Speak Out A 11/25/04

Kids too big for play area

THE SMOKING at the entrance of the mall does bother me. I don't complain. I use another entrance. What does bother me is that the play area is being abused by kids who are too old for it. My 2-year-old has to constantly watch for these kids so they don't fall on him when they are climbing on the equipment.

Change license bureaus

I CERTAINLY hope soon-to-be-governor Matt Blunt will change the license bureau offices in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and give the contract back to the chamber of commerce or some other worthy group. I have been going to Chaffee or Sikeston to do any license business because of the unwilling-to-help-you attitude. One gets the feeling that they don't want to be bothered with you. Please, Mr. Governor, do something.

Work with them

IT'S A big conspiracy. Everyone on the school board is out to take all the taxpayers' money and give it to a superintendent because they know they'll be taken care of later. Oh. Wait. They do it for free. The community members whom you all elected put in a great deal of time not only in routine meetings, but also at night while they lie in bed thinking about the enormous decisions they must make. These members volunteer their time and let stress from educational issues into their lives so that they can serve as best they can. If you are so adamant about an issue, please attend the public meetings and urge others to do so. While not everyone can be satisfied, your school board members are here to truly give of themselves to better the community. Work with them, not against them.

About those tunnels ...

REGARDING the question of whether there are tunnels dating back to slavery and the Civil War, your experts from the university deny that they exist. I have seen one in the dungeon of the Common Pleas Courthouse. It was used to transport prisoners and to bring slaves to and from the river but was not part of the underground railroad used for people to escape. There is only a door to the tunnel now, but the tunnel itself has caved in over the years, which is probably the case with many of the tunnels because they have not been maintained. You may be able to find a door that leads to a pile of dirt. Chances are it was a tunnel at one time for various reasons, not just slavery.

Lack of respect

THERE WAS a comment about a man and his wife who objected to being referred to in restaurants by servers as "you guys." The comment said the complaint was shallow and petty. Am I missing something here? I was raised to be civil and to respect others. You never referred to women as "guys." Now if you cite an obvious lack of respect, you are the one who is considered pompous. Go figure.

Flag display

I WOULD like to comment about the American flags at Cape County Park this Veterans Day. In previous years the flags were tastefully presented around the main flag pole. Coming into town and seeing them was breathtaking. This year many more flags were put up along the road. Some were leaning over. It's beginning to look like crass commercialism rather than a patriotic remembrance. Please don't overdo it.

Deserving respect

I WOULD like to thank the Cape Girardeau School Board for yet another slap in the face to all of the teachers in the district, including myself. I can assure the community that despite being treated like secondhand citizens, teachers in this district continue to trudge on, doing their best to educate our students. Not once in my time in the district has the board ever shown that they appreciate us. They have frozen our salaries, taken away benefits, cut teachers and left us with very little to teach with. However, they continue to mismanage money and hire consultants to help them do the job they were elected to do.