OpinionFebruary 19, 1998
SPEAKOUT
ONE SUNNY afternoon my nephew came to visit. To my 10-year-old son's surprise, Joey had brought a minibike for my son, Jacob, to test drive. When Jacob was finished with his half-hour of verbal instruction from Joey and myself, Jacob was indeed excited. ...
Ticketed for giving minibike lesson
ONE SUNNY afternoon my nephew came to visit. To my 10-year-old son's surprise, Joey had brought a minibike for my son, Jacob, to test drive. When Jacob was finished with his half-hour of verbal instruction from Joey and myself, Jacob was indeed excited. Another surprise was right around the corner. As I was instructing Jacob on how to shift gears, we putted up the street maybe 75 feet -- never made it to second gear. While we were stopped on the corner of the street I have lived on for 35 years, an officer of the Jackson Police Department stopped and gave me a ticket. I was not motorcycle qualified on my Class ACDL driver's license. I never realized I needed this for instructing a 10-year-old boy the correct method of shifting a minibike. We put the bike back in the truck and explained to Jacob the consequences of riding in the street. I accepted the ticket and took it to court hoping for a little mercy. I received the maximum fine and court costs with 10 days to pay. If Missouri says I can drive most any vehicle, would Jackson be correct to say a man cannot make a simple mistake moments before I let my boy solo ride a minibike in full gear on a grassy lot next door to me? Should a disabled man raising three children living in Jackson most of his life who has no traffic tickets in over 10 years now living on Social Security disability be expected to pay the maximum fine and have his insurance rates go up for years to come? Other citizens of Jackson will receive suspended sentences for much more serious offense.
Practice what you preach
JUST A reminder: George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "Christianity is such a wonderful idea. It's a shame it's never been tried."
Women not a same competitive level
THE RECENT article regarding low attendance for the SEMO women's basketball games was very interesting. What it goes to show is women just simply do not play at the same level as men. If they did, there would be no need to have separate women's teams from men's teams. People are not interested in watching an inferior game being played in which they have to pay money.
Olympic coverage is poor
I READ in the paper again where CBS is upset because of poor ratings for the Olympics. The network continues to want to blame bad weather and delays in the downhill skiing for this unfortunate catastrophe for their corporate pocketbook. Maybe CBS needs to look in a different direction. Maybe CBS should take responsibility for its own actions. People may be just sick and tired of the format of the Olympic coverage. Opening ceremonies, for example, were marred by endless streams of babbling from overpaid commentators who act as though they're paid by the word. They were talking over one of the most beautiful moments of the ceremony, the five-continent rendition of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."
Congrats on friendliness award
CONGRATULATIONS TO Pauline Cook on her Friendliness Neighbor of the Year award and her 76th birthday from the neighbors on Boudoir Drive.
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Sex offenders, not fluff
I STRONGLY agree with the callers regarding the sex offenders being on the front page. I want to read about things and people that could affect me, not fluff.
Include dogs in noise ordinance
I WOULD hope that the City Council would really put some teeth into the noise ordinance concerning barking dogs. It seems that in most ordinances it is considered to be a nuisance if a dog barks after 11 o'clock at night. I find this to be the case in many instances that an incessantly barking dog is a bother 24 hours a day if that kind of behavior is allowed. Please let us be able to go out in our yards or on our decks without being bothered by howling and growling and barking animals that the owners ignore.
Opposed to sting operations
MY HUSBAND and I are law-abiding citizens who've never as much as a speeding limits, but we're adamantly opposed to police set up sting operations of any kind, especially using underage children as decoys. We find this kind of practice repugnant.
Police state on tobacco
TO THOSE of you who are so intent on government restrictions on smoking, I would just like to say this: Any government that manipulates legal social behavior by punitive taxation or overregulation is nothing but a police state. If you think the government should control smoking, watch your back. They'll be after whatever you enjoy.
Bible say get rid of them
HAS ANYONE really and truly read the Old Testament? God destroyed nation after nation that went against his commandments. Go over there and get rid of those terrible people around Saudi Arabia. It's in the Bible.
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