Speak Out A 11/15/01

In-sync stop light

NO THANKS to you people and your Speak Out, we now have the stop light at William Street and West End Boulevard in proper sync. When you travel William Street, shout "Hallelujah!"

Ready for tea party

EVERYONE WHO is sick of them raising taxes on property in Cape Girardeau please raise your hands. Is there some tea we can drop into the harbor?

No work on bridge

WOULD SOMEONE please find out why the bridge on East Rodney is not open. You can see no one working there. I have to drive many blocks farther than I have to go now. It has been closed for so long. I have tried to find out, but the city won't tell me anything.

Burdensome taxes

I RECEIVED my tax bill, and it's ridiculous. Altogether, my residential real estate property tax was over a $1,000. Without the school taxes, I'd only have to pay about $240. This gets crazier every year. I wish they'd pass a law that says if you have kids, you pay for them, not pass the burden along to those without children.

Not always liked

IN THE New Testament, Jesus Christ says, "Love one another as I have loved you." It does not say to like one another as I liked you. Jesus says he loves us. He does not always like us.

Foreign-made goods

WAKE UP, America. I just purchased a couple of the Red Cross T-shirts and a cap. The cap was made in Bangladesh. One T-shirt was made in the Dominican Republic. The other was made in Taiwan. Now what's wrong with this picture? No wonder all our jobs are leaving America. When the American Red Cross buys T-shirts and caps made in foreign countries, there's something very wrong. We need to call our Red Cross, our representatives and senators, even the president and let them know about this.

Flags are washed off

MISSING YOUR magnetic flag from your vehicle? Been through an automatic car wash lately? The owner of the Jackson car wash reports he comes up with several per day. He places them on the door at his business for easy retrieval.

Time to pull together

THIS IS a time for Americans to pull together. Don't attack another American for his race, age, gender or sexual or religious persuasion.

Philosophy whizzes

ALL HAIL fifth-graders in Scott City. Fifth-graders must understand cause and effect. Understanding the nature of cause and effect is a philosophical and scientific problem that has plagued mankind from the days of the ancient Greeks. That this seemingly unsolvable problem has been mastered by fifth-graders in Scott City, Mo., may be the most important philosophical and scientific breakthrough since the ancient Athenians began to inquire about such matters. It certainly deserved more than passing mention in the Southeast Missourian.

Picking the scab

IF SIKESTON wants to correct it's racial and economic-division problems, it should start by focusing on the unjust attitude of its Old South millionaires. Put the medicine in your mouth and stop picking that scab or it ain't never gonna heal.

Behavior of fans

I'M WRITING in response to the comment about the football players from Chaffee. I'm not one of those boys, but I was in attendance. I didn't ever hear one of the boys say a word about Scott City being losers. I did, in fact, hear a Scott City fan who was sitting with the Chaffee boys say that the Scott City football team was losers. I disagree. I feel Scott City is pretty good. As far as the "booing at the cheerleaders and yelling obscenities" goes, that was not true. Our principal is a good man who does his job well. If Chaffee students had misbehaved, he would've taken action. It's pretty bad when students can't even go to another school to watch a football game without being nagged for laughing with a Scott City fan.

Not gang members

I DON'T appreciate that the four men who robbed and shot two men were referred to as gang memebers. They committed a horrible crime and are being punished for that. They do not need to be known as gang members, only kids who made a mistake like everybody else. Anyone who knows these boys should know they are really smart and nice boys and they had so much going for them. To say they were gang members was an opinion of law-enforcement officers who do not know these boys personally.

More air security

I BELIEVE we need federal marshals at airports and on board the airplanes. Cockpit doors should be fixed too.

Valuable insight

TRUST ME. The Southeast Missourian exercises editorial discretion in choosing which Speak Out comments to publish. For example, it does not intentionally publish libelous statements. On the other hand, I don't think it sees Speak Out as a rah-rah forum for civic boosterism. Indeed, carefully constructed comments from members of the coffee-shop crowd, cynics or even cranks are deservedly and frequently published because most of these comments provide valuable insights and are correct in their critiques.

Learning experience

TO THE liberal who says he doesn't listen to conservative talk radio: Perhaps you should listen. You might learn something.

Who's for choice?

THIS IS for the dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. All the women I work with make as much money as I do, and they come to work wearing shoes. We have just had eight years of a man in the White House who you all think was god. Didn't he make things all better? I would like to choose to have a gun to protect myself, but the Democrats say I can't do that. I would like a voucher for school choice, but the Democrats say I can't do that. I would like to choose to keep more of my tax money, but the Democrats say you can't do that. Looks like the Democrats are the ones against choice.

Best of the best

I JUST wanted to say that the Cape Central Tigers had an awesome season, and they don't get the praise they deserve. I am a student at Central, and I am proud to say that. No one thought we would make it to quarterfinal play, but we did and lost. But it doesn't matter. We had the best season. I think all of the football coaches, players and fans deserve a lot of praise. We stand behind our team. Tigers, you are the best of the best. Congratulations on an awesome season. And beat Washington next year, because you can do it.

Tremendous job

IN SPEAK Out a month or so ago there was a lot of flack about the Central Tigers not practicing and about Coach Brookins. Well, Tigers, you have done a tremendous job this year, and we are proud of you. Also, to the students, fans and parents: You deserve recognition for following the Tigers this year. Central Tigers, we are proud of you.

Skeptical of reasoning

JEANNE WELLS' column regarding what the Bible says absout homosexuality, though perhaps well intentioned, is a perfect example of the human capacity to view something that is obviously crooked, and convince oneself that it is straight. The Bible verses are pretty clearly written. If elaborate, convoluted reasonings are necessary to explain their meaning, I would be skeptical of the explanation.

So long, Mark

BASEBALL WILL not be the same without Mark McGwire. He will be missed.