Speak Out for 11/30/2015

Ethics reform

During its last regular session, a Missouri state representative introduced a law prohibiting communities from banning the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. Though it passed, it was vetoed by the governor. It turns out that the representative who introduced the bill just happened to be the president of the Missouri Grocer's Association. No wonder Missouri got an overall grade of D- by a highly respected public integrity watchdog association. In several categories, the Show Me State got a well-deserved F. For example, there are no limits on campaign contributions, gifts from lobbyists, etc.. We've been promised serious ethics reform at the state level for years. We've received nothing unless you count the recent requirement that state legislators receive sexual harassment instruction. Maybe we should change our state slogan to the Sewage State.

Microaggressions

I don't know if Bob Miller would agree, but I consider I consider phrases like Black Friday or White Christmas to be micro aggressions of the highest order and call for their immediate revocation from our lexicon.

Rudeness unnecessary

I want to thank everyone who is patient and kind during Black Friday shopping. A person doesn't have to be rude to get a good deal.

Central season

Congratulations to the Central Tigers on another great season. And to Al Young for his leadership. The story about Young written by Josh Mlot was awesome.

Spark of war?

I hate to be an alarmist but all this going on in the Middle East reminds me of the events leading up to World War I. As a contemporary said back then, "All it took was a spark to set it off. That spark was Sarajevo." Sarajevo was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of what was then Australia-Hungary. I hope the shooting down of a Russian airplane in our ally's country, Turkey, is not the spark. So far, words and actions seem relatively restrained, likely a disappointment to America's apocalyptic neo-conservative warhawks.

Twisting in wind

Maybe I'm naive, but I can't imagine Cape Public Schools superintendent Jim Welker sitting around all by himself and dreaming up a change in school district policy bound to stir up controversy. I think it is disgraceful to read comments of school board members distancing themselves from Welker's seven-period day proposal when you know the members must have had input in coming up with the idea and most certainly approved of it prior to its presentation, where an outpouring of opposition to it by students and teachers seemingly led school board members to leave Welker twisting in the wind.