SPEAKOUT

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 who built this country and created the foundation for all the wealth that we now all enjoy.