Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 17, 1994 TAG: 9404190004
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: D-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Personal manners are our last bastion of dignity. With crudeness prevailing in our dress, music, talk and especially on television, it's difficult to teach young people some simple manners: A gentleman opens doors and seats ladies; in turn, a lady waits for these respects; stand when a lady enters a room or when introduced to someone.
I'm not Emily Post, but it's a pleasure to watch someone use the right silver like a delicate instrument rather than like a shovel; see someone sit at a table not hunched over it like a gorilla with both elbows for support; not talk with a mouth full of food. "Please," "thank you" and "excuse me" aren't difficult words, but used so seldom!
With the advent of summer when more people eat out, all the above comes to mind. Window signs in many restaurants read: ``Shoes and shirts required.'' Signs like that weren't required a couple of generations ago. Even bums wore suits and ties!
Take baseball caps and tank tops - just about as crude as you can get in a restaurant. Who wants to see underarm hair while eating a meal? Baseball caps (our athletic president wears one) worn inside make the wearer look like a monkey! I remember when you were taught to remove your hat in an elevator. Never heard of that, huh?
I've not mentioned our great T-shirt society with emblazoned filthy phrases. If you're going to be a slob, it sure helps others if you advertise!
No wonder we're viewing more old movies without profanity. Isn't it a pleasure to see everyone dressed with dignity? Remember that word?
I'm no prude, but I'm sick of crude. Maybe this summer I'll pierce my nose and hang my car keys on it.
DICK MALLEN
ROANOKE
Don't read that which gives offense
REGARDING Dave Hillis' March 30 letter to the editor, ``Doonesbury ought to be dropped'':
If Doonesbury's humor irritates Hillis so much, why does he continue to read the strip? Common sense says skip over it and let the rest of us enjoy Trudeau's sense of humor.
Just in case Hillis forgot, this is America, with freedom of the press and freedom of speech. When we start burying things in the newspaper that we don't agree with, we cheat the entire concept of freedom and everything for which our forefathers fought.
TIM CALLAHAN
SALEM
Railroads more beneficial locally
THE ADVENT of the proposed Interstate 73 through the region has been hailed as an economic boon so heartily that we suspect the widespread favor with which it meets is the result of panic, more than that of reasoned consideration. Let us explain.
The petroleum age that's made the interstate highway system and all roads necessary is in imminent danger of collapsing from exhaustion and pollution. The likelihood of readily exploitable substitutes' justifying the whole highway system is at present quite limited. In fact, when efficiency and relative environmental suitability of railroads are considerably better, the idea of billions of dollars spent to expand, ``improve'' and increase use of highways is almost ludicrous. As well, the very name ``highway'' is propaganda for the ludicrous approach.
We're not suggesting society overnight abandon the automobile and multiple-axle truck, but we're promoting an approach to discourage the building and use of more megahighways, which increase land degradation, wetlands destruction, pollution, social disruptions, mobile crime, etc. At least, re-emphasizing railroads may be more beneficial locally, in a community with a railroad history and a geographic location suggesting it's a likely hub for such a re-innovation as a continental railway system. Such a system would allow a more environmentally friendly means of public transportation and freight transport.
Encouraging this requires a major commitment, but no more than that required to construct interstates. If this commitment is made, we may avoid a greater effort of drastic, panic-stricken change when oil supplies quickly dwindle and air becomes unbearably foul.
RICK and LINDA WILLIAMS
FERRUM
Critic Mayo misread `The Paper'
DOES correspondent Mike Mayo have a clue about what's going on with the movie-going public today? Three and a half stars for ``The Paper'' (March 26 review, ```The Paper' is a funny edition'')? He surely jests. ``One of the year's best. Don't miss it!'' for a manipulative and predictable piece of fluff? I'll give him a call next year when it's Academy Award time to remind him of this embarrassing review. I shouldn't be surprised, however. Didn't he suggest that ``The Piano'' was a little slow and not worth the time?
I would like to thank the newspaper for letting someone else review ``Farewell, My Concubine.'' Please continue to give Mayo free passes to any theater except the Grandin.
SUSAN K. HILL
ROANOKE
by CNB