SPEAKOUT

TO THE PERSON in Wednesday's edition of Speak Out who spoke on behalf of the homeless, thank you. It's nice to know that other people care. My wife saw a homeless man on Kingshighway with a sign that read, Will work for food. We bought him a hamburger, fries and a cup of coffee, and he accepted it gratefully. The look on that man's face when he accepted the food is something we'll never forget. You did a great thing trying to help, but may I suggest buying food next time. It's amazing how a hot cup of coffee will break down the barriers of pride and at the same time provide warmth for someone who only knows the cold.

I JUST FINISHED reading Gary Rust's column, Rustlings, where he is going overboard on the wonderful things that Mr. Ronald Reagan did. I actually believe that man should be put on a leash, and I'm talking about Gary Rust. How in the world anybody can defend the man that so obviously sold us out to the Japanese is beyond my comprehension.

THIS IS IN response to Judge Calvin's article in Wednesday morning's Southeast Missourian regarding the raising of traffic fines for the city of Cape Girardeau. If Municipal Court Judge Calvin is so concerned about decreasing the number of traffic violations and drivers paying more attention to their driving, I strongly suggest he resign from the bench and open an adult driver-education and traffic-awareness program for these violators. His theory of increasing fines to lower traffic violations in the city is not very well thought out. Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to know where the person calling in about the senior citizen gets their information. I'm a senior citizen and I know of no store that gives a 10 percent discount on groceries. Not all of the places that serve food give a discount. We don't get half the discounts this person says we do. They should get their facts straight before they put it in Speak Out. Thank you.

WE HAVE WARNED about the earthquake over and over. If everyone hasn't gotten the message by now, they never will. I can't understand the hospitals and KFVS running it on every newscast and program again. We had prepared, but our survival boxes in our cars are frozen now anyway. Businesses were criticized for using the earthquake to advertise their products. What does the hospital hope to gain by these commercials? It bothers me to see this on every program. Thank you.

TODAY I LISTENED to the Iraq minister speak after his talk with Baker. He said they listened to what was said in America by the politicians. He has heard Kennedy and Gephardt and what they stand for, so as long as the Democrats are not with the president he feels they can hold out, that we will give them what they want. If we go to war blame Kennedy and Gephardt, for they are the ones always saying things and not standing behind the president. They are just wanting to be heard. I knew that this would affect the way Iraq felt about this country because over here there are too many mouths speaking. Thank you.

I'M TRYING VERY HARD to understand the scientific or medical reason a person is homosexual. Is a homosexual born or is he made? How can a male be born with a preference for men or a female be born with a preference for women unless that person is either undeveloped or overdeveloped at the time of birth or is born with an imbalance of sex hormones? Another question: What percentage of the United States population admits to homosexuality? Thank you, Speak Out.

SINCE UNFORTUNATELY it looks like there is going to be a war in the Middle East, I think the first two people who should be on the front line are Bush and Quayle. If Bush does commit our troops to battle, I think he should be impeached because he doesn't have the constitutional right to do it. Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to thank the Southeast Missourian delivery boys who deliver the paper in the Jackson and Gordonville areas. There's been ice down my street where I can't even hardly get out myself, and these boys have never once failed to get a paper to my house. Even the mailman couldn't come a couple of days and the boys have always had our paper here when we get up in the morning. I just wanted to compliment them. Thanks.

I WISH THEY would find where Hussein was and level that part of the country with long-range missiles. That would end it because they wouldn't have a leader. Thank you.

I HOPE THAT all of us here in the United States are thankful for those who are in the Saudi Arabian desert fighting for us because, if it does come down to fighting. I served my three years in the Marine Corps. I have a wife, two young children here, and for those who have chosen to stay in that military life, I think we just need to be more appreciative of them. I would like to see Richard Gephardt go ahead and go negotiate. See how far he'd get. Thanks a lot.

I HAVE A comment to make about the arguments and debates that are going on over this Middle East war with Iraq. I notice some of these congressmen such as Glen Poshard are wanting to just sit over there and negotiate with Saddam Hussein. I say this is all right if you want to. Use the sanctions, but there's one thing you can't ignore. It's those missiles. They've got to be taken out. I think it would be abhorrent to sit there and allow young Americans and troops under the shadow of these missiles. They have to be taken out or he'll use them. He's threatened to launch them. He will launch them.

FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT of all statistics have no meaning to them.

ON THE SUBJECT of Cape Girardeau population growth or shrinkage, has anyone considered that perhaps some of those in the city are at fault if, in fact, we have shrunk. There might be some fault with the city government agencies, but perhaps it's other aspects of the community other than city government that may have had some hand in Cape Girardeau not expanding in population as everyone has expected.

THANK YOU, TO Peter Kinder, Pat Buchanan and Walter Williams. I'm reading you loud and clear. Our illustrious leaders have told us, and proved their sincerity by taxing and spending multiplied billions of dollars, that all that's needed to solve the ills of all our society is more money. I am sick and tired of the lies, corruption and taxes. Thank you.

BUSH IS TALKING ABOUT all those allies backing us up over there. How come Germany and Japan, the ones who get all the oil, are not backing us? I think Bush is off. Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE to thank the CGB workers, the fire department, police, ambulance, the Southeast Missouri Hospital and the Missouri Barge Line fleet tug for helping us when we were in the icy river. Thank you very much. It is appreciated.