OpinionApril 4, 2000
SPEAKOUT
I'M WATCHING the news about the NASA program to Mars. Someone is bragging that no heads will roll because they've been embarrassed. We didn't have any heads roll because government employees screwed up. They probably were promoted and sent to another position. They're definitely not dismissed or barred forever from government employment, as they should be. They just go ahead and spend our tax money. Who cares?...
No penalty for mistakes
I'M WATCHING the news about the NASA program to Mars. Someone is bragging that no heads will roll because they've been embarrassed. We didn't have any heads roll because government employees screwed up. They probably were promoted and sent to another position. They're definitely not dismissed or barred forever from government employment, as they should be. They just go ahead and spend our tax money. Who cares?
Projects need armed guards
THE PERSON who is carrying on about the fact that HUD was buying guns from Smith & Wesson is not aware of the operation of the housing projects in urban areas. In some of the large cities, the security force consists of several hundred armed guards. The population of these projects in the larger cities is larger than the population of Cape Girardeau, and a lot of the tenants are not very law-abiding. As a former plant manager in Chicago, I know whereof I speak.
Depends on his support
CONCERNING THE little Cuban boy, Elian Gonzalez, who's taken refuge with his relatives in Miami: Was his father financially supportive? Did he support Elian throughout his young life? If he did, father and son deserve their day in court. If not, end of story.
It's sick reasoning
IN SPEAK Out someone commented on the tiger in the cage, saying it should be wild and free. What about the animals they prey on, running them down, mostly the young ones, crushing them with their teeth, devouring them, some still alive, even killing many people. It's the same sick reasoning when it comes to abortion. The mother must be pampered. Her wishes, her body, her feelings, her future, are important. To hell with the baby's life.
Same thing here
I'M READING with interest all the articles concerning the VIP Industries in Perryville. I think someone should also take a look at the VIP Industries in Cape Girardeau. As a former employee of theirs for several years, I can say the same type of stuff is going on there. The employees are stressed, the handicapped workers are stressed, and they are pressed to the limit with very little pay and very little recognition.
Need speed control
WHERE IS all the police protection to catch all the speeders over on Routes 3 and 146 in Illinois? Seems to be a problem every morning from 6 to 8 o'clock. People think that's an interstate over there, going 75 and 80 mph, passing four or five cars at a time. There is no police protection whatsoever in the mornings over there. If you don't believe it, borrow a radar gun and go check it out.
Bible is pretty clear on this
I JUST read in the newspaper the article about this panel discussing the gender of the Almighty. It happened up here at SEMO University. Some of these so-called preachers and other people got together and talked about what God was, a female or a male. They tried to twist the Bible every which way. The Bible clearly says what God and his son are, in different places. Like in John 3:16, it says, "God so loved the world, that he (not she) gave his only begotten son (son, not daughter) so that whosoever believed in him (not her) should have eternal life." So there's no question in the Bible. I can't believe these supposedly educated people would come up with something like this.
Don't ask, don't tell
ABOUT THE article on the gender of God: Shouldn't that be "Don't ask, don't tell?" And what if Jesus is black? Oh my goodness!
Pay for the crime
DON'T FORGET a lie in a federal court or before a grand jury is a lie no matter what the subject matter. Perjury is subject to conviction, so let's see some justice here and proof that Clinton is not above the law. Clinton needs to pay for his crimes, and Hillary too, for lying about her work on the failed Whitewater Casa Grande project fraud.
Even the nuns didn't mind
I WENT to grade school at St. Vincent's in the 1950s and 1960s. It was rather common for the kids of Irish background to dye their hair green on St. Patrick's Day. None of the nuns would have even dreamed of sending the kids home just because their hair was green. We all thought it was pretty cute. I say, let's get a grip, people down in West Plains. It's just green hair.
Keep digging for information
I'D LIKE To talk about what's going on at VIP Industries in Perryville. I'd like to see more people speaking out against the workshop and the treatment of the folks who work there. Also, look into the money that's been coming in from the government. And the Medicaid issue. Maybe talk to the Department of Mental Health officials. They should be involved in the care and treatment of the folks who work there. There should be a lot more news reports on the treatment of the people.
Let's act like adults
THE PROBLEMS of today's athletes in pro sports starts at a young age. I'm concerned about the attitudes of young people, their parents, and the coaches who are involved in sports today. I'm 21, and I've had the privilege of being an umpire and a referee for local grade school and junior high school teams for three years. I'm occasionally disturbed with the poor attitudes that some of the players have. More often, I'm upset with the parents and coaches who have such great influence on these children and act so immaturely at these events. I do my best when I call games, and I know that I am not perfect. However, I also know that my abilities are good enough that the calls I make do not solely decide the outcome of a game. The players decide that. The parents and coaches and players continue to boo and degrade the people in charge of the court and the field, and even the other teams. Simply put, the conduct and language of some adults is pathetic. Parents and coaches, let's clean it up and conduct ourselves like mature adults so the next generation can learn from our example. Remember, it's supposed to be fun. Kids don't play for contracts or incentives. They play for the love of the game.
