SPEAKOUT

Sentence too lenient

I THINK it's very terrible that a person can get away with arson and only gets put five years on probation. If I would go out and start a fire at a house, they'd put me in jail. I have no use for the justice system whatsoever, because it stinks.

Slow down on Mount Auburn

I LIVE on Mount Auburn Road, and I sit here and watch this traffic every single day. People fly up and down this road like it's an emergency and it's not. There have been two wrecks out here in the past week. Where is the police department and its trusty radar system? People know it's not out here, so they drive like bats out of hell up and down this street. One of these days somebody's going to get killed. I think they should put radar out here, and maybe all this would stop.

Recover the costs

HOMOSEXUALITY IS a nasty, filthy, disgusting habit, and those who advocate it and practice it should be sued by the state to recover the resulting health care costs.

Pray for them

OK, SO we can't take the credits for the good things or the straight life we live. If you're straight and you're a Christian, how can you not see how wrong the lifestyle they've chosen over God's plan for them? Remember how lost you were once and pray for them.

Good word for Scouting

I'D LIKE to commend the Scouting programs that we have in our area. I think it teaches the kids great diversity. They get opportunities to do things that they wouldn't normally do like canoeing and archery and riding horses and different things like that. I know the sports are great and everything else, but it just doesn't give you the diversity that Scouting does, and I would just like to commend all those volunteers that work so hard out there.

My right to smoke

THE BIGGEST lie that was ever told by the federal government is that nicotine is a drug. If they try to make me stop smoking after 40 years, they're going to have hell to pay, and I won't be the only one that will be causing a big stink.

Employers and daycare

BEING ONE of many owners at a state licensed daycare, I would like to share with employers of this community some policies that are set forth by the state of Missouri. which governs most state licensed daycares. My main gripe is the policy of illnesses. Children must be picked up when they have a fever 99 under the arm or 100 by the mouth. They need to be picked up when they're vomiting, on medication when it doesn't seem to be working, have diarrhea, contagious conditions, severe coughing, difficulty in breathing, yellowish skin, pink eye, trouble swallowing, discolored urine severity and head lice and this is just a short list. All of these symptoms are contagious, and if a child is allowed to remain, all other children have been exposed as well as the workers. This may cause your business a little inconvenience, but in no way do daycares cause the illnesses, unless a child is completely unexposed to any other outside variables such as adults be around certain people, going to the grocery stores and so forth. It is quite unfair for any employer to give ultimatums to employees who have children. Everyone is going to get sick. We can alleviate your problems if you allow parents to bring their sick children to work with them. Those supervisors will thus be exposed to all of these symptoms, which would mean they would take these germs home and expose their family. Maybe these supervisors don't have children, or maybe it's just the wives who get the phone calls to pick up their sick kids. It's high time you employers think of someone except yourself. I'm quite offended when parents are in the situation of having to choose between working and taking care of their sick child because of the unfair stress you employers put on them. Family should come first all the time, otherwise your turnover rate will be extremely high.

More on the musical

I WAS also a member of the Notre Dame musical, and I would like to express great sympathy to that person who called in before, because to me it sounds like a case of sour grapes. Not only is Jessica Hency a great singer, but she is also a great performer. Without Jessica Hency, there would be no musical at all. If those other people have just as much talent were on stage, I want to know where it was. When on stage, Jessica Hency could be heard to the back row. Other singers sounded like a distant muffle. Furthermore, it is not "Jessica and Company." It is the Notre Dame musical, and in the review I believe that is clearly stated. All people were mentioned and given their right dues.

Democrats and war

HAVING FOUGHT in the Korean War, I would say the Democrat presidents don't fight to win. We could have won the war in Korea if they had let MacArthur in, but Truman called it a square dance and sent him home. Thousands of men died needlessly because Truman wouldn't back them up. Truman was way ahead of the man we've got today in the White House. Way ahead. He wouldn't have stood for homosexuality, gays in the military and abortion at command at any stage. If you're in the war with a Democratic president, you're in bad shape.

Display flag properly

LET'S PUT the American flag up with respect. This is a veteran and I am ashamed of stores for flying the flag at night and not trying to get a light on it or taking the flag down. I have asked one store four nights in a row to try to get it to do something about it, and I keep on getting the runaround. This is a shame that the American flag, the symbol of the United States of America, is flying in disrespect.

Mickey Mouse Award

I'D LIKE to nominate the city council and the mayor of Cape Girardeau for a special award. My mother asked me to clean up her yard and the gum balls out from under a few trees. I put them out and wanted to burn them, and I was told the fire had to be put out by 4 p.m. That seems to be foolishness -- when the sun doesn't go down for 3 3/4 hours after that time -- to have a regulation like that, I think the city council should get the Mickey Mouse Award. They are deserving of it.

Music is bad too

TO THE GUY who thought the name Suicide Machine was offensive for a band that would play at Cape's Show Me Center, let me tell you. The band's name is not half as bad as their music. They are one of the worst bands in history.

Tough on drunk drivers

WELL, MR. Richardson, did you take more cough medicine? I only hope you don't walk away from this. I only hope they don't consider who you are and you're better than anybody else. You did not have to make bail where the average person would have. In other words, there are two separate laws. One for Missouri lawmakers and one for the average citizen. A good friend of mine was killed April 6 of this year by a drunk driver. When is it going to stop? They drink before they go on the road, and they know they can kill somebody, and evidently they don't care. Are we going to allow him this time to put people's lives in jeopardy? Let's get tough on everybody. Tough on drunk drivers, regardless of who they are. Mr. Richardson, you're no better than anybody else.

Watch the floodway

I JUST saw something on television today that I think the people of Southeast Missouri ought to be aware of. I just that Winnipeg, Canada, has put in a floodway around the city to lessen the flood. Their flood crest is expected May 5. I think we ought all watch very closely to see what happens at Winnipeg. Maybe they know what to do and we don't. Maybe not just putting another foot on the levee is the answer. Maybe we ought to watch them.

Try golf first

THIS IS for the caller who doesn't think golf is a real sport. I think that person should get out there and walk 18 holes and go chase that ball every time you hit it.