SPEAKOUT

IF THERE is a war in Kuwait, will we have to rebuild the homes, cities and country for them after the way, like we have done in the past in other countries where we have engaged in war? I haven't seen this question addressed in the newspaper. Can someone answer it for me?

IF BAKER IS going to Iraq only to tell Saddam to get out of Kuwait, why is President Bush so angry? Could it be that he picked on a country that's too big? Reagan at least knew how to pick those that are small enough so we could overrun them, like Panama, Grenada and Libya. Thank you.

I LOVE TO see these bumper stickers that say God is pro-life. Yes, it is true that God is pro-life, for he created life itself and all the creatures on this earth. However, God is also pro-choice, which he has demonstrated throughout all the entirety of the book of the old covenant and the new covenant. God wants people to choose obedience to his love. It is very wrong to try to force someone to be obedient to God's love. Christ never did this nor did any of the disciples. Abortion is murder, but in this country it is legal. Love the sinners, hate the sin. I thank God for his book and the wisdom he has given me to be able to understand it. I pray that he returns soon. So many well-meaning Christians have tried to force their interpretation on his holy word. That is not subject to anyone's interpretation, unlike the Constitution of the United States.

FOR ALL OF those new arrivals in the Heartland, I'm sure you had an abrupt awakening Saturday, the 15th, and the 16th, Sunday. That is when on Saturday we got pre-empted on the Buffalo Bills-New York Giants game to watch the Kentucky Wildcats with a former player from the University of Missouri. What was his name? Then, secondly, here it is Sunday, and we are going to get to see Mr. Food rather than the Phoenix Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. I know everyone would rather see Mr. Food, where he speaks too fast to even write down what you should cook, than to see a NFL football game. Thank you very much. Thank you.

I NOTED IN the Sunday morning paper that many people called Speak Out about Browning and Stewart, and as usual the people at the Southeast Missourian had a lot of smart cracks to make back at them. Here a while back, two or three weeks ago, the Southeast Missourian had an editorial about Dr. Stewart, questioning him and his activities prior to the time he came to Southeast Missouri to go to work at the university, and really let out after him. But when the Southeast Missourian was asked why Kala Stroup left Murray, Ky., they orderly defended her. Why don't you play it down the middle instead of continually taking sides? Thank you, you bunch of creeps.

Our two responses of last Sunday to callers' comments were not intended as wise cracks. We felt it necessary to correct one caller, who said the "big dogs" at the university were "pointing guns" at the head of David Stewart, telling him what to say during a television interview. That, of course, was not true. In the other, we simply asked the caller for information on any articles concerning successful earthquake predictions made by Jim Berkland and Iben Browning. We fail to see how you consider either a wise crack. We don't know what you are talking about when you say we were asked about Dr. Kala Stroup, the president of Southeast Missouri State University, leaving Murray State, and we defended her. On June 24, we published a story in which Stroup discussed the situation at Murray that led to its board of regents not renewing her contract. You must not have seen that story. We believe a purpose of a newspaper is to express opinions on issues, and that sometimes means taking sides. We do that on our editorial pages and will continue to do so.

THERE'S AN ARTICLE in January's Reader's Digest that every person in the United States should be required to read on how we appeased a tyrant. It sure tells how the United States, Italy, France, Germany, England, Japan and all the rest and quite a few more countries made Saddam Hussein into what he is today with their stupid business deals. Thank you very much.,

TO ALL THESE people who think we should go to Iraq and bomb it, let me say this to you: There is nothing keeping you home. You're welcome to go over there. I imagine there are a lot of boys there in the sand who would be more than glad to trade places with you. The fact is we have no business over there at all. It's not worth the life of one boy, much less thousands. Furthermore, what do you think Saddam is going to be doing with all those troops while we're bombing Baghdad? Thank you.

I WOULD LIKE TO say something about the answer from Saddam Hussein about meeting with James Baker. I knew this sort of things was coming a few weeks back when the Democrats filed suit to keep President Bush from invading Iraq. These people have the ways of monitoring every television show that is on in our country. Why would a man not back down when things like this are going on? No one wants war, but we have to be all together on something of this nature. You have to back the people or you will gain nothing. For these Democratic senators to file suit against the president to keep this man from defending this country whether it's right or wrong I do not know. But I do know one thing: Saddam Hussein has to be stopped. No one wants war. We all know what it's like, but let's unite and maybe they'll get a peaceful solution to this. Thank you very much.