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Watch those assignments
THE AVERAGE teacher makes enough money. If an elementary teacher is assigning two tests at night on a subject like social studies or science, then he's not a very good teacher. Teachers shouldn't be treating kids like mini-adults. It puts unnecessary stress on the household. The principal? Surely he must hear kids talk about having two tests in a particular subject on one night. You'd think the principal would talk to the teacher and try to get the tests on different nights, especially some of the harder subjects. Principals are overpaid, and teachers are paid about enough.
Credibility has slipped
IT DOESN'T surprise me that the credibility of SEMO University has continued to slip when I see the article in the paper about the meeting on God's gender. This university used to have a proud reputation for educating people in a very economical way to earn a living. But it seems they need a housecleaning from the administration on down to get back to the basics of a college education. It's a shame they've let the college's credibility slip, and it's a bad situation.
Wrong about yellow dogs
IN HIS column last week, Peter Kinder resorted to the old shyster's trick of changing the cause that resulted in an affect. He tried to blame the action of the Corps of Engineers in leaving a gap in the levee for the yellow dogs in the Swampeast Missouri bolting to the Republican Party. He is wrong. The yellow dogs ran to the Republican Party when the federal government made them register minority voters, integrate the schools and allow equal access to public facilities. This occurred all through the South, not just in Swampeast Missouri.
Don't forget new commandments
THANK YOU to all the churches and church-going people who have put the Ten Commandments out in their front yards where the community can see them. It's a good first step, and it's something we need in our community. I want you to consider something else. As Christians, we should focus on the teachings of Christ in the New Testament. In the New Testament, Christ said to have two commandments. The first, love God with all your heart, mind and soul. Second, love thy neighbor as thyself. Maybe we should put these two commandments out in the public also. These are the ones we should focus on.
Need more SEMO parking
THIS CONCERNS how all the college students are allowed to park in front of people's residences, run up in their yards, block the streets and park in Capaha Park. If a regular person did that the car would be towed away. I think the college needs to build a parking garage. When you go to visit your friends, you've got nowhere to park because all the students have taken the spaces.
Thanks for letting us in
WE WOULD like to express our thanks to the students at Oran Elementary School, the kindergarten students of Ms. Muenchen's class, for sharing their time on the body walk. We would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation for the help of Debbie Estes and the staff at Oran Elementary School in allowing us to be able to participate in this event. My daughter was extremely disappointed when she missed the body walk at Kelley Elementary. Thanks to the cooperation for the staff and the nurse and the students at Oran Elementary and high school, she was able to participate in the body walk on March 31. We both thank you so very much.
Try Solomon's wisdom
CONCERNING THE ongoing politically driven drama of Elian Gonzalez, the little Cuban boy that's here in the United States, I have a solution for the tug-of-war. What they need to do is what Solomon did. Cut the child in half. Then we could see who really wants the kid.
Any old Republican will do
I'M ONE of the callers who has said we don't need another George Bush in the White House. But the caller who said go back and read the Paul Greenberg article and maybe you'll understand, to him I say why should I listen to anything that Paul Greenberg says? He's another hard-line Republican just like David Limbaugh, Peter Kinder and Dave Broder. Why should I listen to any of them, when all they want is another Republican in the White House? They don't care what state the country is in. They don't care if he's 90 years old and stodgy like Reagan, or some young pup like Dan Quayle, They just want a Republican in the White House.
This has been needed a long time
AS A former employee of VIP Industries in Cape Girardeau, I am very glad what has come to light with the sheltered workshops. Something has been needed to be done many many years ago. The treatment of the handicapped is absolutely ridiculous. Please, please, Southeast Missourian, keep looking into this. This should have been done years ago. To the managers in Perryville, God bless you. Thank you for finally having the nerve to stand up. I wish I could have done it many years ago.
Taxes on phone bill
I WAS just looking at my phone bill, and I was amazed to see that the monthly current charges are just about half taxes. Special municipal charge. That's a tax. Federal end-user common line charge. A tax by any other name. Federal pre-subscribed interexchange carrier charge. Sounds like a tax to me. 911 tax. A surcharge, another name for tax. Mandatory extended area service. If it's mandatory, it's a tax. Half of your phone bill is taxes. The government is taxing you in ways you don't even know. Don't let them tell you your taxes are too low. Your taxes are everywhere.
Something for nothing
AS I read in the newspaper about yet another lawsuit against the tobacco industry, I can't help but ponder what this represents for our country. You can't look at the paper for six days without seeing something about another tobacco lawsuit or class-action lawsuit in which hundreds or thousands of people are essentially trying to get something for nothing. We're bombarded from the time we're grade schoolers that smoking is bad for our health, yet these people are trying to get something for nothing, including the unscrupulous lawyers who push these lawsuits so they can become multi-millionaires, if not billionaires. It's just a sad thing to see that our society has become made up of people who aren't interested in working for a living. They're all trying to get something for nothing. That's why you see the people going to buy lottery tickets all the time. You see people going on the gambling boats. Nobody wants to work for a living anymore.
Inadequate phone service
I DON'T understand how Southwestern Bell can get off overselling the service so that you can't use your phones in the evening hours in the Scott City/Jackson/Cape Girardeau area, and then not being willing to compensate the customers for this inconvenience. This goes for the mobile service and the regular phone lines. It makes no sense that they can do that without having towers up and us not being able to adequate service until mid-July. I wish someone could look into this, so this matter could get taken care of.
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