Comments from our readers:

I WAS WATCHING THE evening news and everybody with their hands out, and I would like to say I'm 57 years old and have been at my job 31 years. Never had an unemployment check, never had food stamps. I agree with taking care of the elderly and the handicapped, but all these other people standing around wanting, wanting, wanting? Why don't they get a job and be proud of themselves instead of saying give me, give me?

MY SYMPATHIES GO out to the family and friends of Justin Elmore. May God bless you. Things will get better in due time. To the people that are making harsh comments about this young man: He may not have been the best citizen, but he is someone's father and he is someone's son. You cannot judge people; let God do that.

I WANT TO THANK Thomas M. Parker, the young man who delivers my newspaper. I'm crippled and I can't get out in the yard but am right by the front door every day. He has to go out of his way to do that, and that is a wonderful person. Thank you, Thomas.

I HAVE A RAVE for those who gave to the Salvation Army and also for the Empty Stocking Fund, and also I thank those who gave to the James Brown toy giveaway so poor children can have a good Christmas. May you be blessed in everything you do.

IF THE OFFICER had stepped out of the way and let Elmore go, they would have had to go on another high-speed chase and would have endangered innocent lives.

THANKS TO BILL KIRBY for always giving me a laugh.

A RANT FOR THE New Black Panther Party. How dare you walk the streets brandishing assault weapons in the air?

IN REGARD TO THE rant that the headline "Man shot by police dies" is inflammatory: The headline should have read: "Criminal shot by police dies." I don't think the headline went far enough.

FOR ALL THE ONES you put in the paper about the man who got killed at Cherry Tree Crossing because of his record: That doesn't mean you had the right to kill.

MY RANT IS FOR the front page where you showed Black Panthers protesting and marching with guns. If the Klu Klux Klan was having a peaceful rally and they had a gun, what would we do? Everybody would be up in arms about it. Very, very biased.