I am writing to you in regards to the letter written by Marie Renaud titled Slow Down the Big Rigs.

As a driver of a big rig for more than 12 years, I agree there may be a few hot-rodders out there, who may speed at times. The speed limit on the section of U.S. 61 she’s referring to has a speed limit of 55 mph.

Has she ever been on Interstate 20 where the speed limit is 60 and maybe speed up to 65 or 70? Has she ever seen a car in a 55 mph zone doing 25 or 35 mph? At 55 mph, a truck, as big as a semi, approximately 70- to 73-feet long, might look faster going by her.

We drivers work in the most regulated job anywhere. Between the Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other agencies, we have to report to and abide by their rules and regulations. We work long, hard, tiresome hours to ensure shelves at her stores are not empty.

Instead of concentrating on a few big rigs doing 5 mph over the speed limit, maybe try to see other cars and pickups. At 55 mph it takes a semi loaded to 80,000 pounds 100 yards to fully stop.

Has she ever seen a car in the passing lane doing 10- to 15-mph under the posted speed limit and you come up behind them in a rig and they shoot you the finger like you did something wrong? Has she ever seen a car wait until a truck gets 10 feet from its turn and maybe turn on a blinker, maybe not, but slam on the brakes and turns so quick it’s on two wheels? What about the people who have a 100-foot turn lane and wait until the last-second feet to get in it? What about the car driving in a rainstorm with no lights on? It is a state law to have headlights on during a storm.

I agree that is a high-traffic area for both cars and trucks.

But is it really necessary to say slow down the big rigs when there are cars on the same road doing 65 to 70 mph weaving in and out of traffic?

Guess it’s hard to see the little things when big things are so easy to concentrate on.

Lamar Fortenberry

Vicksburg

No garbage monopoly

Waste Management continued to go up and up on our trash pickup and I disagreed with them having a monopoly on trash pickup in Warren County.

I found an independent hauler, Oscar Mayfield, to pick up my trash, have been totally pleased with his services, and I resent being told what I must do in regard to this matter, as well as these independent haulers being run out of business at the whim of the Board of Supervisors.

Are the supervisors intent upon Waste Management having the monopoly I was trying to avoid?

Marie Renaud

Vicksburg

Ridiculous laws

We have two new laws in Mississippi that are worthy of comment.

The permissible alcohol level for beer has been increased and the three-day waiting period for a marriage license has been eliminated. Now it will be legal to go out and get drunk then get married all in the same day.

I would like to propose another law to establish a commission to grant a no-fault divorce in the first 24 hours of marriage. This commission will consist of the Lt. Governor and a panel of nine illegal immigrants. With all three of these laws in place, the state tourist business will increase exponentially, as well as increased revenue from DUI fines

We’ve come a long way, baby.

David Boone

Vicksburg

Are we all idiots?

On WLBT-TV around 6 a.m. Wednesday, they were talking about the incident where one of our supervisors made the statement, “even an idiot could turn on the TV.”

The report included a picture of Bill Lauderdale. The definition of an idiot is, “a person whose mind is so slow that he can never learn more than a 2-year-old child.” It also means “a very foolish or stupid person.”

How do you all like that? Seems the supervisor feels those who put him back in office are even “less” smart than an “idiot.” That being how he feels about those who voted for him, maybe they should be careful to be a lot smarter next election.

Should they vote for him again, it would prove he was right to call them idiots. I think that is how they feel about “we the people” after the election anyway.

Maybe they are right. We keep putting them back in office. That proves an awful lot of us are not so smart. Idiots? Maybe. I am sure the supervisor will be apologizing all over the place. Just keep in mind, he said what he really thinks and is just doing a bad piece of damage control.

R.G. Hollowell

Vicksburg

Some Dems against unions

Well I’ve been reading the Vicksburg paper and lo and behold I learned all unions have a first name and it’s spelled Democratic Party.

Then I read on and the Warren County Democratic Executive Committee chairman now says that is some title for just one person to have. He states that Democrats must be for unions.

I was just wondering again how he can make a statement like that and be fair to all Democrats. Well, I was just wondering again. Is he saying you cannot belong to the Democratic party if you are not for unions? Or is he saying the Warren County Democratic Party can, and will, tell you what organizations their union members can or cannot belong to? I’m just wondering again, ain’t that socialism or a dictatorship. It doesn’t sound like Americanism to me.

Just a quick answer to the letter to the editor April 19 about those who oppose the city workers union should wake up. Well the MASE/CWA president should wake up because the statement that all members of the Tea Party and other elite groups are a few wealthy individuals is a flat-out you know what.

I know a lot of Tea Party members and none of them are wealthy. Anyone in her position should know it ain’t just a few individuals, but millions of people.

I was wondering again, is that her. I hear snoring now.

Johnny Griffin

Redwood

Insect spraying works

I would like to express my appreciation for Vicksburg’s insect abatement program.

When I came to Vicksburg in 1981, horseflies and mosquitoes were a problem. These days, I walk five miles a day, usually at twilight or daybreak when insect activity is at its peak. I can’t remember when I’ve been bitten or even bothered by an insect.

Good job, folks!

Hugh McKnight

Vicksburg