I DON'T think guns should be legal. Parents keep guns lying around the house without the safety on. If a young child finds the gun, he might think it is a toy. And if a criminal has a legal gun, then there's nothing you can do about it, because he'd be within the law. Criminals get illegal guns anyway, but if guns were illegal it would be easier to get a warrant. I know what the Second Amendment says about the right of the people to keep and bear arms, but some people take it too far. I think our town and country would be a better place if guns were illegal.
THANK YOU Sam Blackwell. As usual, you've written an extraordinary column concerning trees. I too am a tree hugger. I'm raising my son to be a kooky tree hugger also. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I WOULD like to know why there's an artificial limit of 15 percent on our income that we can put into our 401(k) retirement plan or $9,500, which ever is less. Why can't it be just $9,500, no matter what your income is? I don't think it's fair to let the people who are making $63,000 put away more for their retirement than those of us who are only making $20,000. After all, we're going to need it more when we retire, aren't we? They could be saving their other money. Just thought I'd let you know what I thought.
I WOULD just like the caller who thinks there is no RV park in the area except for Trail of Tears State Park to know there is an RV park in East Cape Girardeau, Ill., just three minutes from Cape or less. We have bath house facilities, and we have hookup spaces, tent spaces and grills and we're right on the highway. We're easy to find. So there is an alternative, and we get a lot of camping business in the summertime. A lot of workers stay here in the wintertime. There is one in the area, and people need to be aware of that.
I WOULD like to make a comment about the article about the homosexual legislator who wants to legalize homosexuality in Missouri. The problem I have with this is that 75 percent of the people who test positive for AIDS are homosexuals, yet the people who want to sit back and smoke a marijuana cigarette on their home living room couch are penalized when the cops come in and do a search warrant. There is something wrong with this picture.
SEVERAL teachers said Dr. Tallent claimed he was telling them about the school district's budget options so early in the year as a professional courtesy so if they prefer to leave the district they would be able to start looking for another position now, which is when districts begin hiring for next year. One gentleman complained about this. I ask you, would you rather have been told this news in June when all positions in other districts have been filled? As a secondary teacher who hopes to return to teaching as soon as possible, I'm embarrassed by selfish, spoiled attitude by my fellow employed secondary teachers. I advise you to grow up and act more mature than the students you teach.
I COMMISERATE completely with the person who called Speak Out about not being able to find employment. I'm over 55 and have tried every place in town for 10 months. Someone who shall remain nameless told me that companies like to "maintain a youthful image." Also, most of the interviewers were in their 20s or 30s, so I must look ancient to them. My past apparently accounts for nothing. Welcome to our throwaway society.
A CALLER asked how the school board members would like to have their salaries frozen at their employment, not as a school board member. So what if the funds for buildings and paying teachers are separate. This taxpayer wants better teachers. Pay them what they're worth. Pay them so that it's equal to other types of employment in the city. I know that the taxpayers want better teachers and the buildings taken care of like Franklin has been. Then this district wouldn't need to build new schools.
I'M GLAD that TCI finally decided to expand its service and offer more channels, but it forgot two channels it needs to add, Comedy Central and KPLR. Why can't Cape get KPLR?
I WOULD like to jog the memory of the person who was upset because the media refers to the president as Mr. Clinton. If you recall during the 1992 campaign, Mr. Clinton constantly referred to President Bush as Mr. Bush. When Mr. Clinton was doing it, did you consider it degrading to the office of president?
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