SPEAKOUT

I'M CALLING IN regards to the lady who wrote that Mr. Bush should reinstate the draft; that way everybody gets a chance and you don't have to call in the reserves. Well, I think that's a bunch of bull. The reserves did that; they decided that on their own and that's what they're for. Thanks.

I HAVE A question regarding these abandoned cars left in the yards here in Cape. How come it is that most people, when they are told, do get rid of them and have to get rid of them, but in the Red Star District, for example, there's two houses who have not moved their cars? It's not really being done fairly. Thank you.

OUR PRESIDENT HAS sent our soldiers, young and old, to protect the country and there uniforms are stripped of the American flag. They're religious services are secretly coded, the camps are camouflaged to hide any religious signs, and the chaplains have to cover the cross on their uniforms and helmets. They may shed blood for a country where there is raping, looting, killing and so forth. If Bush stayed in Washington D.C. long enough, he could see the same thing going on there. What about the American people? Isn't there something wrong with this picture? When Bush was in Saudi Arabia, the news showed him surrounded by smiling soldiers. It was well staged. I'd like to ask him, what would he have to say to the soldier if he had been standing by the soldier that was having that flag cut from his uniform? The news says he wants his name written in history books. Does he have to use our son's blood to write it in the history book? Yes, I'm a mother. Thank you.

RECENT ARTICLES in the newspaper haven't answered the question of whether or not it's legal to burn leaves in the gutter. It seems to me I read long ago it was not legal. Common sense would lead you to believe that it shouldn't be legal. Apparently in Cape, you can thumb your nose at the city ordinances and even expect apologies from officials trying to do their job. This would have made a good episode for "Mayberry RFD," Don Rickles meets Barney Fyfe. Thank you.

I'M WATCHING "Our House." I'm so glad they put that back on. It's a family program that all members of the family can enjoy. There are so many stupid things they've been having on this time in the afternoon. I thank the station that has put it on. I appreciate it. Thank you.

IN HONOR OF the service men and women who are serving over in the gulf for our country, I would like to see a big yellow bow be placed on the flag pole in Memorial Park. Thank you.

I GO TO the Junior High and I'd like to complain about the people who go up to the trays and don't wait in line for lunch. I think the teachers should stand by the trays and make sure that nobody butts in. Thank you.

I'M CALLING IN answer to who called in and said no one was hurt by the earthquake prediction. They evidently haven't heard the elderly talk about how they couldn't get to their basement to turn off the gas; of all the extra doctor visits and more nerve medicine bought; of all the children scared of every noise and how they watch their pet's every movement. Some children will not get over this for a long time. How has it helped us? We bought supplies but that won't really prepare us. Only new building codes can really help us. I appreciated Joni Adams' article in the paper also. Thank you.

CAPE GIRARDEAU CABLE TV carries channel 29, CNBC, the Consumer news and business channel. It's a really great interview channel; interview programs by Dick Cavett, Bob Costas, John McLaughlin, Patrick Buchanan and many others, but it's never in the schedule book. Could Cape Girardeau Cable TV put in the scheduling for channel 29? Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT BUSH: IF you start that war with Iraq and get all those people killed, you should be impeached. A president shouldn't have that kind of power. The oil isn't worth it. What did the United States do in Panama, Grenada, Vietnam and Korea? We weren't attacked and our national security wasn't in jeopardy. Thank you.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND why people are in such an uproar about the reservists being called to active duty. I recently enlisted in the Army Reserves, knowing just perfectly well I could be pulled out of college and the work that I'm in, at any time there's war. That's my duty and that's part of my job, and I'm very proud of that. So everyone who joins knows that's part of their job; it's part of the deal going in.

I'M VERY GRATEFUL to the person who straightened me out on the War Powers Act. But I don't understand why, if this act was passed by Congress, why has it not been enforced and Bush be required to bring at least part of the troops home? Can he get away with this legally by just saying that the war powers act is unconstitutional?

I HEARD A joke the other day. The National Enquirer and the Star magazines were asked why they weren't covering the earthquake in New Madrid. Well, they said, it was too sleazy a story for their magazine. I guess when you consider this, the Southeast Missourian has to look up to see bottom.

YOU KNOW, I read a couple days ago about the news media not having egg on their face. Everyone said that Iben Browning, when this thing didn't happen, was going to have a lot of egg on his face. The news media wrote in and said they wouldn't have egg on their face, Dr. Browning would. Well, let's put this into perspective. In this story there were four Chicken Littles and none of them was Iben Browning. Iben Browning simply said there was a 50-50 chance. But the news media, KBSI, WPSD and KFVS, and, yes, one more, the Southeast Missourian, all went around like Chicken Littles saying the sky was falling, the sky was falling. No wonder everybody got so bent out of shape.

We, of course, didn't report that the sky was falling; we reported that Browning had projected a 50 percent chance of a significant earthquake occurring within his projected timeframe. Would you have preferred that the news media ignore his projection? We think not. We also carried a series of articles about earthquake preparedness, which, we believe, provided useful information for people living on or near the New Madrid Fault regardless of when a major earthquake occurs. We stand by our reporting of the Browning projection.

THERE HAVE BEEN a lot of people calling in saying that the news media blew the earthquake prediction out of proportion. Well, the way I see it, if the news media had not reported about the earthquake, a lot of people would have been mad at that, too. You can't have it both ways. If there had been an earthquake, most people would probably have complained about not enough reporting on the earthquake. Also, I think if it hadn't been for that little 4.6 earthquake we had in September, not a single person would have been worried about the prediction. That's what really got people going. Also, I hear a lot of people have been taking their earthquake supplies back to the stores for their money back. Don't you people know that we could still have an earthquake any day now?

WELL, I SEE where David Stewart has resigned as head of the Center for Earthquake Studies at SEMO. If the truth were known, he was probably forced to resign because of all the unfavorable publicity because he put some credence in Dr. Browning's projection of an earthquake around Dec. 3. All you people who are criticizing David Stewart, aren't you glad that we didn't have an earthquake? Have you become more prepared for a disaster than you are now? Then, some good did come from these projections and talks about a possible earthquake. We have to pay a price to be prepared, which is minute compared to the price of unpreparedness. As in most things, it seems there has to be someone to blame, and David Stewart was handy. I for one say, thanks, David Stewart, for having the guts to stand up and tell us that there was a chance of an earthquake, and to get us all thinking about preparing for such a disaster. It didn't happen this time, but one day it will. Thank you, Speak Out.