SPEAKOUT

WE HAVE SOMETHING we feel like we need to discuss in Southeast Missouri. It's concerning how other local businesses are handling the gross number of some solicitors. Everyone is calling for a police officer, state patrol, veterans association, drug rehab; the list is numerous, not to mention three phone directories calling for ads. Our office is now taking a policy we support only local organizations and we ask them to remove our name and number from the calling list. We do buy tickets to all local fund-raisers and refuse to support anything on the state and national level. We're listed in the three directories, but we'd like an opinion: who is the true phone book of Cape and which one are they really using? Thanks.

HOW DARE YOU wave your Bible in my face. I've had it with you immature hill-billy theologians shooting off your mouths about gay and lesbian people going to hell. Don't you realize that not everybody believes in your bible? There are religions around this world that think if you don't believe in their gods you are wrong. In this country, if it doesn't harm someone or his property, it's not illegal. Maybe you've heard of this: it's called freedom. Yes, rape and child molestation are harmful and I'm glad they're illegal, but true adults are free to do whatever they choose in privacy. Being gay is not just about sex. We have real lives and real jobs and don't spend 24 hours a day in bed. So the next time you want to spout off about your own religious beliefs think about some of this, will you?

AFTER READING ABOUT the huge and unwarranted tax increase for education being proposed by our legislators in Jefferson City, I am convinced that they should be convening in Farmington, Mo., where the institution for mentally defective people is. Thank you.

THIS IS REGARDING the rodeo that was at the Arena on Friday night. I can't believe that someone would let an animal like that bucking bronco that was out there in the ring jump the fence and get away from these people. They got a rope around his neck and broke his neck. I can't believe that Cape Girardeau would let something like this go on, I'm upset about it.

Its owner said the animal was not injured. Marvin Meier of the Cape Shrine Club, which sponsored the rodeo, said the animal jumped the fence and he did not know if it was injured. He referred a reporter to John Walter of Kirksville, owner of the rodeo animals. Walter said the bronco was rounded up and was not injured.

THANK YOU, CAPE Shrine Club. It's about time Cape Girardeau had a PRCA rodeo brought to this town. You should be commended for a great job. I was surprised that KFVS will cover the Sikeston rodeo every night and even the Show Me Center IRPA rodeo, but other than advertising, virtually nothing was said about the Shriners PRCA rodeo. That's pretty sad if you ask me. Not only is it a major rodeo, even if it is the Shriners' first, but the proceeds are going to a good cause by helping the crippled children. Will be looking forward to next year's rodeo.

I WOULD LIKE to make a comment to the City Council in reference to the contractors licensing procedure. You had an article in Tuesday's paper. I agree with the recommendation for a test required to license electricians, carpenters and so forth, but I disagree with the ordinance requiring you to carry $500,000 worth of insurance. Most smaller contractors in Cape like myself can't afford $500,000 for the insurance. What's going to happen is big contractors will continue to work. They'll raise your rates and the small contractors like myself will just have to go bankrupt or something, I don't know; it's just the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I guess it's who you know. Thank you.

HELLO, SPEAK OUT. IF there ever was any such thing as white trash, Madonna is it.

I WOULD LIKE to recommend that instead of spending $7,000 on a mural on the riverfront why don't we have some decent benches at Capaha Park so we can sit down comfortably and listen to our tax-supported municipal band? Thank you.

I SEE A lot of things in the newspaper about different subjects here in Cape but I've not seen anything about people that leave their garbage out and people that let dogs run loose. We have garbage all over the neighborhood. I've picked up garbage twice this morning and some of it's stuff that's blown in my yard. Someone should enforce this rule about this. Thank you.

ALL RIGHT, YOU fools out there, let's use our turn signals when we're making turns. The rest of us can't read your simple little brains. I just about got hit the other day. A man appeared to be going straight and decided to turn left in front of me. Thank you.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW what the proper etiquette is concerning dropping in on a friend? Isn't it proper to call first instead of just dropping in? Thank you.

THANK YOU TO the family on the corner of Perryville Road and Bertling who plant such beautiful flowers for all of us to enjoy.

ANOTHER BAD COLLISION in Jackson at the end of Donna Drive and Highway 61 East requiring fire trucks, rescue squad, and ambulance to free the victims form the wreckage. Still, the state highway department rules there's not enough problem here to warrant a traffic light. I wonder how many more people will have to suffer before they get the message.

THE MAY 3 ISSUE of the Southeast Missourian gives a notice that the environuts on the Hill are loose amongst us again. The Students in Practical (huh?) and Professional (oh, get real) Written Communication will exercise their considerable clout to have the City Council outlaw smoking in grocery stores and thereby prevent the fallout of carcinogens on fresh food. Wow. Will the grocers have to construct NASA-type airlocks at each entrance to stop the carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide and other carcinoma-causing auto-exhaust fumes from entering their facilities from their parking lots as customers open the doors? Will armed guards be posted in canning factories and be ever alert to prevent smokers from polluting the canned pork and beans? Why don't the university ecolonerds become concerned to the serious life-threatening health problems perpetrated by the student body? The institution has recognized gays and lesbians, a sure-fire incubator of deadly AIDS; both students and alumni have been indicted and convicted of hard-drug peddling; drunken brawls at campus dances have resulted in numerous arrests; rape, mugging and disorderly public conduct are not unheard of. And you want us to cease the social sin of smoking in proximity to the broccoli and brussel sprouts. With four and five lanes of new highway putting Cape Girardeau within a few minutes of two Jackson competitive super markets, it is possible that Cape Girardeau grocers don't want to alienate 30 percent of their adult customers who smoke, and probably buy more foodstuffs than do college students.

I APPRECIATE THE Speak Out forum and I especially want to comment on the current situation of the coaches at Central. I believe that the changes that have been made, Mr. Anderson for football coach and Mr. Wadlington for basketball coach, were good decisions and some that probably should have been made some time ago. I appreciate those who have made those decisions even though they may not have been easy and may have been difficult. As far as Mr. Wadlington's ability as a basketball coach, I believe that it's mediocre at best. I believe his dismissal was warranted. Likewise, I believe Mr. Anderson's resignation was more than proper. I believe that we can find some good, young coaches. I'm a believer in sports as being a part of the makeup of our school system, and yet I know that academically is where our interests lie and should lie; but there's a lot of discipline and a lot of teamwork and a lot of other things that can be taught to our young men by participating in extracurricular activities.