SPEAKOUT

Put Saddam in his place

THE UNITED States is once again spending millions of dollars to send troops and more fighting equipment to the Persian Gulf. How many times are U.S. taxpayers going to have to foot the bill for protecting these people over there and then back down when they get the troops over there? I feel like what they should do is go ahead with the planned attack on Iraq and make a parking lot out of it. I'm sick and tired of my taxpaying dollars going to support people that won't try to support themselves. I'm not trying to degrade any political party but it is time to put that man in his place.

Recycling tags needed

I HAVE a suggestion for the Cape Girardeau Recycling Center. They have all these bins out front but they have no tags on them to show what goes in what bin, glass, plastic or newspaper. If they could put a note on them that would allow us what goes in what bin, it would be very, very helpful. This may seem kind of trivial to you all, but it would be helpful.

Wanted: Wonderful people

I WAS just watching the story "Touched by an Angel." Do you know the United States of America used to be the most wonderful people in the world to help one another. But what has happened to our states today, I don't know? It sure is a shame. We could go out and help one another if people would just do it and don't be so greedy for money as they are today.

Character still counts

YOU CAN tell something about a man's character by the friends he keeps. President Clinton's friends have included James McDougal, Webster Hubbell, Dan Lasater, to name a few. President Clinton has had many scandals including trooper gate, travel gate, file gate, Whitewater, Paula Jones and now Dick Morris. The polls show President Clinton has a big lead over Bob Dole, a man of outstanding character. It makes me wonder if character still counts in America anymore.

Garden idea gets thumbs up

I'VE BEEN reading the comments about the Cape Girardeau Colonial Foundation using the Old St. Vincent's Seminary grounds as a botanical garden. I, too, would like to say I think that is a wonderful idea. I was just wondering about the college being involved. I know that they have horticultural classes and that their agricultural department could get involved with something like in maintaining the grounds and helping to make them beautiful. If the college and Colonial Foundation could get together, perhaps the state could intervene and help us all to buy the St. Vincent's Seminary and to save the grounds for a beautiful Cape Girardeau Botanical Garden.

Clothes donations

I WAS calling to find out if there was any place in town other than the Salvation Army Thrift Store where clothes can be donated. I've several boxes of clothes from a garage sale I'd like to donate and I saw a picture in the paper where the Salvation Army has a thrift store but it looks like they had plenty of clothes. Is there any other organization who could benefit from having clothes periodically through the year?

The Teen Challenge Thrift Store, 10 N. Sprigg, also takes clothes during regular business hours, Tuesday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 402 S. Sprigg, is once again taking clothing, after a recent overload. Donations can be made Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please no donations on Sunday.

Pick up the litter

HELLO WONDERFUL people of Cape Girardeau. We've come to Cape Girardeau from time to time to visit relatives. After not being here for many years, we've been very shocked and actually disappointed to see Cape becoming so trashed with litter along the highways and streets and also with the appearance of so many ugly billboards outside of the town. It does not have the beautiful greeting that it used to have. Please, people of Cape, don't tolerate the litter and the trashing of such a pretty little town.

Too much homework

I JUST can't understand how come I'm not drawing a paycheck as being my child's teacher. We've got teachers in the school system that say, `hey, you kids are here all day long. If we can't get you taught what we need to teach you in that time, then it's not worth learning.' And you've got other teachers with the attitude, that when you go home from school, you're supposed to do three, four, five hours of homework. Come on, teachers. Let's get your act together and teach them what they need to learn in school. Quit sending home so much homework. People have got scouts, soccer, ballet, gymnastics, church, and all kinds of other things that we want to do with our family and our lives rather than stick our kids in their bedroom at a desk, doing homework for three and four hours every night.

Wages should be higher

TEN YEARS ago when I become disabled I was a union worker with a trade. With my benefits, I was making more than $30 an hour. And yes, I'm going to vote for the $2 an hour raise in minimum wage in Missouri because those people should be getting more. In fact, it should be raised to $4 more an hour and benefits.

Let's hear it for LPNs

THIS IS regarding the nursing article on Saturday in the newspaper. As an LPN, I was offended by the article. LPNs, they work in many different areas of nursing, not under supervision of RNs. Example would be like director of nursing home, doctor's offices, counseling services. LPNs may have one year of school verses the two or four years of RNs but they have the same clinical experience and possibly more. Therefore, I believe that LPNs are very capable of the job for school nurse and it would be profitable for the school system to hire LPNs.