SPEAKOUT

ABOUT THAT EARTHQUAKE: April Fools'.

I'M A STUDENT at Southeast and I'm proud to say that I will be attending classes Monday because I know that the earthquake will only happen if it's God's will. Thank you.

I WISH THE Southeast Missourian would print the names and addresses of local soldiers over in Saudi Arabia so that we can write to them. Thank you.

We started such a feature, Gulf Mailbag, in Sunday's edition and will continue to publish it.

I AM A STUDENT at Southeast Missouri State University and I just finished reading this morning's paper. I am absolutely furious that the faculty would even consider dismissing classes in observance of Martin Luther King. It might be justified if we currently observed any of the traditional, mainstream American heroes such as George Washington, the father of our country, or Abraham Lincoln, who did more to promote freedom and civil rights than any man in history. But Southeast doesn't recognize either of these great men. This nonsensical, pandering to minorities has gone far enough. I would suggest that the faculty senate come to its senses and take the interests of all its students into consideration rather than the whimsical, selfish demands of a small vocal minority. Perhaps the senate could at least have the nerve to actually allow the students to vote on the issue. I assume they are afraid that that democratic process would reveal that the students of Southeast are simply racists like the people of Arizona who voted not to recognize Martin Luther King. Thank you.

AS CHRISTIANS WE are to pray for our enemies, and this does include Saddam Hussein. Thank you.

WELL, BUSH WANTS to back any of the united nations who oppose what's going on in Iraq while they're saying that our men, women and boys are going to give their lives, and that's what bothers me. Next it will be the draft. When unemployment gets bad, then the draft will eliminate some of that. Some have to die so some can live. That's the way it looks to me.

I THANK BILL Moyers for bringing out the truth on the Iran-Contra affair that was pulled off under Reagan and Bush. The American people were lied to all along. To think that Ollie North, with the help of Attorney General Ed Meese, could shred evidence to cover up this mess, and then Ollie proclaim his innocence along with Reagan and Bush. Some say Reagan was a great president. I say for what, deceiving the people?

NOW THAT Mr. Browning is changing his story on the earthquake, I hope people realize that this is just a poor, lonely man who was trying to get a little attention before his time came. Now that he's got the attention, he's changing his story to cover himself. People, you're going to have to realize you can't believe everything you hear. Thank you, Speak Out.

I WOULD LIKE TO speak out to the people who make donations to the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. I hope you read the article by Walter Williams in the Thursday, Nov. 29, Southeast Missourian. It's all just a big ripoff to make the fat calf fatter. I certainly will not be making any more donations to these organizations. What money-making scam will come up next? Thank you.

I HAVE A question. Now that they've canceled the earthquake, are they going to cancel all the cancellations that were made because of the canceled earthquake?

TO ALL SCOTT City fans that showed up for the Lady Rams basketball game against Notre Dame Thursday night: Your enthusiasm and support is greatly appreciated and needed. Thanks for being there. Keep it coming.

I AM CALLING in regards to the earthquake in Southeast Missouri. I would like to make a comment that I think all the people should quit worrying about all this earthquake and everything and start worrying about where they are with Jesus. God does have his hand in it and he can turn it one way or the other. He put us here, we are his people. We don't have a right to say what goes and comes, God does. This is still his country. We may try to act like we own it but we don't, God does rule it. He will do what he wants to with his world. Thank you.

AFTER THE THREAT of the earthquake and after the threat of war and energy prices going up and after the warm days and the cold, cold nights, there's no wonder everyone is so nervous and jittery and driving on the wrong side of the road. Thank you.

NOW IBEN BROWNING is projecting an earthquake for Dec. 31. Hasn't he ever heard the story of the little boy who cried wolf?

I BELIEVE THAT the real test of credibility of whether there's going to be an earthquake this weekend is to find out what the betting line is in Las Vegas on the likelihood of an earthquake.

THERE'S A 50 percent chance my wife will let me go rabbit hunting tomorrow. My little beagle dog named Itch is a good little hunting dog, but she sits around scratching fleas about 50 percent of the time. So I figured there's about a 50 percent chance I won't get any rabbits and another 50 percent chance you will print this. A 100 percent thanks anyway.

THERE ONCE WAS a man who was making predictions of all the earth breaking. But, oh, what a mess, it was only a guess, and it was us and not the earth quaking.

QUESTION: IF JIMMY Hoffa was hitchhiking on I-55 giving predictions of a Dec. 4 earthquake, and Elvis Presley was hitchhiking on Kingshighway giving predictions of a Dec. 5 earthquake, and Iben Browning gave the predictions on the Dec. 3 earthquake, who would you believe? Thank you.

THIS IS ADDRESSED to the 60-year-old man who said in Sunday's paper he hopes we have an earthquake primarily because he wants to see these people who were supposedly tempting the Lord in some form or fashion. He said he hopes we have an earthquake and it doesn't hurt anybody, but he wants to see these companies have to pay off on their promise to pay for their furniture, cars, or whatever. I'd just like to note that those people have insurance that will be paying for that. It's not going to hurt them in anyway. Thank you.

I HEARD THE quake a coming, a coming 'round the bend. I know the quake's a coming, but I don't know when. I'm stuck in Cape Girardeau with no place else to go. How I wish I was with Santa just a going ho ho ho.

I HATE IT when a picture of a wedding appears in the paper and there's only a bride showing up. I've heard of women-libbers, but this is going a bit too far. Thank you.

COME ON, SPEAK Out. Why would Browning have egg on his face if we don't have an earthquake? His projection was 50 percent. He just hit it the 50 percent that we didn't. Don't blame it on him. Who is blowing it out of proportion?

IN ANSWER TO Speak Out's response: why blame the media for reporting on Browning's projection, et cetera, and ending with, don't you mean Browning will have egg on his face if no earthquake occurs then? Browning, the Southeast Missourian and KFVS will all have egg on their faces. Browning made this prediction months ago and, yes, you did your job in reporting it. But why the continued hype? Weeks and months have gone by and the media has continued to harp on this prediction. How many more months are we going to have to put up with this so-called reporting? How about giving us a break? Thanks.

I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED in President Bush flying off to South America to drum up more free trade. Just take a look at the trade deficit now. We do not need more trading partners at this time until we get this trade deficit under control. I feel that President Bush should be in Washington, D.C. taking care of the problems here at home and in the Middle East instead of flying to South America to get more foreign stuff into the U.S. And that's what will happen. If there's an agreement signed, they will send in what they want to and stop ours from going into their country. I think it's time that the politicians in this country start looking out for the manufacturers and the people in this country instead of going to foreign countries looking for foreign imports. Thank you.

IT'S VERY SAD to know that all the schools will be closed and some businesses because of one man's prediction. Nobody wants to close schools for Martin Luther King's death much less businesses. It's very sad. Thank you.

OUR 5-YEAR-OLD grandson came home from school the other day and told his mother he didn't have to go to school Monday because that was the day that Dr. Browning was going to have his earthquake.

GOOD EVENING, SPEAK Out. My name is Dr. Iben Kitten. I am a climatologist from Old Mexico who has developed my own methods of forecasting climatic changes based upon decreasing tidal pools. My recent findings have determined that there is a 50-50 chance that a major flood will occur on Dec. 5 in the Southeast Missouri area. This will be due to the emptying of thousands of jugs of stale water by otherwise intelligent people. I have not yet been able to prove my theory to the scientific community; however, I thought it was my duty to forewarn the readers. Thank you.