Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 10, 1994 TAG: 9405110054
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
I'm a Giles native, with relatives and ancestral history spread throughout these counties. My best childhood memories are of summers spent with relatives in these places. I couldn't wait to leave Richmond to go camping, hiking and swimming in the New River or Claytor Lake. My father drove us on dirt and gravel back roads and byways, always with a great adventure at the end. I came to know and appreciate these places and my heritage.
Towns with only one traffic light, or none at all, are places of exceptional elegance and serenity. With the bypass from Ripplemead to Glen Lynn, many miss out on down-home charm and neighborliness (something the whole world could learn from). Construction of Interstate 73 through these areas will detract from the beauty and simplicity of uncomplicated life. It took many years to form our mountains and rivers, which are the single most important ingredients to the future and survival of our children and our planet.
Slow down. What's the hurry? Do we really want our serene and fresh beauty to become congested and polluted as a Detroit, New York or Los Angeles? Construction of I-73 will bring traffic en masse, and all we'll see of Angel's Rest, Brushy, Cloyd's and Big Walker mountains will be a hazy, brown sludge, forever hanging over and blocking sunshine from our lives. We can all live longer and happier without it.
LISA N. STILWELL-WILSON
ROANOKE
Boucher's efforts have helped region
REGARDING Marilyn T. Canode's April 5 letter to the editor about 9th District Congressman Rick Boucher (``Where Fast stands, vis-a-vis Boucher''):
It's evident she doesn't know Boucher nor has she paid attention to all he's done for his district. Last year, he worked to pass legislation that gives a tax reduction through earned-income credit to some 95,000 families in his district. The results of his work demonstrate his concern for Southwest Virginia families. He knows many are just getting by, and this reduction can help those who work hard to feed, clothe and shelter their families.
Boucher's first priority is the betterment of his district. He's brought jobs to Southwest Virginia with his Showcasing Southwest Virginia effort. In the New River Valley, Tetra Products built its North American headquarters due to his efforts. Showcasing Southwest Virginia has generated more than $100 million in new investments in our district. And he was the major factor in securing the reopening of Hercules recently. Ask Hercules employees and families if he cares about and works hard for them.
As a strong advocate of education, Boucher started Virginia's first optic-educational network. This program electronically links high schools with community and four-year colleges in the 9th District, which allows students to take classes that weren't previously available.
The best way to help Southwest Virginia is to improve our young people's education and bring good jobs to our communities. Boucher believes our young people deserve the best education possible and shouldn't have to leave their communities to find jobs.
JOHN M. McPHAIL
RADFORD
Educational tools need protecting
THE ROANOKE Valley Library Association wishes to express its support for the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library staff and its board in their efforts to keep ``Daddy's Roommate'' on the library shelves. Every community has families in which a parent is gay. This book is an educational tool intended to help children from these families understand their own family situation. It may also be used by parents who wish to educate their children on the diverse family structure existing for some children in the community. ``Daddy''s Roommate'' isn't intended to force this knowledge upon families who don't want their children exposed to this information.
It's the public library's responsibility to provide information that meets needs of all members of the community. The responsibility for monitoring what their children read belongs with individual parents and doesn't rest upon the library. The library association feels the book is a valuable educational tool that shouldn't be banned. Allowing it to be censored from the library's collection would result in the neglect of the educational needs of a part of the community. Librarians are dedicated to preserving free access to information for everyone.
The library association commends the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library for its efforts to ensure their citizens the right to read.
JAY STEPHENS
President
CYNTHIA OBRIST
Secretary
Roanoke Valley
Library Association
ROANOKE
Stopping abortions won't end suffering
LINDA Whitlock's April 24 letter to the editor (``A failed approach to pregnant teens'') was intriguing in its inaccurate slant. Her statistics can ``prove'' anything she wants to prove. Numbers say what we want them to.
Abortions weren't legal before 1972, so there are no records on how many were performed. But there were more teen pregnancies in 1957, in the ``innocent'' days of Wally Cleaver, than today.
I've never spoken to or met Kathryn Haynie, nor am I a Planned Parenthood member. But Whitlock's implication that Haynie wants to prevent a pregnant teen from telling a parent so there can be more abortions is patently ridiculous. If a child's had a loving, supportive relationship with a parent, nothing could keep her from telling her parent about a pregnancy. It's the girl from an abusive home who needs other options.
If we go back to 1972 for statistics, we need to consider all changes in our society since then. Think about the increase in drugs and violence since then. Who worried about car-jackings then, or feared being shot at work or in a restaurant? Drive-by shootings and children killing children are all too common today. Society is changing, and we need to look at real causes.
It seems the failure of the home is a big reason for America's moral and civil decline. For whatever reason, parents don't give the love, time, discipline and nurturing needed to rear a child.
Whitlock's last sentence was especially interesting. Who in this world can, or would, prevent a parent from being involved in a child's life? The parent, alone, chooses how much involvement there is.
The number of abused and neglected children is in the millions, and increases each year. Stopping the choice of abortion will not ease that suffering.
JANE F. HOLLOWAY
ROANOKE
Wildlife garden a treat for the eyes
OUTDOOR Editor Bill Cochran's April 25 Outdoors page article, ``Wild about flowers,'' overlooked a gem within Roanoke city limits. The Wildflower Garden atop Mill Mountain was established and continues to be maintained by the Mill Mountain Garden Club. This award-winning project comprises 21/2 acres of land that has been carefully planned, weeded, planted and maintained by club members since 1971.
If you want to enjoy the beauty of mountain flowers in their natural environment, the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden is one of the best places in this area to do it. Go see for yourselves.
EMILY A. WOODRUM
ROANOKE
Licensed dietitians help save lives
RECENTLY, registered dietitians in Virginia sought to become licensed to protect the public's health against false nutritional practices, claims and advertisements.
House Bill No. 312 was unanimously passed by the General Assembly and is now being considered by Gov. Allen. This bill will in no way interfere with individuals' freedom of speech on nutrition nor interfere with the retail of nutritional products.
Many Virginians will recall the death of a 6-year-old diabetic child at the hands of an unqualified person at Tinker Mountain Retreat in Botetourt County. This death could have been prevented had registered dietitians been licensed to practice medical-nutrition therapy in Virginia.
Medical-nutrition therapy, when provided as a part of a comprehensive-care plan, saves health-care costs by speeding recovery and reducing medical complications. It reduces drug, surgery and treatment needs.
I encourage Gov. Allen to sign this bill to protect all Virginians' health and safety. Virginia should join 29 other states in licensing dietitians.
MARILYN DONATO
ROANOKE
by CNB