Speakout 10/20

A Wal-Mart bag containing two items of value were found on Highway 60 between the Missouri State Highway Patrol Satellite Office and the Sikeston Wal-Mart Supercenter. The owner of this property should call Lt. Jim McNiell at 472-5201 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and describe the contents of the bag or have the sales receipt.

Anyone stupid enough to put a 5-year-old on a motorcycle should be charged with child endangerment. What the hell was that woman thinking?

As a high school teacher, I think it is important for me to remain neutral in public regarding political issues. However, I've had about as much as I can stand! Now I must SpeakOut! To all you people who have been wagging your tongues about the presidential candidates' military service records, get over it. Bush went into the National Guard so he wouldn't have to go to Vietnam. So did thousands of other men, including many men I know right here in Southeast Missouri. He still served. For those of you who are insisting John Kerry is a liar, you don't give yourself medals. The U.S. Army gave him three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star. He served his country bravely. When Kerry spoke out against the Vietnam War upon his return home, he wasn't a traitor. He was exercising his freedom of speech. After all, he had earned the right to speak, and now we know he was absolutely right. If you're basing your opinion of either man on this one issue, you are simply wrong.

There seems to be a gap in the field of everyday education. So let's take care of it right now. (1) When walking use the sidewalk of one is available. If there is no sidewalk, you always walk facing oncoming traffic. That way you see them coming and the drivers of cars can see you. It's a fact. (2) Bicyclists follow the same rules as cars. You ride with traffic and you are expected to stop at all stop signs and stoplights. It's the law. (3) People driving cars should give the same respect to bicyclists as they would to any other vehicle. Bicyclists have rights, too. It's the law. (4) Cars should be driven in the right-hand lane at all times unless you are passing or making a left-hand turn. If you're at, let's say the hospital, and are planning to turn left onto Malone Avenue, don't drive in the left lane for a mile and a half. It's the law. I don't know when people began to forget these rules, but I believe you'll discover that some of life's little aggravations will disappear if we all learn to obey the law.

If anyone knows a daycare center or individual in the Sikeston/Charleston area who can provide day care for a 2-year-old insulin-dependent child, please put the number in SpeakOut.

I don't blame John Kerry . I would have scratched myself to get out of Vietnam - but I wouldn't run for president.

Just when you think Bush would not want to show his real agenda, he goes and signs a bill for more tax breaks for the big corporations, movie studios and small oil and gas producers will receive a new tax break for marginal wells. General Electric will receive billions in new tax breaks. The tax breaks go on and on. If you read the fine print you will also see that many of the tax breaks favor foreign operations over homeland operations. Anyone can look up this bill, and should. Average Joe loses again. I urge voters to look this bill up and then decide who you want for president.

Anyone who votes for John Kerry is an idiot. Your taxes will be raised.