SPEAKOUG

WAY TO GO, guys. We know this Desert Storm isn't over yet; it's just begun, and you all could be there for three to 10 more days. But just know we love you and we're proud of you, and we're backing you back home with our love and our prayers, and our open arms when you do return. God bless you all.

I WATCHED THE raid on Baghdad last night. Does anybody know what it's like? I do. You get so scared it feels like your heart is going to explode. In 1945, three months before the war ended, my home town was disposed of in just a few hours. The city was in ashes plus 150,000 people were killed. I hope this never happens in the United States because only the innocent suffer.

WELL, WAR HAS begun. I've got two brothers over there. It's time for the people to stand up and stand behind every soldier over there, man or woman. Thank you.

I SUSPECT THAT Saddam has a nuclear bomb. The reason he's not backing down is because he expects to use it. Is the U.S. prepared to encounter that move? Would the U.S. use an atomic bomb if needed?

Iraq, of course, does not have a nuclear bomb.

IF YOU LISTENED to channel 8 Wednesday night you have to know who got us into this mess in the Persian Gulf. I say bring them in and impeach George Bush. This was his doing; we weren't pushed into this. Bush chose to back down on what he told Hussein: that we would not interfere if he went into Kuwait. So now you know what happened.

I JUST FINISHED listening to the CNN broadcast and Walter Cronkite speaking to Bernard Shaw in Baghdad. I am outraged that the news people should go in there and actually interfere with what the government is trying to do. They say they have a story to tell. I do not think they need to interfere. The State Department asked them to get out and they should get out.

I WISH ONE OF you people who pathetically persist in publicly protesting the United States' decision to run that ruthless Saddam out of Kuwait would explain to me what your burning of the American flag has to do with protesting U.N.- and congressionally-sanctioned military action against Iraq. The very flag you burn symbolizes the country that gives you the freedom to conduct your protests, so why desecrate your symbol of freedom? Flag-burning serves no other purpose but to draw the media attention you want, and that is why you do it. Stopping aggressors like Saddam dead in their tracks is the only way your freedom and peace can ultimately be maintained. So get off the streets now; we've seen enough of you.

I WAS JUST watching CBS and at the end of "Inside Edition" there was something that really upset me. They showed soldiers over in Saudi Arabia, and they had this little clock showing the hours until midnight. They had Saddam Hussein talking on there and they were dragging dead bodies along the streets in Kuwait. It all really upset me. Thanks a lot, CBS.

I WANT TO make it perfectly clear I support our men in the gulf. They are not there by choice; they were sent there by our president, who is nothing more than a war mongrel and no better than that madman Hussein. Bush thinks it will make his reputation. Well, it will, but not the way he thinks. Thank you.

WAR: A STATE of open and declared armed, hostile conflict between states and nations. The Webster's dictionary defines war in this way. Others, however, may have a different opinion like me. In my mind, when I picture war, I see miles of land destroyed. I see the places where soldiers hide, waiting for an attack to come. When the enemy does strike I can picture in my mind the dead bodies. I see the injured struggling to live so they can make it back to their families. I can see the survivors' parents for the next attack hoping and praying they will not wind up like a friend had, a friend they saw dying before their very eyes. Some people may make it home alive while others may come home alive with parts of their bodies missing. The one thing I wonder, is war really worth it? I don't believe so. I'd just like to say, what is Bush trying to do to our nation?

THERE IS ONE night in my life I will never forget: Jan. 16, 1991. at 6:30 p.m. President Bush has sent jet fighters to bomb Iraq. All I can think about is, how many this time? How many of my fellow Americans are to be killed? Will it be declared a war this time? Maybe, maybe not. I lit a candle for the soldiers this very night on Jan. 16. I will do so every night until this conflict has ended. I just pray that it will be soon. A concerned American.

I HOPE NOBODY in this country is so ignorant as to blame President Bush for this war against Iraq. The decision to strike Baghdad and when to strike was made by the United Nations, not by George Bush. He is only abiding by the decision of the United Nations. But, if they want a short war, they should follow Truman's example and drop just one little old nuclear bomb. That would end it. Thank you.

DON'T YOU PATHETICALLY ignorant people know that the United States is a member of the United Nations, thanks to John F. Kennedy? Our president cannot do anything on his own without the approval of the United Nations. It's shameful that even some of the wives of the United States military personnel are not even aware of this. And these people are defending us? It's downright scary to see even how our military doesn't know why it's fighting or whose side it's on. No wonder we gave up on Vietnam. Some people are so totally ignorant of what's going on that they say President Bush did this and President Bush did that. It's disgustingly pathetic. Thank you.

AS A RESULT of John F. Kennedy's newly-acquired power in his first year of office, he laid down more than 100 executive orders. One of them was to turn our military over to the United Nations. So don't blame anybody else but that man. Thank you.

