Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 31, 1993 TAG: 9401050184
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It was stated: "The morality of public policy has far greater impact on the fate of the nation than the gossipy stuff now crowding out the serious news."
Decisions made by the president are infused with morality. Someone who has not denied having affairs behind his wife's back and who lied to get out of being drafted into the military has skewed morals.
A true leader does not have questionable character. A true leader is bound by principle and virtue, which only strengthen the vision necessary to guide this country to great and noble times.
BLAIR LOVERN
SALEM
The VMI cadets' 'silver bullet'
SO THIS is what we get from the "gentleman soldier" that is produced by the Virginia Military Institute. The poster of a woman model "barely clad" in a VMI uniform is the most persuasive and convincing argument to date for the admission of qualified women to VMI.
Does this poster represent how many cadets see women in our armed forces and society? The poster lampoons the idea of a woman at VMI in particular and women in the military in general. Can one conclude from this representation that the role of women is primarily sex object?
The irony in all of this is staggering. The Justice Department has been working to end VMI's all-male admission policy for more than two years. Now, the "gentlemen soldiers" themselves have provided the silver bullet for the death of the female-exclusion policy.
REV. JOHN D. BODDIE
ROANOKE
Eyewitnesses to history
THE 77 "scholars" who depreciate Jesus' words and works are quibbling over mere words and ignoring the fact of the power of God's word to change lives.
In every generation since the time of Christ, countless lives have been touched and changed by a living Lord Jesus. I am one of these. And I know many more than 77 others who have also experienced the truth of the Bible. No amount of bickering by unbelieving "scholars" can alter that fact.
A Dec. 20 Newsweek article (``After the Survivors," by Jonathan Alters) cited a survey by the Roper Organization in which 22 percent of respondents said that it was "possible" that the Nazi extermination of the Jews never happened. Another 12 percent said they didn't know. The author contends that after the eyewitnesses of history are gone, others will try at some later date to alter the facts unless good documentation is made by those eyewitnesses.
Such is the Bible, and why there are four Gospels. What we have in the Gospels is a statement of all that was said and done by Jesus, after careful inquiry by those honestly striving to be accurate, and under the influence of the Holy Spirit and their own experience. To me that far outweighs what a handful of contemporary "scholars" see to be the truth.
WILLIAM C. CRITES
BUENA VISTA
Gun bans will create black market
THE FEDERAL government, led by the Clinton administration, recently succeeded in adding yet another infringement on the people's Second Amendement rights - the Brady Bill.
Using the facade of "getting tough on crime," the administration is now ready to move toward eventual elimination of this right. Handgun bans, assault-weapon bans, and gun-owner licensing are the proposed next steps. Rather than attacking crime at its source - the criminal - the government seeks to use the issue to disarm the general public.
Violent criminals will not be affected by any new gun-control laws. They regularly commit murder and armed robbery, unconcerned with the penalties for these acts, so why would they abide by a new gun-control law? Most do not obtain their guns through legitimate sources. They steal them and purchase them from other criminals. If all domestic sources for their guns were eliminated, they would smuggle them into the country just as they do tons of illegal drugs every year. If anything, these new laws would aid criminals in creating a new black market of gun trafficking that would reap them enormous profits. The law-abiding public would be left defenseless against the increased violence associated with it.
A general gun ban would also unemploy thousands of workers who make guns for the public and would wipe out legitimate dealers and industry. Of course, a few would be spared to make weapons for police and the military, but the lack of competition in the industry would sharply drive up the price tag on these weapons. Guess whose taxes will go up to pay for this? Yours and mine.
JEFFREY A. HAMMOND
ROANOKE
Valley SPCA doesn't deserve criticisms
I HAVE been reading all the "bad" press about the Roanoke Valley SPCA for more than a month now and I have been fighting my desire to respond. Today, I lost the fight when I read Susan Corrigan's Dec. 23 letter to the editor, "If SPCA has money, put it to good use."
I am really sick of reading about the so-called unauthorized proxy votes certain people have been complaining about. Any person with a third-grade education can look up "proxy" in Webster's Dictionary and learn its correct definition. I collected 13 proxies from current SPCA members I had encouraged to join during our membership drive this year. My suggestion to the unhappy people who were "taken in" by the small group of people who think the SPCA has so much money is: Get involved.
Yes, we do have "a half-million in assets," as Steve Davidson pointed out. We now have a building fund, thanks to a motion made by the finance committee to set up a separate account from an estate we received. We have a $150,000 operating account also. At least $5,000 is transferred monthly from this account to meet expenses due to the exceedingly low rent we receive from the city of Roanoke to house its pound animals. This money won't last long at that rate. The building and land we own, even though it is located in a flood area, is worth more than $100,000, but who would buy it? I learned all this information at regular board meetings, which are open to the membership.
Every effort is being made to improve the conditions at the shelter. How long has it been since Ms. Corrigan has been there? I feel the wonderful response we received from the public to our Santa "Claws" and "Paws" Trees, located in nine Kroger stores this Christmas, shows that the animals haven't lost anything because of this election. We collected more than 5,000 pounds of food and kitty litter.
I know I will continue to work for this organization and these animals, harder than ever now, because I want to see the doors always open for the homeless animals. I want to see the public educated regularly about the importance of spaying and neutering pets to reduce pet overpopulation. Most of all, I would like to see people start writing letters to the editor about the good things going on at the Roanoke Valley SPCA. There are many!
SANDY OBENSHAIN
SPCA FUND-RAISING CHAIRMAN
ROANOKE
Accuracy wasn't the Gospels' goal
IN "The Back Pew" column on Dec. 13, staff writer Cody Lowe gave a balanced analysis of the debate over what Jesus actually said.
Many of the same people who believe that Jesus was both human and divine seem to deny the humanity of the Bible. To say that the Bible is an infallible record of historical and scientific facts is to protect the Bible as God's word, but to deny that the biblical writers had any control over what they wrote.
The real issue is not whether a particular saying came directly from Jesus, but whether the biblical writers influenced the story of Jesus as they told it. Clearly they did, and that is why we have more than one Gospel, each with its own perspective. The Gospels are really documents of faith. Their purpose is not to be historically accurate (a fairly modern notion), but to convince us that Jesus revealed God in a unique way.
C. FREEMAN SLEEPER
ROANOKE
Lake residents want no part of city
HOW CONVENIENT for Mayor David Bowers and his political ex-cronies of Roanoke City to suggest a revamped Route 116 to "the" lake. Yes, an improved road is needed - but for the right reasons.
If he thinks the citizens of Franklin and Bedford counties will willingly be subjugated to his jurisdiction, he should think again! We have not joined into electing him to any office. He does not represent us and I doubt he has our best interest at heart.
We wish not to become part of his inflated tax base as residents of a "greater" Roanoke metropolis. He should attend the many needs of his present constituents and keep his hands out of our pockets.
ARNOLD D. ST.CLAIR
HARDY
by CNB