SPEAKOUT

Same laws should apply

I'D LIKE to make a comment about this guy they're going to prosecute for lying to the FBI about where he placed the body of Gina Dawn Brooks. If they can prosecute for lying to the FBI, how come Bill Clinton can't be prosecuted because he lied to the American people on tape? The evidence is there.

Stop making excuses for criminals

IT'S THE gun's fault. Can you believe the NAACP attacking the gun makers, the gun shows and not saying any bad thing about this scum who robs and murders honest citizens in the inner cities. If you're robbed by a gun, a knife, a club or razor, what's the difference? Why not start where it really makes a difference? Family life, a mother and a father in the home, religion and decency in the home. The high rate of out-of-wedlock children mean children raising children. Discipline, education and a family give you respect. Stop making excuses for these lowlife criminals.

School bus drivers deserve respect

I AM a Jackson bus driver. I heard a statement the other day from two women who were discussing the pay raise we received and how they felt the bus drivers already made enough money. Well, considering the fact that we are driving more miles and more children now since the addition of the new school, I don't think $1 a route is all that much. I deliver children to seven different schools each morning. I'm expected to be a babysitter, a chauffeur, counselor, mediator and, at times, referee, with little or no help from some of the principals. Contrary to popular opinion, we drivers are offered no benefits, no insurance of any kind, and we are grateful for anything we get to help with our cost of living. We drive more miles and longer routes than any of the surrounding schools, yet we're paid less than some of them. If any of you have ever driven a carload of yelling kids somewhere, you know how hard it is to watch them and keep your eyes on the road and be a safe driver. Just imagine trying to do it with anywhere from 40 to 88 kids, ages from kindergarten to high school who've been cooped up in a classroom all day long. We do it every day in the friendliest and safest manner possible. I believe we, as drivers, are just as important and necessary as the teachers and principals of these schools, and we deserve some respect for the hard work that we do every day.

No life without air conditioning

JOE SULLIVAN'S July 9 column reinforced my view that air conditioning is the most important invention of the 20th century. Though it's been cool recently, the dog days of summer will soon return. If I had to make do with air conditioning, I wouldn't have the energy to pick up my remote control and turn on the TV much less, grab my portable phone and call Speak Out.

Looking for historical information

AFTER WORLD War II, there was a CCC camp located on Route N west of Delta. I would like to have information on this camp. I would also like a copy of some pictures from the camp. I was a little child in that area when the camp was there but have never seen any pictures of the camp. I would also like information on Highway 25 between Delta and Blomeyer, where only one lane of highway was paved. Also, if anyone has information on Harris Field near Cape Girardeau where pilots were trained during World War II, I would appreciate information on that also. Please call Speak Out if you have information on the above subjects. I would appreciate it deeply.

There used to be a cape

A RECENT caller to Speak Out asked why the Cape in Cape Girardeau when there is no actual, physical cape in town. Well, there used to be. The town is named after a semi-legendary trading post based near a point of rock that protruded out of the river. This was the cape. While the rock is gone, the site survives and is called Cape Rock Park. To get there, follow Cape Rock Drive east from Big Bend Road. At the park, you can drive up a hill and look out over the river. Down the water's edge, you will see a pile of rubble with railroad tracks on it. Yes, our beautiful cape was blown up so the railroad can come through. That's progress. Fortunately, there's a painting of the cape in it's unexploded glory. You can find it in the university museum along with other interesting exhibits.

Production is key to farm prices

I THINK it was necessary that the farmers of this country understand that the Freedom to Farm Act was really a freedom-to-fail law, that until or unless they learn to control production, we'll be subject to and controlled by world prices that are not high enough to keep American farmers solvent. In grains, we're the Arabs, and we could cut production enough to raise world prices to a point high enough to keep American farmers solvent. This in cooperation with other major grain exporting countries would bring world prices to an acceptable level. As my instructor in school said many years ago about grains, wheat, corn or rice, it's pretty much all the same, no matter what country it's raised in. So unless and until we control production, we will all have major farm problems. If you want to produce all you can, starve and quit your griping.

Old tires on private property

THAT'S A good picture of the tire shredder on the front page and I'm glad the state is going to start taking care of the tire dump down by Benton. I was wondering, since people throw tires out on private property all the time, can I pick up the waste tires on my private property, take them over to the state shredder and get the state to get rid of them? Somebody threw them out on my property. They're not mine. Will the state take care of it?

It's a custom, not a law

I'M CALLING to the person who commented about respect for funeral processions. It is not a law for a person to pull over for a funeral procession. It is just what you said, a sign of respect. However, not everybody knows that it's a sign of respect. There are people from other areas who do not practice this. So if a person goes on, it does not mean he's stupid or anything. It means he does not know about this respect thing. It is not practiced in all areas of the country. I just wanted you to be aware of that, because not everybody will pull over to the side of the road.

Second Amendment in danger

I READ that Al Gore wants to license everyone who has handguns just to let people know who does not own a handgun. When a person wants to purchase one, they must get a permit from the sheriff's office which is permanently kept on file. They run a background check on you and give you the permit. When you purchase said firearm, that dealer has you fill out a form from the ATF which is permanently kept on file. And then they run another background check on you. People, I want criminals off the street as much as anyone else, but enough is enough. Believe me when I say the Second Amendment is in grave danger, and so are the other amendments.

Jackson needs sign on south side

WHOEVER PAINTED the Jackson sign entering the city on the west side of town, it looks beautiful. But how come Jackson doesn't have a Jackson sign entering the city from the south side? It has the east and the west and the north. I would like to see a sign for the south side.