. I don't agree with him very often, but on this issue he is absolutely right. Judge Moore has no choice but to honor what the federal court demands him to do.

Common sense

WHY IN the world doesn't Jackson take the $5,000 it's throwing away on fireworks and have a big old-fashioned homecoming party and picnic in the park in the middle of the summer, not when the children go back to school. That's what our park is for. That's what we pay the taxes for. I listened to a man complain about how the grass would be ruined if the city has Homecomers in the park. That is totally asinine.

It's up to the voters

I'D LIKE to respond to the Speak Out comment about this not being a democracy and being run by special-interest groups. I agree. But the reason is that voters don't have the guts and sometimes the knowledge to vote against the politicians who go along with special-interest groups. The special-interest groups don't sit in the Senate and the House of Representatives and vote. Politicians do. And if the politicians are bought by special interests, then get rid of that politician. Quit being a stuck-in-the-mud person who only votes for a special party no matter what happens. That is ignorance.

Losing farmland

I WAS trying to figure out how many acres of farmland a day throughout the Midwest are going into shopping centers, housing, fast food restaurants and malls. Those acres of farmland could produce food and could have timber and be used for the preservation of the wildlife, How are we going to go on with this?