I JUST WANTED to call and say a special thank you to KFVS-12 for staying on 24 hours on the 15th. It really shows that they care about their viewers, and I take back all the bad stuff I ever said about them. Thanks a lot, KFVS.

IF THIS WAR is not just a game, considering all the lives that will be lost in long, drawn-out battles, wouldn't it be better to take all those lives in just one blow and get the grieving over with? The force used tonight, which, I understand, jeopardized and killed I-don't-know-how-many people, was the equivalent of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima that ended World War II. I want President Bush or somebody to tell me why the atomic bomb was not used. It would save thousands of American, French, British, and Mideast lives. Thank you.

I'M A World War II veteran and I'm wondering about these college protesters. I'm wondering just how many of those people are getting government funds to go to school. Thank you.

THIS WAR THAT we're in tonight is the direct result of a misunderstanding of or the total disregard for the other person's religious beliefs. Big government is too much government and I would think that we should have learned that by now. Thank you.

IT'S EVIL TO sacrifice lives. We Americans are under the control of our congressmen. They dictate to us what we may do and what we may not do. They tell us whether our children may live or die. They are all con-artists. Surely you have learned by now. Thank you, Speak Out.

COME ON, AREA residents, where are your yellow ribbons? I've only seen a total of about five, and one of them is on my house. Whether you agree with the war or not, please support the men who are there and display your yellow ribbons with pride.

OUR PRAYERS HAVE been answered. Our boys have done a job well done. Magnificent, guys. God bless you all. Let's not forget those who gave their lives at the beginning in the Mideast. Let's always remember them as the heroes and their families, too. Hurry home, boys.

I WISH SOMEONE that actually knows would explain to me why we are in Saudi Arabia fighting. Why are we there? Don't tell me for oil because we have plenty of oil in this country that's being capped off. Please explain it to me. Thank you.

I AM VERY much ashamed of the way the American people are out demonstrating in the streets. They need to be in their houses praying that our president is making the right decision instead of storming the streets and hollering and screaming and making him feel worse about what he's go to go through. I'm really ashamed of the way they are doing. They ought to be sent overseas where they can scream and holler like that. Thank you.

WELL, THE PETROLEUM companies have fired the first shot of the Middle East war. The only thing we can do is have the government take over the entire petroleum industry or any other nationwide industry that is so effective and hurts the people of America; take it over during these unusual times, set the amount of profits they can have, and use the rest of the profits to fight the war. Why should we start paying these oil companies special, privileged prices when, after all, we're already doing it for the S&Ls, the banks, and others of this sort? Thank you.

SADDAM HUSSEIN claims that God is with them. God, in fact, is with the oppressed. This is not a holy war. Thank you.

THIS IS TO the lady who said if we put presidents on the front line there wouldn't be any wars. That's ridiculous. Presidents like Eisenhower, Truman, Taylor, Washington and Bush were all in wars and that didn't stop any wars. Men like George Bush don't cause wars; men like Saddam Hussein do. Thank you.

I'D LIKE TO say as much as people hate going to war we cannot let Hussein get away with this. The man will have one-quarter of the world's oil supply if he takes over Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. So, as much as you hate for people to get killed in the war, we cannot let him do this. Thank you.

I'M CALLING ABOUT all the advertisements KFVS-12 has about supporting their own here at home. This is commendable but it also is a constant reminder that my loved one will be gone soon. It's upsetting enough for him, our children, and me to know he's leaving, but to be reminded of it by crying wives and children doesn't help much for the morale of those still at home. Talk is cheap; so are yellow ribbons. Support could come from more support groups here at home. Why doesn't KFVS advertise more on these groups? I haven't seen any advertised for this type of support. Thank you.

NOW THAT OUR boys are in Saudi Arabia to fight for the oil companies, to show their appreciation, they are ripping off the consumers. Why don't our politicians stop this ripoff by buying the oil companies? Thank you.

THANKS TO GILBERT Degenhardt for his excellent guest column Jan. 15. It was a marvelous mini-history of the Middle East. Let the history professors at the university move over pro-tem and invite him to conduct a seminar featuring the Middle East. The history department might assume that students have this information from former classes, but they really do not. Everyone would enjoy and gain from this kind of seminar. Thank you very much.

IN TODAY'S PAPER, Jan. 17, Peter Kinder questions Dukakis being commander in chief now with all this trouble in the Mideast. I wish he'd read the column next to it: a commentary by the Wall Street Journal on Iraq and Saddam having a long history of global crimes. Then, think back about who was in power all those years, if he thinks they're doing so great now. Bush was the vice president part of the time. Reagan was in there. They're all Republicans just like him. Thank you.

I WOULD JUST like to give my opinion about the people standing on the corner going against the war. They don't think about their freedom of speech giving them the right to stand on that corner and doing what they do. Yet, they don't want to support what it takes to guarantee they have that freedom of speech. I think they should grab them all and send them back to where they belong.

