OpinionDecember 9, 1999
SPEAKOUT
WE'RE HAVING a problem. People are not paying attention to the handicapped-parking signs. At one store, I saw four different vehicles in 10 minutes park in spaces designated for handicapped parking, and they didn't have a handicapped tags or licenses. It is Christmastime for all, and we need to be considerate of handicapped people...
Obey handicapped parking
WE'RE HAVING a problem. People are not paying attention to the handicapped-parking signs. At one store, I saw four different vehicles in 10 minutes park in spaces designated for handicapped parking, and they didn't have a handicapped tags or licenses. It is Christmastime for all, and we need to be considerate of handicapped people.
Teachers: Park elsewhere
I'M FROM the McClure area, and my child goes to Shawnee Elementary South. I pick my child up in the evening when they get out of school. There is no where to park in front of the school because half the teachers are parked around in front of the school instead of being in the back in the teachers' parking lot. Maybe some of them will read this in Speak Out and move their automobiles so we don't have to double and triple park. It's really hard to see a child when he gets behind you, plus there are two school buses sitting out there in the front. So, if the teachers that could would just park in the teachers' parking lot.
Who's in charge?
I WOULD like to make a comment about a commercial I saw where someone is blaming George W. Bush over some type of pollution down in Texas. I would like to ask a question. Shouldn't George W. Bush be running this commercial, because who has been in charge for the last seven years? It hasn't been George W. Bush. It's been Al Gore and Bill Clinton.
Give us a break
THIS IS in response to "You're right to be upset" and "There's plenty of time." I am the person you were talking about. I am not self-righteous. I am not retired. I am a young mother of four children, and I have a very full schedule. I have a senior in high school. I have another involved in all kinds of sports. I have a younger one involved in Brownies and you name it. There are church activities I am involved in, and I work a full-time job. Yes, I've had to sit at those lights and wait both ways, not just one. I am only trying to point out that these people who do this work are human. They're not perfect, and they do the best they can do. If they could find a better way to handle the situation, I know that they would. How do I know? Because I can't tell you the number of times that my husband has gotten up at 4 a.m. instead of 6 to go sit at those lights and watch them. Or how many times he has been home late at night because he sat there trying to watch them and how much time has been put in spent working on those lights, trying to figure out how in the world they can be timed better. No, this is not a big city. You're right. And I do mean it when I say they should be thankful they don't have to deal with St. Louis or Kansas City or any place like that. However, there is still a lot of traffic coming from Cape Girardeau and obviously a lot coming from Scott City. They're doing the best they can. So please give the rest of us a break and lay off.
Religious security
THE UNITED States was founded with freedom of religion and a freedom from religion. I'm a Christian who has a kind and loving God. Many of my ancestors were driven from Europe by people who did not like their way of worshipping God. I worked for several years in an urban area with my plant crew, which included Jews, two sects of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and several tribal American Indian groups in addition to many varieties of Christians. My religion is private to me, and I wouldn't insult the people of other religions by degrading their religion and saying "My God is superior to yours." I'm secure in my religion, and I'm sorry for you're not sure enough in yours to honor people of other religions.
Try mothproofing flowers
TO "FLOWER-loving cats," put mothballs in your flower bed, and the cats will stay away.
Don't plant catnip
I WANT to answer to "Flower loving cats." I had the same problem last year. A normal, sensible cat was acting a fool in my flower bed. I checked the plants and found catnip had been planted by mistake.
Quality, not quantity
IN REGARD to comments about the quality of instruction at SEMO: Since Kala Stroup left, all administrators have been much more concerned with increasing the quantity of students than the quality of instruction. I think this is because nonacademic administrators want to preside over larger budgets rather than quality programs, and local businessmen want to sell more pizzas and rent more apartments.
Try a little pepper
THIS IS to the lady who wants to keep the cats out of her flower bed. Sprinkle pepper in the flower bed, and the cats will stay away.
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Use answering machine
IF YOU'RE Like me and you're sick and tired of telemarketers calling and disturbing you and your peace and tranquility at meal time and bath time, get an answering machine. I guarantee they'll never bother you again. They'll never leave a message. Peace at last.
Can't afford more taxes
I AM only one of those old blue hairs you were talking at the Chaffee School Board meeting the other night. I don't need to be educated about the school taxes, but on the other hand I think the school board should be. Have any of you board members questioned any of the bills or any of the money the superintendent has spent or approved to be spent? Do any of you know how much this man has gotten our school in debt? If not, I suggest you should be finding out. This debt was not brought on because of the reduction of pupils. Come on, school board, and check this out. The county is going to ask for more taxes for a new jail in April. There are a lot of us old blue hairs around town and most of us only live on Social Security. We can't afford anymore taxes. Find out how much this school is really in debt and why.
Take your choice
FOR THE person wanting to get rid of cats in her flower bed: If she can get close enough, spray the cats with water. Or else you can sprinkle cayenne pepper or red hot sauce around your flower plants, and they'll stay away.
Driver's license returned
I JUST wanted to say thank you to the individual who returned my driver's license. Thank you for your consideration.
Protect our country
THE WTO is subversive to the American way of life. I think one of the goals of the organization is to lower the standard of living in this country, thus thwarting American sovereignty. It's simply one more step toward a one-world government. That's my opinion. And I, like many others, will do all that's possible to protect my country.
Wasting money on Mars
HOW MUCH longer are we taxpaying Americans going to tolerate the NASA program blowing up and burning up millions and billions of our money by trying to land on Mars? We have to put a stop to this, people. It's absurd. It's ungodly.
Doing their jobs
I DISAGREE with the caller who was complaining about what he perceives as the increased police presence in Cape Girardeau. I've been a citizen of Cape in 28 years, and I've noticed an increase in the traffic violations. Too many people are speeding, tailgating and not slowing for stop signs and running red lights. I would be disappointed if the police department wasn't out there doing its job. I say kudos to them. And to the complaining caller, I say it could be your life or a loved one that they are saving. There is a simple solution for all of this: Don't break the law.
Not all tickets are legit
I BEG to differ with the person that said the police department is 100 percent legitimate on tickets they give you, especially where the stop signs are concerned. They are not even 50 percent legitimate. Cape Girardeau had a reputation of motorists going through yellow lights, and they wrote it down as red. Most of them didn't' have time to fight it in court, and the ones who did fight it in court find out the judges takes the officers' word with no proof. Don't say that they're 100 percent legitimate. Maybe 52 percent legitimate or maybe even 60 percent legitimate, but they're not 100 percent legitimate. That's an insult to the intelligence to the people who were not guilty and were convicted of traffic violations.
For the working class
I AM calling to offer readers some basic facts regarding freedom in our democracy. Anybody who has had a basic class in political science is aware that democracy is founded on three components: freedom, equality, and fraternity. The Republicans who frequently write and call the Southeast Missourian seem to believe that freedom is the component that makes our democracy work. Those who would offer a rebuttal to the importance of equality within our democracy will often intentionally misstate the case, but they will state that equality means equal outcome, and this is not the case. Equality means equality of opportunity. Republicans are for increasing concentration of wealth within fewer and fewer hands of the already wealthy and the large corporations. Democrats are for the working class and the middle class. Let's not forget that it was the working class that built this country and created the foundation for all the wealth that we now all enjoy.
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