SPEAKOUT

Education retort

HOORAY FOR Christine Warren. Her reply to Peter Kinder's criticism of the second-grade writers was right on target. A good journalist would probably have found that those misspelled words soon would appear on lists used in spelling exercises. We have too many people bashing our school systems to speak out before they research the problem. Let's all pitch in with someone on one classroom assistance or reduced class size so the teachers can provide sufficient individual attention.

Enforce parking

MANY articles are written concerning illegal parking in handicap spaces and raising the fine. If the traffic department enforced the illegal parking, raising the fine would not be necessary. A more dangerous illegal parking problem are cars parking in fire lanes in front of stores. These are marked "No parking, fire lane." Someone will be seriously injured walking between cars. What if an emergency vehicle needed this area and the driver is in one of the stores? Illegally parked cars should be ticketed, and this would also mean needed revenue for the city and the police department.

Abusive waste

IF YOU are a woman who must work outside the home just to pay taxes to the federal government instead of being able to stay home with your children and husband, call 1-800-799-SASE and tell them that you are an abused woman. This is another feel-good federal intervention into our back pockets to fund and abuse hot lines. I called them. I told them I felt abused. I'm a woman, I'm a taxpayer and I think it's ridiculous for them to waste my money on this.

The other side

WHILE I agree with the caller who complained about parents' attitudes towards recreational coaches, I really do feel for their children. For the most part, it's not the child's fault. The Cape Area Youth Soccer Association is a fantastic organization with very knowledgeable board members who stand behind their volunteer coaches 100 percent. I'd like to add that board members and everyone who contributes to the Cape Area Youth Soccer Association are strictly volunteer. Every one of those people should be commended for all they give to our children. I realize there are parents out there who are negative and knowledgeable about what is going on. The positive and supportive parents far outweigh the negative. Just so they know that when they request their child not to be on a certain team, when all the coaches are gathered together after they received their rosters, there are coaches are who are saying, "Oh no, we've got so and so's parents" while the rest of the coaches breathe a sigh of relief.

Bird solution

HERE'S A public service call for you. Considering problems many folks are having with birds in this area, maybe I can offer a solution. I found it in a letter to the editor in the Feb. 26 issue of the Air Force Times by Richard Landgill. It was mainly to limit birds causing plane crashes. Although it may initially offend animal and tree huggers, this guy swears it works and saves lives. "There's only one way to control birds around runways. Shoot them. Let the carcasses lay there on the pavement for a few hours but not long enough to draw scavengers. In short order, the flocks will depart for more serene environments. I have seen that work in places where I used to hunt, and I've seen it work with flocks of starlings in residential areas. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Audubon Society probably will scream to the heavens. However, the lives of our air crews are infinitely more important than a few geese, seagulls or starlings or the bleedings of a few special-interest groups. Serve the geese in the mess hall on Sundays."

Right and wrong

I READ in my paper this morning where they're trying to make parents liable for children's acts. That's wrong. The government has stuck its nose in, and you can't discipline a child because that's child abuse. Children are not taught any respect anymore, and they do not know the difference between right and wrong on account of this. Don't blame the parents and fine them like they say they want to do. All that is a money grab. Go back to some basics to where children are disciplined and taught right from wrong. Then you may have kids who won't do things like this.

Role model

I'D LIKE to talk about sports athletes as role models. Kevin Green is going to be in Cape Saturday. I'm not a big Pittsburgh Steeler fan. I'm a Dallas Cowboy fan. But there's probably not a better role model than Kevin Green. Someone who plays hard is going to give his time to come and speak to the Cape Area Youth League.

Dole and Cuba

SEN. DOLE, you've got a new thing to harp on. You're in trouble with your own party. Now you're picking on the Cuban incident. Now you've got something new. Hooray, hooray. You're going to do a little better than that. The economy is picking up. President Clinton is showing his leadership. You're troubling your own party, so you've got to use that little Cuban incident which the president is handling very well, and I'd sure put my trust in him handling the country than I would you or any of the other candidates.

Backing a site

WHAT IN the world has gone wrong with Mayor Spradling and Councilman Neumeyer and J.J. Williamson? Why would they vote not to recommend the old St. Francis Hospital to the GSA for a new federal building? Of course, we all know that a recommendation wouldn't mean that GSA would accept it but at least they should try. It would save untold hundreds of thousands of dollars and get rid of an eyesore that has been there for many years. It would help the Good Hope area and revitalize an area that sorely needs it. The aforementioned people should not get one single vote when their re-election comes up.

REPLY: The city council voted to do more research before making any recommendations about a site for the new federal courthouse to be built in Cape Girardeau.