THIS MORNING KFVS-12 had a segment where they interviewed some of the people from the Heartland to get comments on what they thought about the war over in Saudi Arabia. They didn't get any comments from any minorities, and I just want to let them know that we minorities here in Cape Girardeau and around the world have relatives, loved ones and friends over there also serving this country. Thank you.

AS WE ARE all astounded with the apparent success of the first day of Desert Storm, I would like for all of us to think seriously about the tremendous advantage our armed forces have had in being alcohol- and drug-free. This highly technical equipment requires the fullest mental alertness possible. Could the great U.S. armed forces possibly permanently learn something from their Arab allies? This may be the most valuable contribution that our Saudi allies have given to our entire nation. Please think about this. Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to thank and compliment Sharon Sanders, Southeast Missourian librarian, for publishing the articles, year in review. I recently moved to Cape and now I know everything that has happened over the past year. She did a wonderful job. Thank you, Sharon. Thank you.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE St. Augustine Cougars in their championship victory over St. Marys in the Notre Dame tournament.

I WANT TO say thanks to Gary Rust for his article in the paper Dec. 24. I hope all mothers read his tribute to all the mothers. He said Mother's Day comes seven months too early; it really should be Christmas Day. All mothers know what preparation has to be made in December, and they do that with love from their heart for their families. I love your articles. Thanks, Gary.

I'D LIKE TO give a message to the Jehovah Witnesses who try to solicit their religion on my doorstep. I don't want your literature. You have your beliefs and I have mine. I'm a Christian and I have the Holy Bible. I have all I want. Thank you.

I HOPE THERE is not anybody out here in southeast Missouri who will be fooled by these ads on TV for free credit cards. They make their money by the phone call. If you notice, these phone calls cost anywhere from $10 to $30 a piece. If you call them to ask about it it's going to be charged on your phone bill.

ATTENTION, ALL YOUTH of university age and youth of all ages, read the column by Mona Charen on Jan. 15 regarding the why of rape and how the feminists' movement could truly help their constituency. I challenge you: read this column.

I WAS READING the paper this morning, Jan. 16, and there was an article in the sports section about five women who missed the conference play and they're returning for the next game. The head read something like, The real Otahkians return. I just wanted to say that those girls who played are as much of the team as the ones who had to sit out. Whoever wrote that article made it sound like those girls weren't as important as the other ones who were sitting out, and they are. When you stated the real Otahkians return, that's an insulting thing to say to those women who played hard, worked hard, and practiced, and got out there and proved to the people they could play just as hard as the starting five. Whoever wrote that article, owes them an apology. Those girls deserve all the credit they put forth at those games. Thank you.

DON PRITCHARD is right. Whining, selfish, me-first and bickering can be controlled only through firm, intelligent, unselfish leadership. That leadership comes from the news media, city council, and various service organizations. Cape Girardeau has everything industries need: a state university, good schools, the river, airport, and great highways. So how do we compare with Kentucky attracting solid industries? What do they have that Cape doesn't have? They have quiet, good, solid leadership. Speak Out could be a terrific tool if used correctly. Thank you.

I'M WATCHING "Young Riders" on television. The lady who portrays Rachel is from my home town. I went to school with her father and her aunt. I am so happy to see that today, just because a person is in show business, he or she is no longer labeled low class as it was in my days. I'll be the first to tell you that she comes from highly intelligent, reputable people who are above reproach. Also, if you happened to have picked up the January-February issue of the magazine, Ozark Mountain Country Music Review, that's my daughter on the cover. She opens Presley Ozark Mountain Country Music this year and I'm so proud of her. We live in Lutesville, Mo. Thank you, Speak Out.

I AM CALLING in regard to the reorganization of the Cape Youth Baseball League. I think the sanctioned Babe Ruth program for the 13- to 15-year-olds is a move in the right direction, but in the 12-and-under program I think the board is taking a drastic step backward by separating each age group so none of the age groups plays together. I think the board would have been better off to go to the sanctioned Little League format. In the Little League program you have your major league composed of 10- through 12-year-olds, your minor league composed of 8- and 9-year-olds and those 10- to 12-year-olds who are not drafted into the major league. Then you have your pee wees, ages 6 and 7, playing tee ball or coach pitch. With the Little League program you get both competitiveness, with those kids playing in the majors, and your recreation league, with those kids in the minor league and pee wees. Parents also have the option of holding a child back, if they don't feel the child is ready to move up, plus, as an added bonus should they decide to go to a sanctioned Little League program, there is post-season play and a chance to advance to the Little League World Series. Parents, if you're not in favor of this reorganization, we need to act fast. The board plans to vote it in. So let's speak out and see how many of the board members read this newspaper. Thank you.