ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 27, 1991                   TAG: 9103270408
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FLAGS PUT AWAY, NEWS BACK TO NORMAL

I WAS PROUD that our troops went to the gulf, and we thank God for their return. There were the pros and cons. Military might has been displayed, accolades given.

Reporting is about back to normal: civilian sensationalism, disasters, all the exciting criminal acts, juicy exposes, etc., etc. Most people have put their flags back in the closets. Even Saddam seems not to display discomfort while sitting. I'm back to my cynical self!

Why is it when we wage war I'm reminded of my mother's comment when I was about 9 years old? She found me sweeping the front steps and remarked: "That's admirable, son, but come up here and sweep from the top down, or you will never finish the job!"

DICK MALLEN\ ROANOKE 


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